Deforestation is an environmental problem. Modern plague - forest destruction

Trees and other vegetation are key to preserving the Earth's climate. IN last years The issue of preserving forests on the planet has become especially acute. The number of green spaces and their condition in cities and other populated areas monitored by the competent authorities.

Sanitary felling of trees on the site is possible only after agreement with utility companies.

Sanitary felling

Trees, like other living organisms, are susceptible to diseases, they age and become unsafe. The spontaneous collapse of such a tree can lead to accidents and injuries, as well as the collapse of power lines, damage to cars and other property.

Regular cutting down of trees within settlements is necessary for:

• timely removal of diseased, old or damaged plants that can cause harm to people or property;
• rejuvenation of the garden and landscaping, as new plants will be planted in place of old trees;
• carrying out construction work during the construction of new buildings, laying roads or communications.

All these activities must be carried out in accordance with current legislation after approvals.

For industrial purposes, wood is obtained by cutting down forests. This process must be controlled by the state. IN Lately Cases of illegal logging have become more frequent; in this case, no one cares about preserving nature and reducing harm to the forest ecosystem.

As a result, irreparable damage to nature is caused:

• after the destruction of the forest ecosystem, many species of animals and plants disappear;
• the decline in the diversity of flora affects the quality of life of the planet's population;
• An increase in carbon dioxide in the planet's atmosphere leads to the greenhouse effect, resulting in global change climate;
• there is a constant washout of the soil, destruction of the top fertile layer, which leads to the formation of deserts;
• increased soil moisture provokes waterlogging in areas where trees have been cut down;
• the destruction of green spaces on mountain slopes leads to rapid melting of glaciers.

Negative consequences can be mitigated by planting new plants, as well as reducing the consumption of wood and paper products. Recycling paper also allows us to partially solve the problem of cutting down trees.

Deforestation can lead to dire consequences, watch the video:

One of the most important sectors of the Russian economy is the logging industry. Russia is one of the largest producers and exporters of wood - fifth place in the world, second place in Europe.

According to UN statistics, half of the territory of our country is covered with forests, and the total forest area of ​​Russia (851 million hectares) is one fifth of the forest area of ​​planet Earth. Two thirds of these forests are suitable for use in the timber industry.

However, despite the enormous resource potential, the efficiency of the Russian forest industry is extremely low. According to estimates from a representative of the Union of Timber Industrialists and Timber Exporters of Russia, the Russian timber industry is characterized by a low technical level of production, a technological lag behind global trends, low profitability and an unstable financial position of industry enterprises, poorly developed road and production infrastructure, low level forestry engineering. Therefore, as experts say, forest industry in Russia is low-income - the producer’s income per cubic meter of wood is several times less than the average on the international logging market.

A separate serious problem for the Russian timber industry is illegal logging and the subsequent sale of illegally obtained timber (“”). According to the World Fund wildlife Russia and World Bank, up to 20% of wood harvested in Russian Federation, is of illegal origin. Then it turns out that the volume of illegal forest products in our country in 2015 amounted to 40–50 million cubic meters. meters of wood, since in total that year 206 million cubic meters were harvested. meters.

- Government bodies at all levels should be interested in establishing independent control over the industry(""). Everything should be monitored and recorded in open sources: from work on plots to transactions on the sale of timber, and first of all, the activities of large companies should be taken under control. All information should be as organized, accessible and transparent as possible.

Involvement in illegal logging forests of a large number of people is a consequence of the negative socio-economic situation in the regions, low incomes of the population and - most importantly - high unemployment. Targeted prosecutions and punishments of individual violators mainly only lead to people looking for new ways to circumvent the law and law enforcement agencies. It is necessary to create jobs, develop infrastructure, work to improve the standard of living of the population, give the territories the opportunity to develop, encourage them to pay taxes and put things in order. Only such measures, affecting the socio-economic environment as a whole, can radically change the situation with small-scale poaching.

- Russian economy needs a shift in emphasis from resource extraction to manufacturing. This is an extremely important task for the forestry industry. Thus, according to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, in 2014 the structure Russian exports lumber and wood products 69% were lumber and unprocessed timber, and wood carpentry - only 2% ("").

