deforestation in kerala essay

Kerala is fast losing its forest cover: What are we doing about it?

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IISc study reveals the impact of deforestation in Kerala

Western Ghats is considered to be one of the global biodiversity hotspots, with its lively climate and its scenic geography, but studies done by Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore have found through remote sensing data available that Kerala have lost 906,440 hectares of forest land.

This new study by IISc named, ‘Four decades of forest loss: Drought in Kerala’  which was co-authored by Dr. Ramakrishnan R. and T. V. Ramachandran of Centre for Ecological Science, IISc, states that the forest cover as a percentage of total land area has been reduced from 66.2% to 42.15%. The study has found that Kerala has diverted more than 50% of its total forest area for other purposes since 1973. It pins the blame on these actions for the eroding forest cover.

“Kerala use to have one of the highest rate of rain fall, but now large scale conversion of forest into plantations and other forms of encroachments has reduced the rain during the monsoon seasons,”says Dr. Ramachandran, Professor at IISc. “Kerala has the highest number of endangered species of plants and animals as well, if they carry on with development with no regards to the environment, there won’t be any water left in this State for the survival of these species and our future generation,” he added. Dr. Ramachandran further adds, “If water has to be stored, it requires green cover.Studies have shown that wherever there is native species of flora, the stream carries water throughout the year, where there is plantations(rubber, teak etc.) it comes down to 6 to 8 months and where there is degraded landscape it is just 4 months.” He believes that there is connection between landscape cover and water availability.

Numerous studies have been done in this matter, and all the studies have pointed to one single conclusion that deforestation has to be stopped. Dr. Ramachandran explains, “People are still unaware or ignorant about the consequences of all of this. People always complain about the weather but they always fail to confront these issues.”

C.R Neelakandan, an activist and also the state head of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) says, “Western Ghats are crucial to the rain fall in Kerala, the amount of rain water stored depends entirely on forest cover. When people use forest areas for rubber plantations, teak plantations or even tea plantations the ground level flora is destroyed.” According to him, even if you plant a hundred trees somewhere else while chopping down trees in the forest it wouldn’t matter in the long run because sometimes topography of the place are also important in storing water and climate.

Dr. T.V Ramachandran believs that, the people and government needs to work together to bring a change into this system of exploitation. He says “In the past few decades, the government had diluted their stance on environmental and forest protection policies for their own benefit. That has to change or there won’t be any water left.”

This report concluded that, the deforestation is the reason behind the worst draught Kerala has seen till date. It says, Kerala receives orographic rainfall which depends mainly on Western Ghats. The loss of forest cover can affect rainfall drastically. When there is so much of proof to back these claims, why is it that we’re not doing anything about it?

With such an alarming rate of deforestation, this region once famous for tropical rain forest is now left with only a few pockets of virgin rain forest. Dr. Ramachandran believes that, the people of Kerala and the government needs to take desperate measures to bring back its forest and there by bringing back the greenery that made Kerala ‘The god’s own country’.

Cover Image by Wouter Hagens (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

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Landslides in Kerala more frequent due to climate change, deforestation

Farmers, fisherfolk, labourers and other marginalised sections are the worst affected..

Published : Aug 28, 2022 12:30 IST

Paddy damaged by incessant rain in Palakkad in October 2021. | Photo Credit: MUSTAFAH KK

The dry, sunny afternoon at Vellottupuram in Puthanvelikkara, a village in Kerala’s Ernakulam district, hardly gives any inkling of the fact that this place was under water just about a week ago. Except for the puddles in the marshy areas. “This time, water merely touched the floor,” says Kochu Thresia, a villager in her late 60s, standing close to a small, single-storey house. “But water came till here in 2018,” she says, pointing to patches of exposed concrete on the walls that are at the level of her head.

The residents of this low-lying hamlet close to the confluence of the Chalakkudi and Periyar rivers are mainly labourers and fishermen. They say heavy floods have become an annual affair since 2018. “The kind of floods that we saw only once in 20-30 years have become annual now,” says Lohithakshan, a 70-something resident of Vellottupuram. “We want to leave this place but can’t afford to. Nobody wants to buy our land and even if someone does, the prices have fallen to Rs.30,000-Rs 50,000 a cent since the 2018 flood. What do we do?”

