BHARTI VIDYAPEETH INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

Sector-7, C.B.D. Belapur, Navi Mumbai

Certificate
This is to certify that the report of project entitled,

“Deforestation: Causes, Effects and Control Strategies”

Submitted by:
2100270146 3525 Samarth Arote
2100270051 3526 Varsha Raut
2100270177 3527 Krupali Wayal
2200270646 3528 Aryan Patil
To The
MAHARASHTRA STATE BOARD OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION
In partial fulfillment of the requirement of the Course of

DIPLOMA IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Has been satisfactorily carried out under the guidance of

PROF MR. RANJEET PAWAR

In SEM V during the academic year 2023

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 INTRODUCTION
Deforestation or forest clearance is the removal of a forest or stand of
trees from land that is then converted to non-forest use. Deforestation
can involve conversion of forest land to farms, ranches, or urban use. The
most concentrated deforestation occurs in tropical rainforests. About
31% of Earth's land surface is covered by forests at present. This is one-
third less than the forest cover before the expansion of agriculture, with
half of that loss occurring in the last century. Between 15 million to 18
million hectares of forest, an area the size of Bangladesh, are destroyed
every year. On average 2,400 trees are cut down each minute.
The overwhelming direct cause of deforestation is agriculture. More than
80% of deforestation was attributed to agriculture in 2018. Forests are
being converted to plantations for coffee, tea, palm oil, rice, rubber, and
various other popular products. Livestock ranching is another agricultural
activity that drives deforestation. Further drivers are the wood industry
(logging), economic development in general (for example urbanization),
mining. The effects of climate change are another cause via the increased
risk of wildfires.
Deforestation has resulted in habitat damage, biodiversity loss, and
aridity. Deforestation also causes extinction, changes to climatic
conditions, desertification, and displacement of populations, as observed
by current conditions and in the past through the fossil record.
Deforestation also reduces biosequestration of atmospheric carbon
dioxide, increasing negative feedback cycles contributing to global
warming. Global warming also puts increased pressure on communities
who seek food security by clearing forests for agricultural use and
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reducing arable land more generally. Deforested regions typically incur
significant other environmental effects such as adverse soil erosion and
degradation into wasteland.

Why plants are important for a forest?

Plants are very important for human beings to take a breath. Human
beings are living because of oxygen that oxygen is generated by the
plants around the environment. In our environment plants takes carbon
dioxide as intake from the leaves and give output as oxygen. Because
oxygen is essential for humans plants are important to humans.

Forest
Forest absorbs greenhouse gasses such as carbon dioxide for the life
process of humans.
 Forest adds water to the environment through the transpiration
process.
 Used for the slowdown of the flood water flow because of the
continuous trees in the forest able to sink water.
 Used for the mitigation of soil erosion because of the tree masses.
 Different species in our daily life are from forests only.
 Most of the oxygen came from the forest only.

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 Cause of Deforestation
Deforestation is caused by the following concepts. They are
Urbanization
Urbanization includes making roads in forests so that trees in the forest
are cut down. If the population is more there is a chance of cutting down
the trees more for the sake of building and road etc.,
Mining
Oil industries and power supplying industries make deforestation
because the oil that comes from the earth needs to be cut down from the
trees and also power supplying industries needs coal which came through
the mining process. In this process, environmental pollution occurs.
Logging
In this illegal logging cutting the trees for the sake of wood, coal that
comes to form the trees is used for buildings construction and somewhat
used for coal to sell for the industries. This cause the forest like
deforestation. Wood is used for paper and various accessories.
Livestock Ranching
People who live in forests need food for their living process. To live they
used to cut down trees for growing food like grains, vegetables, etc., this
makes the land lose its ability of afforestation.

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Agricultural activities
Agricultural activities like overgrowing anywhere in the forest make the
forest lose afforestation. People for the sake of food used forests to grow
more and more without fertilizers.
Paper
Paper that came only from the selected trees. People want to grow those
selected trees out of unwanted trees. So they cut down mostly unwanted
trees and started planting wanted trees for the sake of papers, rubber,
gums, etc., Because of the paper deforestation is happening.

Effects of Deforestation
Climate unbalance and climatic changes
Climate unbalances and climatic changes occur when forests are
degraded. Plants are like lungs for the earth. The plant takes greenhouse
gasses and releases oxygen and water vapor to make the environment
moist. Plants also give shade to all living beings under the tree. If trees
are degraded advantages because of plants are not perfectly done. That
is why deforestation makes climatic unbalance and climatic changes.
Increasing greenhouse gasses
Plants take carbon dioxide for human beings to take oxygen from the
plants that are released during the photosynthesis process. If plants were
cut by human beings for their daily needs greenhouse gasses are
increasing rapidly and trees are mitigated. Because of this greenhouse
gasses increase on the earth.

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Global warming
Global warming means increasing the temperature of the earth because
of unbalanced emission of gasses on the earth due to greenhouse gasses
released by the different industries. If trees were there those gasses are
absorbed by the plants else temperature increases because of the
unwanted gasses.
Floods
Trees stores most of the water when there is heavy rain. If trees are cut
for the wanted resources by the humans then water is flown to down
areas causing floods to those areas.
Soil erosion
Plants have the ability to stop soil from being joined with river water and
making them pollute. If plants were there may be a chance of soil
protection with the help of plant stem. The stem of the plant has the
capacity to stop erosion by the roots.
Acidic oceans
Due to the carbon dioxide in the air increasing rapidly oceans are
becoming more acidic. Due to deforestation oceans are becoming acidic.
Biodiversity
Plants are the main important for biodiversity. The tropical rainforest is
the main for biodiversity. If plants will be there in the environment then

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animals and many living organisms live their life happily then only
biodiversity sustains.
Food
If plants are degraded food for the animals as well as a human being are
also degraded easily. Plant prepares food with the help of the
photosynthesis process. Plants prepared food is used by the animals like
goats, goats are eaten by lions when lions dead that are eaten by the
eagles, and then the whole process repeats by the degradation of the
body of eagles acts as manure for the plants.