To summarize, there is now a flow of timber exported from the country, and a significant part of the forest is cut down in a barbaric, chaotic and illegal manner. Thus, the country not only sells natural resources abroad - it also loses a significant part of the income from these sales; the forest is simply stolen. The primary task is to combat illegal logging. However, in strategic terms, an equally important task is the transition from exporting raw materials abroad to processing wood within the country. It can only be accomplished through government incentives, since at present there are no conditions in the market under which it would be profitable for entrepreneurs to invest in the retraining of enterprises.

Forest zone Every state has it. Not a single corner of the planet can exist without forests. The forest zone is where it is warm and humid. The environment is very important for preserving natural resources.

Forest zones are varied. There are deciduous, coniferous and mixed forests. Russia is rich in everyone listed species, however, along with the heritage, each country also receives accompanying problems.

Ecology is the science of the interactions of living organisms with each other and with the surrounding world. Changes environment also influence the development of forests. The changing environment is directly related to human activity.

Progress in various directions science and technology developments have revealed previously unknown obstacles. Humanity has encountered them before, but has not yet fully learned to solve them. Large-scale environmental difficulties have led to global problems.

A person’s attitude towards the world around him is the key to the solution, but often people only make the situation worse. They themselves have become the main unfavorable factor that influences the increase in complications of the already difficult situation with ecology in the world.

The importance of forests is enormous. The forest, like vegetation, provides oxygen to humanity. It is rightly said that forests are the lungs of the planet. It produces oxygen and naturally removes chemical pollutants, purifying the air.

A properly organized ecosystem collects carbon that is essential for the existence of life on Earth. The accumulation prevents the greenhouse effect that threatens nature.

The forest protects the environment from dramatic temperature changes and seasonal frosts, which has a positive effect on the health of Agriculture. Experts have found that the climate is milder in areas overgrown with vegetation.

The sowing benefit is due to the protection of the soil from leaching, winds, landslides and mudflows. Forests stop the advance of sands. Forests participate in the water cycle. The forest acts as a filter and retains water in the soil, preventing waterlogging of the area. Forests maintain normal groundwater levels and guard against floods. Absorption of moisture from the ground by the roots and intensive evaporation by the leaves helps to avoid drought.

Problems with forest ecology

Problems of the ecological nature of forests are associated with several reasons:

1. Weather changes
2. Uncontrolled hunting and poaching
3. More frequent forest fires
4. Garbage in the forest
5. Deforestation

Let's take a closer look at each problem.

The influence of weather on forest areas

There are over seventeen million kilometers of forest land in the Russian Federation. A forest is a living ecological system. Most of this territory is tundra forest. Russia is recognized as a world leader in absorbing carbon dioxide. It accounts for forty percent.

Forest ecosystems feel an exorbitant burden of environmental problems of a different origin. For example, air pollution affects weather changes. The discrepancy between weather patterns and seasons is one of the main concerns of humanity. The scorching sun causes forest fires to become more frequent, and frosty air negatively affects the bark of trees, leading to their destruction.

Atmospheric air is a mixture of gases from the layer of the atmosphere closest to earth's surface. He has great importance in ensuring life on the planet. The composition of the atmosphere has developed as a result of an evolutionary process, but human activity increasingly interferes with centuries-old natural foundations.

Atmospheric air is becoming increasingly polluted, which leads to an increase in cases of detection of lung cancer, diseases respiratory system of different origins, nervous disorders. A growing number of allergy sufferers and people with congenital malformations are also attributed to excessive saturation of the air with substances that are harmful to the human body.

Atmospheric precipitation has a direct impact on the atmosphere and hydrosphere. They manifest themselves as rain, snow, hail, smog and fog. Recently, these manifestations have become negative in nature: the irrepressible frequency and unnatural nature of the occurrence of precipitation affect forests in the most in a bad way. Change chemical composition The atmosphere causes precipitation to dump all this chemistry to the surface.