Flooding and landslides

All over Kerala, the monsoon pattern has been changing. This has, in combination with the widespread deforestation and denuding of hills, resulted in heavy floods and landslides especially during the Southwest monsoon when the State receives more than two-thirds of its annual rainfall. Experts attribute the changing rainfall pattern to climate change.

“There is not much variation in the total rainfall data over the season, but rainfall is concentrated over a fewer number of days,” says S. Abhilash, Research Director at Advanced Centre for Atmospheric Radar Research in Cochin University of Science and Technology. “Spells of heavy rain, which lead to calamities like floods and landslides, are a result of climate change induced by global warming.”

A landslide triggered by heavy rainfall in Rajamala area of Idukki district in August 2022. | Photo Credit: ANI

His team has found that the nature of clouds is also changing: thicker cumulonimbus clouds, which extend up to 14 km in height and could create sudden, short spells of heavy rain over smaller areas, are forming over Kerala during the Southwest monsoon. Earlier, low-hanging, thinner clouds were usually the norm.

The 2018 floods, the worst in the State’s recent history, affected a sixth of the 3.3 crore population (Census 2011) and killed 483 people. That year, in just three days in August the State received a third of its average annual rainfall. Similar monsoonal calamities in 2019 and 2020 claimed more than 100 lives. In 2021, it was the Northwest monsoon which caused landslides and took dozens of lives.

Decreasing catch

According to estimates, 14.5 per cent of the State’s land area is prone to floods, with the proportion as high as 50 per cent in certain districts. Sections such as farmers, fisherfolk and labourers bear the brunt of the extreme events. “Due to storms and other climate-related factors, the number of days a fisherman could go to sea came down to 40 in 2021, compared to 120 days in 2012,” says Charles George, president, Matsya Thozhilali Aikya Vedi.

As heavy rains in trigger high sea waves, fisherfolk move their boats away from the coast in Chellanam, near Kochi, in May 2021. | Photo Credit: VIBHU H

The 1.5-lakh-strong fisherfolk community in Kerala has been witnessing a sharp drop in the sardine catch, the most sought-after fish in the State. Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute data show that last year’s catch was a meagre 3,297 tonnes, compared with 3.9 lakh tonnes in 2012. They attribute this steep drop to “unfavourable changes in ocean environment” and repeated cyclonic storms in the Arabian Sea during the monsoon.

“The Arabian Sea is warming at a high rate and with it, the possibility of severe cyclonic storms is rising. Earlier, cyclonic storms tended to form more in the Bay of Bengal than in the Arabian Sea, but that is changing,” says Abhilash. In 2017, Cyclone Ockhi killed more than 140 fishermen in Kerala during the Northeast monsoon. “For Kerala’s fisherfolk, climate change is the main cause of concern,” says George.

Also read: The next vanishing wetland?

Changing monsoonal patterns are affecting agriculture, too, in Kerala. A study by the Kozhikode-based Centre for Water Resource Development and Management between 2014 and 2019 showed that crop yields fell by up to 33 per cent in this period. Saji Joseph, a 54-year-old cardamom cultivator in Santhanpara, Idukki district, says that he lost 30 to 40 per cent of harvestable cardamom due to rot in the last two crop cycles. Incessant rain and increased humidity in the hilly areas have led to the spread of fungal disease.

Flooded Kochi in August 2022. | Photo Credit: PTI

“For the last few years, heavy rain goes on for several days, causing high humidity, which leads to rot. We don’t get enough time to apply chemicals. The rain also results in the non-availability of labour during the harvest season,” says Joseph.

Cultivators of rice, the staple in the State, are in dire straits. Already adversely affected by low profitability and rising labour costs, farmers are trying hard to tackle the waterlogging and flooding during harvest time. The area under paddy cultivation in Kerala dropped from 2,75,742 hectares in 2005 to 1,91,051 hectares in 2020, while total production dropped from 6,29,987 tonnes to 5,87,078 tonnes in this period, according to  Agriculture Statistics 2005-2020  published by the Department of Economics and Statistics.

