Benefits of Deforestation

In the developed world, when we think of deforestation, we think primarily of global warming, climate change and environmental destruction. We blame the governments of developing countries for not levying severe enough penalties for deforestation, and decry the lack of concern about the disappearing forests and the damage the planet is suffering.

We miss a lot of the point. While it is true that deforestation harms the planet and poses huge environmental risks, no one is tearing down forests simply for the joy of cutting down trees. The forests are disappearing because people benefit from deforestation. We can make significant changes only when we understand those benefits.

The needs being met by deforestation must be met, and if they are not met some other way, those needs will continue to be met by cutting down vital rain forests.

One of the most obvious benefits of deforestation is the supply of lumber and wood products in the world. Almost everyone uses wood in some way every day, and selling lumber creates a great deal of income. Lumber harvest and production and the creation of other wood products account for a large portion of our economy, and without those wood products, the economy would suffer serious consequences.

When forests cut for wood and wood products are replanted, a process known as reforestation, the trees can grow back and the forest grow back to its previous state. That’s the good news.

The bad news is that many forests are completely destroyed not just for the wood and its products, but to create arable land for farming and raising cattle. In fact, the creation of grazing land for cattle is among the largest causes of deforestation.

Some forested areas also contain other natural resources, such as iron ore or mineral deposits. Deforestation provides access to those resources.

Much rain forest land is deforested to create usable land, whether that is for raising cattle, growing crops, or building living areas for people of the area. Much more is cleared to access resources such as the wood itself or iron ore.

These projects create jobs, provide housing, and most importantly, provide income and allow people to take care of their families. At the top of this chain, the corporations buying the lumber or natural resources know about the impact their actions will have on the environment. Unfortunately, most corporations operate with the bottom line firmly in mind, and the bottom line dictates deforestation.

At the bottom of the chain, the individual farmers and workers who benefit by having land or a job don’t care about the environment, either. The environment is not going to feed their children or by medicine for their sick mothers. They don’t have the luxury of caring about the environment; they’re spending their resources trying to survive.

As long as the benefits of deforestation, for the people involved, exceed the costs, for those same people, the rain forests will continue to disappear. A solution must replace these benefits with equal or greater benefits.