The negative impact of polluted atmosphere on soil is associated with the loss of acid rain. These precipitation wash away the fertile soil layer and the beneficial substances contained in it. As a result, the process of photosynthesis is disrupted, which slows down plant growth and then completely causes its death. Forests are disappearing.

Disadvantages of hunting and poaching for the welfare of forests

Excessive hunting leads to the complete or almost complete extermination of some species of animals inhabiting the forest. Forest inhabitants contribute to the systematic development of trees. They exist peacefully in the forest. Without them, the cycle of substances and food chains will be disrupted.

Poaching is an extreme degree of non-compliance with forest protection standards. This is the same hunt, but carried out in a prohibited place or for animals that are prohibited from extermination. As a result of the uncontrolled activities of violators, entire species of living beings may disappear.

Hunting for predators leads to the proliferation of large-seeded plants; they begin to dominate the forest. The worst thing is that poaching can lead to the spread of zoonotic diseases, through the transmission of variable rotoviruses from animals to humans.

With such serious consequences, poaching is prohibited. Each state is developing a set of measures designed to effectively stop the extermination of animals in order to preserve their population, not disturb their habitat - the forest, and prevent the consequences of human environmental crimes from flaring up.

Forest fires

Fire is one of the most serious destroyers of forests. Forest fires are classified as unnatural harmful factors, since they mainly arise due to human fault. Yes, the climate and weather They can also be one of the causes of forest fires, but they account for only four to five percent. The rest is the work of people.

The location of forests affects the regularity of fires. Coniferous forests, savannas and deserts without forest plantations, the steppe is more prone to fire and is more often subject to fires.

Plants in such forests have adapted to the statistics; they have thicker bark, which prevents the spread of fire. Coniferous trees adapted even better: with high temperature their cones release seeds that sprout when there is no trace of nearby trees. This continues their lineage and serves as compensation.

About two million tons of organic matter suffer from forest fires every year. In forests, the growth of trees decreases, the qualitative composition of plants decreases, the area of ​​windbreaks expands, and the structure of the soil deteriorates. In the absence of a forest, species of insects and fungi harmful to humans spread and destroy the tree.

Every year everyone big square forests are subject to fire. Governments around the world are taking all possible measures to stop the destruction of flora and fauna. Preventive measures are aimed at detecting fire and extinguishing it with the help of fire crews on the ground and in the air. However, despite these measures, forest fires continue to occur.

Careless handling of matches, lighters, open fire, ignorance and non-compliance with the rules fire safety contribute to a rapid fire, which in a matter of minutes can spread over kilometers of forested areas.

Forest litter

Who doesn't like to relax in nature? But not everyone cleans up after themselves after a pleasant pastime. People often throw garbage in the forest, thereby worsening the forest ecology.

It’s good when the waste is of an organic nature, such garbage will decompose after a while. It can even fertilize the soil. But what to do with plastic? What about metal products? They cannot be naturally recycled. Over time, the metal will begin to rust, and harmful plastic substances will enter the forest ecosystem, which can lead to negative consequences.

Litter in the forest poses a potential risk to human health, wildlife and the ecosystem as a whole. Considerable funds from the treasury of any country are spent on garbage collection. Volunteer work aimed at clearing debris from the forest should not be underestimated. However, every citizen must monitor the cleanliness of the forest.

Let's take care of nature and not allow the forests to be filled with objects that have no relation to the surrounding world, wild nature, spoiling our rest and enjoyment of clean air.

Deforestation - the threat of disappearance of forest areas

Previously, forests were cut down in small quantities if necessary. The work was carried out using a simple ax. What are we seeing now? A lot of equipment leaves nothing after passing through the forests - a bare area with no plants, only stumps, black circles of fire pits and unsightly soil.

There is no chance that after the passage of tractors with logs, the seeds of those trees that have been cut down may sprout. The forest ecology is completely changed, the delicate balance is lost and after that long years the place remains deserted.

Deforestation occurs everywhere, it is a mass phenomenon. the main problem is that not only trees are disappearing from ecological system, but also shrubs and grass. This leads to the fact that insects and animals that previously lived in the forest move from this territory or even die, deprived of food and shelter. The ecosystem is collapsing.

