DEFORESTATIONApproximately 1/3 rd of the earths total land area is covered by forests - Subdivided into natural forests and plantations

or man made forests. It can also be defined as the removal or damage of vegetation in a forest to the extent that it no longer supports its natural flora and fauna. very broad term, which consists of cutting of trees including repeated lopping, felling, and removal of forest litter ,browsing, grazing and trampling of seedlings CAUSES OF DEFORESTATION(1) Agriculture (2) Shifting cultivation-known as slash and-burn method of farming.(3) Demand for firewood-Almost 44% of the total global wood produced fulfils the fuel requirements of the world. India consumes nearly 135-170 Mt (Million tones) of firewood annually and 10-15 ha of forest cover is being stripped off to meet the minimum fuel needs of urban and rural poor. (4) Wood for industry and commercial use-making crates, packing cases, furniture, match boxes, wooden boxes, paper and pulp, plywood. The paper industry -about 2% of countrys annual consumption of wood, 51% this requirement is met by bamboo wood. The apple industry in the Himalayan region has led to the destruction of fir and other tree species, for making wooden boxes used for transporting apples. (5) Urbanization and developmental projects-roads, railway lines, building of dams, townships, electric supply. Tehri power project-260.5m high earth and rock fill dam near the Tehri town in Garhwal Himalayas. An estimated 4,600 ha of good forest land will be submerged under water. (6) Other causes-resources living and nonliving (minerals, river, land) found in these forests (7) natural calamities such as floods, forest fires, diseases and termite attack. CONSEQUENCES OF DEFORESTATION1) Soil erosion -erosion along the slopes of the lower Himalayas and Aravali hills. The loss of top soil in India, is 18.5% of the global soil loss. This is indeed very serious, considering the fact that India has only 2.4% of the land area of the world. 2)flash floods-altered rainfall pattern-2008 Bihar, worst flood in the river kosi. 3)landslides- 4)silting of water bodies- 5)loss of wild habitat/Biodiversity Loss-separate topic 6)loss of co2 sink-pollution 7)loss of medicinal and other useful plants. 8)Climatic change-absorbed carbon dioxide, maintaining oxygen supply, regulation of water (water cycle) in the environment and act as environmental buffers regulating climate and atmospheric humidity , green house effect9)Desertification-separate topic.

Management/conservation-