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Consequences Of Deforestation On Rural Household Income
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CHAPTER ONE
1.0.INTRODUCTION
Deforestation is the removal of a
forest or stand of trees where the land is thereafter converted to a
non-forest use. Examples of deforestation include conversion of
forestland to farms, ranches, or urban use. Deforestation occurs for
many reasons: trees are cut down to be used or sold as fuel (sometimes
in the form of charcoal) or timber, while cleared land is used as
pasture for livestock, plantations of commodities and settlements. The
removal of trees without sufficient reforestation has resulted in damage
to habitat, biodiversity loss and aridity. It has adverse impacts on
biosequestration of atmospheric carbon dioxide.
Subsistence farming
is responsible for 48% of deforestation; commercial agriculture is
responsible for 32% of deforestation; logging is responsible for 14% of
deforestation and fuel wood removals make up 5% of deforestation.
Other
causes of contemporary deforestation may include corruption of
government institutions, the inequitable distribution of wealth and
power, population growth and overpopulation, and urbanization.
Globalization is often viewed as another root cause of deforestation,
though there are cases in which the impacts of globalization (new flows
of labor, capital, commodities, and ideas) have promoted localized
forest recovery.
Deforestation is a contributor to global warming,
and is often cited as one of the major causes of the enhanced greenhouse
effect. Tropical deforestation is responsible for approximately 20% of
world greenhouse gas emissions. In deforested areas, the land heats up
faster and reaches a higher temperature, leading to localized upward
motions that enhance the formation of clouds and ultimately produce more
rainfall.
The water cycle is also affected by deforestation. Trees
extract groundwater through their roots and release it into the
atmosphere. When part of a forest is removed, the trees no longer
transpire this water, resulting in a much drier climate. Deforestation
reduces the content of water in the soil and groundwater as well as
atmospheric moisture. The dry soil leads to lower water intake for the
trees to extract. Deforestation reduces soil cohesion, so that erosion,
flooding and landslides ensue.
1.1. BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
Forests
cover almost a third of the earth’s land surface providing many
environmental benefits including a major role in the hydrologic cycle,
soil conservation, prevention of climate change and preservation of
biodiversity (Sheram, 1993). Forest resources can provide long-term
national economic benefits. For example, at least 145 countries of the
world are currently involved in wood production (Anon., 1994).
Sufficient evidence is available that the whole world is facing an
environmental crisis on account of heavy deforestation. For years
remorseless destruction of forests has been going on and we have not
been able to comprehend the dimension until recently. Nobody knows
exactly how much of the world’s rainforests have already been destroyed
and continue to be razed each year. Data is often imprecise and subject
to differing interpretations. However, it is obvious that the area of
tropical rainforest is diminishing as observed in the case of Odighi
forest in Odighi Local government area of Edo State and the rate of
tropical rain forest destruction is escalating worldwide, despite
increased environmental activism and awareness. Deforestation is the
conversion of forest to an alternative permanent non-forested land use
such as agriculture, grazing or urban development (van Kooten et al,
2000).
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ABSRACT - [ Total Page(s): 1 ]This study was intended to evaluate the consequences of deforestation on rural household income. This study was guided by the following objectives; to find out the causes of deforestation in Odighi in Edo state, to examine the consequences of in rural household income, to determine the strategies of reducing deforestation.The study employed the descriptive and explanatory design; questionnaires in addition to library research were applied in order to collect data. Primary and secondary data sour ... Continue reading---