The damage caused by deforestation is colossal. As trees disappear, less oxygen is produced through photosynthesis, but carbon dioxide accumulates. This leads to another global environmental problem - the greenhouse effect. The soil is destroyed, and a steppe or desert is formed in place of the forest. Deforestation even affects the melting of glaciers.

NewTheory 0 Comments

A forest is a complex ecosystem that affects the climate, air and water conditions of our planet. Forests help purify the air by removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and producing oxygen. Moreover it is very good protection from noise. Coniferous trees disinfect the air. The forests are home to birds and plants, including medicinal ones.

But forest is still a material for construction, as well as fuel and raw materials for production. Forests are cut down to obtain timber, to expand areas for agricultural purposes, and for mining.
There are several groups of forests:
Prohibited for logging (reserves, national parks).
Limited use. They are located in densely populated areas. Their recovery is monitored.
Operational forests. They are completely cut down and then replanted.

Main types of tree felling.

• Main cabin. Solid. All trees except seed trees are cut down. It hurts great harm territories.
• Selective. Individual trees are cut down.
• Gradual. Felling takes place in several stages.
• Plant care cutting. Poor quality trees are removed, the forest is thinned out, and lighting improves. The remaining trees get more food.
• Complex felling. They are carried out when the forest begins to lose its useful qualities. The forest is freed from blind and young wood. More light enters the forest and root competition is eliminated. Valuable breeds develop better.
• Sanitary cabin. Conducted to improve the health of the forest. Sick, old, broken, fire-damaged trees are cut down. The most useful of all types.

Damage caused by deforestation.

The problem of deforestation is relevant all over the world. Forests are capable of regeneration, but the problem is that the volume of deforestation is many times higher than the volume of reproduction. This leads to the disappearance of rare tree species and plant species. Animals are forced to leave their habitats and move to other territories. Deforestation leads to temperature changes, changes in wind speed and direction, changes in precipitation, and changes in soil composition.

When forests are cut down, the composition of the soil changes, as the fertile layer is washed away by precipitation. New trees do not grow or grow very slowly and the felled areas become deserted. Animals, plants and birds die. Ecosystems are being destroyed. Rare species disappear forever.

There are many problems that need to be solved. Lack of human resources and low wages for foresters. Gaps in legislation. Large companies under the guise of small sick trees being cut down valuable species.

Measures to help reduce damage from logging.

Preserve forest landscapes and their biological diversity.

• Prevent depletion of forest resources.
• Conduct moderate forest management.
• Strengthen government control over logging.
• Improve legislation.
• Plant new forests.
• Create new reserves and expand the territories of existing ones.
• Protect forests from fires, fight diseases and pests that destroy forest areas.
• More effectively protect forest areas from poachers.
• Develop effective and safe logging methods.
• Reduce wood waste and look for ways to use them.
• Eco-tourism should also be encouraged. Perhaps people will see the current situation with their own eyes and think about the problem, begin to use paper rationally, begin to participate in landscaping in their cities, plant trees next to their homes, and become more careful about nature.

To maintain ecological balance, it is necessary to maintain a balance of deforestation and reforestation.

Collecting waste paper is another important way to save forests from deforestation. Moreover, it is also paid. For example, if you type in search engine“waste paper price per 1 kg Saratov”, then you can find out how much a kilogram of waste paper costs in this city.

One of the main topics of our time is the problem of disruption of the natural functioning of the ecological system of our planet and, as a consequence, an environmental disaster that we cannot stop. There are many problems that put humanity on this slippery slope. And one of the main ones is deforestation. In Russia, this phenomenon has acquired alarming proportions in recent decades. After all, the territory has enormous resources. And if before we were worried about losses tropical forest then today mass felling forests in Russia has brought our country to a leading position in the world.

Why do we need forests?

We all remembered from school that only green plants, thanks to the unique process of photosynthesis, replenish our atmosphere with oxygen. Not many people remember that as a result of this process, plants take carbon dioxide from the atmosphere - a product of our respiration and fuel combustion. It is the presence of excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere that we owe to the greenhouse effect and climate change on the planet. According to some estimates, it is to deforestation in Russia and around the world that we owe the formation of about 20% of all greenhouse gases in the planet’s atmosphere.

