In 2017 alone, an area "close to the size of the State of Washington was clear-cut or burned," reported the research group World Resources Institute at the Oslo Tropical Forum in 2018.[i] In 2013, two other leading research groups studying climate change concluded that deforestation was adding over three billion tons of a year of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, which is "about twice as much as the number of automobiles in the U.S. produce."[ii] Perhaps the most alarming statistic of all is that despite global conservation and environmental efforts, the loss of tree cover has nearly doubled over the past 15 years[iii] and, with the exception of a minor, cyclical improvement in 2017,[iv] has continued to increase.[v] One of the causes of deforestation is the clear-cutting of trees to produce wood and paper products, much of which are ultimately purchased by consumers in the U.S.[vi] Although paper products are a part of our daily lives, deforestation must be reduced as trees provide a habitat for wildlife, combat the effects of global warming, and clean the air of pollutants.

Trees provide a critical habitat for many kinds of wildlife, which if absent, would greatly harm biodiversity. Eighty percent of Earth’s land animals and plants live in forests.[vii] and deforestation threatens several endangered species, including the orangutan, Sumatran tiger, and many species of birds.[viii] Removing trees deprives the forest of its canopy, which blocks the sun’s rays during the day and retains heat at night.[ix] That leads to more extreme temperature swings and reduces humidity that changes the local ecosystems, which can be harmful to plants and animals. Researchers who conducted a detailed analysis of nearly 2,000 species of plants, birds, and bees in the Brazilian Amazon have found clear evidence that deforestation causes drastic loss of biodiversity.[x] However, protection of undisturbed primary forests and a reversal of deforestation is not only crucial for wildlife preservation.

Trees also help prevent our home from succumbing to climate change. Trees absorb carbon dioxide, methane and nitrogen oxide, which are all heat-trapping greenhouse gases.[xi] As those gases enter the atmosphere and trap the heat radiating from the Earth outward into space, climate change increases. According to researchers David Gibbs, Nancy Harris and Frances Seymour from World Resources Institute, a global research organization that spans more than 60 countries with offices in Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, the Netherlands and Washington D.C., tropical tree coverage alone could provide "23 percent of the cost-effective climate mitigation needed before 2030 … to meet goals set in the Paris Agreement in 2015."[xii] Protecting and replanting tropical forests is also one of the more cost effective strategies for combatting climate change.[xiii] The ease with which tropical forests can reduce greenhouse gasses means that trees growing in the ground should be seen as more valuable to us than timber or cleared land.

In order to help combat the negative effects of deforestation, sustainable forestry should be used to efficiently harvest timber without decimating entire tree populations. Sustainable forestry includes the use of reduced impact logging techniques aimed at minimizing the damage to other trees in the forest that are not being harvested for timber. These include pre-cutting of lianas, or the thick vines that grow up trees, to prevent logging from pulling down neighboring trees; directional felling to prevent damage to neighboring trees; and planned roads and trails to reduce damage from skidding while relocating of fallen trees.[xiv] These techniques have been found to reduce overall tree damage by up to 50%, however, financial limitations often prevent the use of reduced impact logging techniques.[xv] 

Another strategy of sustainable logging involves considering the ecology of self-regeneration of forests obviating the need for replanting. Regeneration has been found to occur rapidly when minimal soil cover is lost during the logging process and when only small areas are logged at a time so seeds from surrounding trees can be used to fill in the open areas.[xvi] Sustainable forestry is aimed at effecting change in the tropical areas of the world, but these are not the only people who can make an impact. 

Americans could petition their governments and support charitable organizations that provide: research and education on sustainable forestry techniques in the tropics; local financial incentives and technological support; and politically and financially support foreign governments to introduce and enforce legislation against clear-cutting, burning and illegal logging. On the home front, Americans could reduce any excess paper products used, recycle paper products, purchase recycled products, and seek out purchases of new products that are labeled as sustainably sourced.

Deforestation must be reversed in order to protect our biodiversity and endangered species, and halt man-made climate change. We cannot eliminate paper products from our lives entirely, but we may find we can cut back and become more aware of how through our consumption choices and political support we might be encouraging or not doing enough to discourage deforestation. Trees are vital in providing a habitat for wildlife and combatting the effects of global warming. We can save the planet, one tree at a time.