Differences between deforestation and afforestation

Deforestation Afforestation

Deforestation is like a forest with Afforestation is like a forest with

no trees. having full of trees.

It causes a negative impact on the It causes a positive impact on the

environment. environment.

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 Control Strategies of Deforestation
1. Enforcing Regulations:
Stringent Legislation: Governments should enact and update legislation
that clearly defines sustainable logging practices, logging quotas, and
penalties for non-compliance.
Monitoring and Surveillance: Invest in monitoring and surveillance
systems that track logging activities in real-time, making it easier to
detect and respond to illegal logging.
Collaboration with Local Communities: Involve local communities and
indigenous groups in monitoring efforts, as they often have a vested
interest in protecting their forests.
Transparency: Ensure transparency in the allocation of logging
concessions and revenue distribution to prevent corruption and illegal
activities.
Certification Programs (e.g., FSC):
Awareness Campaigns: Conduct awareness campaigns to educate
consumers, businesses, and stakeholders about the importance of
purchasing products from certified sources.
Incentives for Certification: Offer incentives, such as tax breaks or market
access advantages, to encourage logging companies to obtain
certification.

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Consumer Demand: Encourage consumer demand for certified wood and
paper products by promoting their benefits, such as sustainability and
responsible sourcing..
International Cooperation: Collaborate with international organizations
and other countries to align certification standards and improve global
adherence to sustainable logging practices.

2. Protected Areas and Conservation:

Establishing Protected Areas: The creation and preservation of protected
areas, such as national parks and wildlife sanctuaries, serve as vital
refuges for diverse ecosystems and wildlife. By designating these areas,
governments and conservation organizations safeguard critical habitats
from the encroachment of deforestation and unsustainable
development.
Conservation Initiatives: Conservation efforts are essential for protecting
endangered species and their habitats in deforested regions. These
initiatives often involve habitat restoration, species reintroduction
programs, and research to better understand the needs of threatened
flora and fauna. By focusing on conservation, we can work to mitigate the
loss of biodiversity caused by deforestation.
3. Reforestation and Afforestation:
Tree Planting Campaigns: Large-scale reforestation efforts are crucial in
restoring ecosystems that have been adversely affected by deforestation.
Tree planting campaigns not only help to recover lost forest cover but
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also aid in carbon sequestration, combating climate change, and
enhancing the overall health of the environment.
Agroforestry Practices: Promoting agroforestry practices offers a win-win
solution by integrating trees into agricultural landscapes. This approach
not only enhances soil fertility and crop yields but also provides farmers
with alternative sources of income. By diversifying revenue streams,
communities are less reliant on deforestation for their livelihoods.
4. Land Use Planning and Zoning:
Spatial Planning: Develop land use plans that prioritize forest
conservation and identify areas where deforestation is restricted.
Zoning: Implement zoning regulations that restrict certain land uses in
ecologically sensitive areas.
5. Alternative Livelihoods:
Promote Sustainable Economic Activities: Support local communities in
transitioning to sustainable economic activities such as eco-tourism, non-
timber forest product harvesting, and sustainable agriculture.
6. Community Engagement:
Community-Based Forest Management: Involve local communities in
forest management decisions, allowing them to benefit economically
while protecting forests.
Education and Awareness: Conduct awareness campaigns and
educational programs to inform communities about the consequences of
deforestation and sustainable alternatives.

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7. Law Enforcement and Monitoring:
Strengthen Law Enforcement: Invest in law enforcement agencies to
combat illegal logging and deforestation activities.
Satellite Monitoring: Use satellite technology and remote sensing to
monitor deforestation and respond quickly to illegal activities.
8. International Cooperation:
Global Agreements: Collaborate internationally through agreements like
the Paris Agreement and Convention on Biological Diversity to address
deforestation on a global scale.
9. Incentives and Penalties:
Financial Incentives: Provide financial incentives for landowners and
companies that engage in sustainable forestry practices.
Penalties: Enforce penalties for illegal logging and deforestation,
including fines, asset seizures, and legal actions.
10. Research and Innovation:
Technological Solutions: Invest in research and technology for
sustainable forestry practices, including efficient logging equipment and
monitoring tools.
Biotechnology: Explore biotechnological approaches to reforestation and
forest management, such as genetic engineering of trees for improved
growth and resilience.

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11. Consumer Choices:
Promote Sustainable Consumption: Encourage consumers to make
sustainable choices by purchasing certified wood products and
supporting companies committed to responsible sourcing.
12. Policy and Governance:
Policy Reforms: Advocate for policy reforms that prioritize forest
conservation, land tenure reform, and community involvement in
decision-making.

Conclusion
Deforestation is a major threat to the environment, contributing to
climate change, loss of biodiversity, and soil degradation. The causes of
deforestation are complex and multifaceted, with factors such as
agriculture, urbanization, infrastructure development, and climate
change all playing a role. However, there are steps that can be taken to
combat deforestation, such as sustainable forest management,
reforestation, and the promotion of sustainable agricultural practices.
Governments, businesses, and individuals all have a role to play in
reducing deforestation, and it is essential that we take action to protect
the world’s forests. By working together, we can create a more
sustainable future for ourselves and for future generations.

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