Forests are part of the drainage system of our planet. Just as in the human body, disturbances in the functioning of the blood circulation lead to stagnation and various types of tissue damage, so in the ecosystem of the planet, forests filter groundwater and ensure the hydrological regime of rivers, lakes, seas and oceans. Forests prevent drainage, sand encroachment, soil erosion and washout, floods and landslides. Global floods, which previously occurred on the planet on average once every 50 years, today in some areas “delight” people every 4 years.

And that is not all

And not the last argument for the vital necessity of forests is the preservation of biodiversity on our planet. In ecology, the resilience of an ecosystem is determined by the number of species of living organisms living in it. According to some reports, our planet has already entered the era of the fifth global extinction. The Red Data Books of the regions are constantly updated with species that are in danger of extinction from the face of the Earth. The well-known “butterfly effect,” when the disappearance of one species of moth over 100 years led to changes in the topography of the Amazon floodplain, is not a fairy tale or the subject of a blockbuster. This is our harsh reality.

Forest is considered a renewable natural resource. This may indicate that no matter how much we take, nature will restore its quantity. But current rates of logging do not allow forest ecosystems to regenerate themselves. And humanity is losing forests, introducing the planet into a phase of ecological crisis.

Ecological problem

Deforestation in Russia and in the world leads to the following negative consequences for the ecology of the entire planet:

• Disappearance and reduction in the number of representatives of flora and fauna.
• Depletion of species biodiversity.
• An increase in the share of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
• Lithospheric changes - soil erosion, desertification, waterlogging.

This is not a complete, but significant, list of problems that are directly related to deforestation of our planet.

Global problem

Deforestation in Russia is only part of a planetary process, as a result of which the planet loses up to 200 thousand hectares of forest annually.

Latest data from the World Resources Institute and the Maryland Institute in collaboration with Google, based on analysis satellite images, showed that Russia occupies a leading position in deforestation. We are followed by Canada, together with which we are responsible for 34% of all forest loss on the planet.

Statistics indicate the loss of 20 hectares of forest on the planet in 1 minute. At the same time, 13 million hectares of the world's forests disappear irrevocably every year. Consider the scale.

Why are we cutting down forests?

Of course, the reason is obvious - it is to ensure our livelihoods and technological progress.

Wood is a valuable resource in many economic sectors and an essential component of progress.

But, main reason- this is generally our existence on the planet. Our biological species, which, due to certain evolutionary advantages, has proven successful on this planet, as evidenced by the growth in the number of individuals and the general expansion of territories. There is not a single biological species whose habitat is absolutely the entire territory of the planet. Our number has already exceeded 7 billion and continues to grow.

With the advent of agriculture, we have destroyed half of the planet's forests. Just look at the distribution maps natural areas on our continent and this becomes obvious. Zone coniferous forests there are also in Europe, but where have you seen a forest similar to Siberian? And we continue to increase the area of ​​agricultural land.

In nature, everything is interconnected. Climate change, which was also caused by deforestation of the planet, has led to more frequent wildfires. Even without our help, they are reducing forest areas and replenishing the atmosphere with carbon dioxide.

And yet we need to cut down the forest; how to do it is another matter.

Forest can be different

Forests in Russia and around the world are cut down for the extraction of minerals, timber, and clearing of agricultural land. All forests on the planet are divided into three categories:

You can chop in different ways

In this regard, there are several types of cutting:

• Final felling (selective, clear, gradual). Their goal is to harvest wood.
• Cuttings for plant care. This is forest thinning with the destruction of plants of poor quality. As a result, they also obtain wood technological production.
• Complex reforestation felling. The goal is to reconstruct forest areas for restoration useful properties forests.
• Sanitary fellings are used to create landscapes and firebreaks.

From what has been said, it is clear that the problems of deforestation in Russia are associated with final cuttings, especially clearcuts. Here the concepts of “undercut” and “overcut” appear, which are equally bad for the forest. But that's all if the logging is legal.

