Cause-Effect

Deforestation has been pinpointed as a serious environmental problem in Southeast Asia.
What are the causes/circumstances that give rise to this problem?
__________________________________________________

Deforestation is the conversion of forested areas to non-forested land for commercial uses such as urban developments and agricultural purposes. There are many causes for deforestation. Deforestation can be the result of deliberate removal of forest cover for urban developments in developed countries such as Singapore or it can be a consequence of intensive farming in developing countries such as Indonesia.

Unsustainable agriculture is undoubtedly one of the major direct causes of deforestation in many developing countries. Farmers clear patches of land in forests to grow subsistence or cash crops. Often, lands are not given enough time to recuperate before the next batch of seeds is sown. To make matter even worse, modern machiney, fertilisers and pesticides are introduced to maximise profits. Hence, due to the delicate nature of the soil and the destructive nature of the modern day agricultural practices, the land is exploited beyond any repair.

Urban developments in developed countries also cause deforestation. Many forests are required to be cleared to make way for the development of infrastructures and buildings to house the population. In addition, instead of agriculture, forests are cleared to make way for industries. These are all irreversible deforestation practices in developed countries.

Therefore, regardless in developed or developing countries, there is an urgent need to address this serious environmental problem before more destruction is done to it.

Word count: 224 words
(My Blogging Buddy was Guo Qi)