Deforestation has no impact – alt causes, long timeframe, and scale of deforestation all prove. Even if there was some impact, conservation efforts can’t solve

I remember being taught in elementary school about deforestation, and about all of the devastating effects that it has on the environment and on human civilization. The harmful nature of deforestation was always taken for granted—it was never truly proven to us. Personally, I still hold the belief that the clearing of our forests harms our planet in the long run, and is taking us further and further away from a sustainable world. My online deliberation showed me that not all people hold that viewpoint, however, so I would like to discuss different effects of deforestation, as well as why or why not they could be considered as harmful to the environment. Increase in Carbon Emissions The reduction of our forests greatly decreases the amount of carbon dioxide taken out from our atmosphere, increasing the overall greenhouse gasses and heating up our planet. While many initiatives have been taken to plant new trees to replace those that have been cut down, it takes many years before the new vegetation can grow to the size it once was, and therefore years until enough carbon dioxide can be removed from the atmosphere. Additionally, it is difficult to regulate whether new trees are always planted, especially by individuals who clear the forest. Possible Counterpoints: Almost as much CO2 emission comes from forestry as industry. Some people argue that global warming does not exist, and therefore more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere does not have such a large effect. Eight arguments against global warming can be found here The scale at which deforestation is occurring is not large enough to have a large enough effect on carbon emissions to increase the global temperature. Effect on the Land Itself Deforestation exposed land to wind and water erosion, which degrades the top level of soil and renders the land useless for agricultural purposes. In a report written about soil degradation in Africa, deforestation is cited as one of the main causes. Additionally, poor farming practices such as overuse of the land or overgrazing further harm the soil, and prevent its further use in the future. Possible Counterpoints: The land that can no longer be used for farming can be used for infrastructure or building. Farmers can be taught better farming methods that prevent them from further harming the soil. Effects on Plant and Animal Life Our forests are home to a multitude of different species and creatures that have yet to be discovered. According to Richard Schultes, a professor at Harvard University, “The number of plants thoroughly examined for medicinal value range from less than 1% to about 10%. Half a percent (that is 0.5%) has given us 25% of all of our drugs. While it may be extrapolation, I would venture to guess that many of these undiscovered species also have uses in the medial field, and have the potential to increase our overall standard of living. Deforestation destroys many of the habits for these plants and animals, and prevents their use. Possible Counterpoints: Deforestation only affects the habitats of some plants and animals—it is not enough to be a cause for concern. You cannot assume that these plants and animals have any sort of use—it is also likely that they pose no benefit to us, and therefore destroying their habitats does not matter.