Deforestation and Forests Degradation Impacts on the Environment

Forests are important terrestrial carbon sinks and help in mitigating the emissions of CO2, and other greenhouse gases (GHGs). Besides, it provides multiple ecosystem goods and services including livelihood security, socio-economic development, ecosystem functioning, biodiversity maintenance, carbon dynamics, nutrient cycling, and climate regulation. Population explosion, land-use change for agriculture, industry, urbanization, and improper forest management are considered as the major reasons responsible for the acceleration of forest degradation. Shifting cultivation, the traditional land-use technique is another leading cause of global tropical forests degradation. Deforestation and forest degradation set off a series of environmental changes that significantly reduce the valuable provisioning services and also affect locally to global biodiversity. It is responsible for ca. 15% of all GHGs emissions contribute to rising global temperatures, changes in weather patterns, and an increased frequency of extreme weather events. Climate changes can alter wildlife habitats and decrease the availability of food and water. Besides, it is responsible for increased soil erosion, disruption of nutrients and water cycle, disrupted livelihood. Investment in natural ecosystems, through reduced carbon emissions from deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD), and reducing emissions from deforestation, forest degradation, and other forest-related activities (REDD + ) related strategies, contributes significantly to GHGs emissions reduction and forest carbon stocks enhancement. It also generates possible sources of livelihood security for the poor tribal communities that provide financial incentives to prevent deforestation and additional benefits for the conservation, management, and restoration of forests. However, forest landscape restoration (FLR) enhances the ecological integrity of deforested or degraded landscapes and also improves human well-being using nature-based solutions (NbS) such as plantation, agroforestry, erosion control, and natural forest regeneration. In this chapter, major ecological disturbances that cause forest degradation and deforestation have been discussed in detail along with FLR to enhance the ecological integrity of deforested landscapes and some policy interventions.