Forest certificate - solution to the problem

Since the mid-1990s, the world community has accepted the concept sustainable development. Part of which was the concept of sustainable forest management. In accordance with it, deforestation must meet certain requirements, which must ensure reasonable and controlled consumption of this resource - forest. Implementation special technologies will create a balance between the need for wood and the ecological functions of the forest. It will also take into account the interests of future generations of people.

Today, FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certificates are received by legal logging companies, which are given quotas for deforestation. Our country is second in the world, after Canada, in the number of certified forests (38 million hectares). Certificates were issued to 189 forest management entities, and there are about 565 thousand forest management entities in our country. And it is they who receive state quotas for the volume of deforestation in Russia and are required to label rare species of wood when exporting (for now).

This is what legal logging activity looks like. But this is the tip of the iceberg, and the main turnover of the forest is there, under water.

For your information. IN Irkutsk region, which, according to some estimates, accounts for 50% of all illegal logging in Russia, in the summer of 2017, a pilot project “Lesregister” was launched, which provides for the marking of all harvested wood in order to track its turnover.

"Black" lumberjacks

The statistics of illegal deforestation in Russia are striking in their scale. According to the World Wildlife Fund, the country loses about $1 billion due to illegal deforestation. In 2017 only in Arkhangelsk region 359 illegal logging was recorded, the losses from which amounted to 12 million dollars. Facts about deforestation in Russia are recorded in the northwestern part of the country and the Far East. This worries environmentalists and ordinary residents.

Statistics on deforestation in Russia from the International Environmental Investigation Agency indicate that 80% of valuable forest species (linden, oak, cedar, ash) in the Far East are cut down illegally.

The public is concerned

A wave of indignation swept across the media about illegal deforestation in Russia by the Chinese. Over the past 20 years, when restrictions on timber logging were introduced in China, in border areas (Lake Baikal and Far East) many loggers from the Middle Kingdom appeared. According to the International non-governmental organization According to the Environmental Investigation Agency, 50-80% of timber exported from Russia to China was obtained in circumvention of official quotas through illegal logging on leased lands.

The public and environmentalists, foresters and officials are making certain attempts to stop the uncontrolled destruction of forests.

But legal logging sometimes leads to completely opposite results. For example, in Ust-Ilimsk, a criminal case was opened against the head of the forestry department, who, under the guise of sanitary felling, destroyed healthy trees on a total area of ​​83 hectares. Damage - 170 million rubles.

Large-scale fight against deforestation

The solution to the problem of deforestation in Russia must be carried out at all levels: international, state, regional and personal.

The main measures should be:

• Formation of a weighted legislative framework For driving forest resources on the federal and international level.
• Introduction of a strict system of accounting and control over logging. Improving wood marking systems.
• Tightening penalties for illegal logging and use of uncertified wood.
• Measures to increase the area of ​​forests and create zones with special conservation status.
• Improving fire prevention activities.
• Activation of secondary wood processing and reduction of the use of this resource in the industrial sector.
• Expanding social programs and public awareness about caring for this natural resource. Environmental education and education of all segments of the population, starting with preschoolers.

Certain steps have already been taken at many levels. Recent appeals from the public of the Irkutsk region to the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin have led to a revision of quotas for deforestation, which contain valuable tree species (in particular, cedars). Labeling wood and its circulation within the country is finding more and more supporters.

And then what?

It’s high time for us to think about the state of the ecosystem of our beautiful home. Otherwise we risk being left without it. And everyone needs to start - with themselves. Caring attitude to nature, separate collection waste, economical use natural resources, planting trees, buying products made from recycled materials (they are labeled "recycled") - this is a very small list of what everyone can do to save unique forests Russia.

Don't forget about the spiritual component of the forest. Over the course of thousands of years, it has shaped the culture and customs of many ethnic groups. We cannot exist without nature. But on the other hand, civilization is impossible without forest resources.

Environmentalists say that for full restoration forest area our country, which accounts for 20% of the world's forest area, we need 100 years. And this despite the fact that cutting down will stop. Of course, these are utopian dreams. But we can still do something so that our children and grandchildren recognize the smell coniferous forest not from air fresheners in hygienic rooms.