Kuttanad in peril

Kuttanad in Alappuzha district, called the rice bowl of Kerala, is reclaimed land lying below sea level and supported by fragile dikes. Frequent floods have ravaged it. “Currently we are witnessing an exodus of people from Kuttanad,” says K.G. Padmakumar, director of the Kuttanad-based International Research and Training Centre for Below Sea Level Farming. “The lands are sinking. With the rise in sea levels, there are also worries of a situation where a tidal flood from the sea and a river flood from land might hit at the same time.”

Kuttanad in Alappuzha was badly affected by the 2018 floods. | Photo Credit: AP

Bindu K., from the hilly district of Wayanad, now works as a home nurse in northern Kozhikode. She decided to move out of her village when it became clear that she could not earn enough money there. “We had black pepper and some coffee that provided us with an income. Later on, due to untimely and heavy rains, the production, especially of black pepper, came down. I had to leave. My current job allows me some savings,” she says.

Agriculture employs 22 per cent of the State’s working population and contributes 8.4 per cent to the State economy, as per Kerala’s economic survey of 2021.

Suresh Babu, professor at the Economics Department of IIT Madras, calls the impact of climate change coupled with price fluctuations for agricultural produce a “double blow” to the State’s primary sector. “Many people who are forced to move out of the sector end up in low-end service jobs. Those who can’t do this, get marginalised. Kerala’s public policy needs to look at this challenge seriously,” he says. He points to the need for creating alternative livelihoods and more value-added jobs in the service sector.

Marginalised suffer most

It is the historically marginalised who have been most affected by the changing monsoon patterns. J. Devika, professor at the Centre for Development Studies in Thiruvananthapuram, points out that it is mainly Dalits and marginalised sections who stay in the most environmentally vulnerable areas of Kerala because they did not benefit from the much-celebrated land reforms. The Rebuild Kerala Development Programme document also acknowledges this, saying that floods and landslides disproportionately affect vulnerable groups such as women, the elderly, children, persons with disabilities, Scheduled Tribes, Scheduled Castes and fisherfolk.

“The nature of clouds is also changing: thicker cumulonimbus clouds, which extend up to 14 km in height and could create sudden, short spells of heavy rain over smaller areas, are forming over Kerala during the Southwest monsoon.”

Devika is of the opinion that strengthening local government institutions is necessary to find solutions suited to each locality and create income opportunities. “Top-down technical solutions have become the fashion. That has to change,” she says.

Also read: Disquiet in the Ghats

But how aware is Kerala of such challenges?

“Media and civil society organisations need to have climate change in their active discourse. I don’t see serious debates happening in television channels or newspapers,” says Resmi P. Bhaskaran, a policy analyst who has done ground-level work in flood-affected areas as part of humanitarian response teams.

The Kerala government created the Institute for Climate Change Studies (ICCS) in 2014. It is currently being revamped as a single-window agency that supplies policymakers and administrators at various levels and departments of government with climate-related data and information. “Awareness won’t happen in a day. But we are working towards that by conducting workshops, through collaborative efforts and creating channels with different stakeholders,” says D. Sivananda Pai, Director, ICCS. “Making various stakeholders work together is challenging. It is like running a coalition government,” he adds.

Sruthin Lal is an independent journalist and co-founder of the Archival and Research Project, which works to promote Kerala’s cultural heritage .

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Deforestation Essay

The deliberate clearance of forested terrain is known as deforestation. Forests have been cleared throughout history and into the present era to make room for agriculture and animal grazing as well as to obtain wood for fuel, manufacture, and construction. Our best opportunity to protect the rights of forest communities and preserve wildlife is to stop this destruction. Here are a few sample essays on the topic ‘Deforestation’.

100 Words Essay On Deforestation

200 words essay on deforestation, 500 words essay on deforestation.

Deforestation is the conversion of a forested area to land that is not forested. Deforestation can refer to natural or man-made causes. When speaking about natural causes, it typically refers to the result of a wildfire. On the other hand, man-made causes of deforestation are almost always the result of logging, both legal and illegal. Since ancient times, forests have played a significant role in human history. They are used for a variety of daily tasks, including producing paper, building ships, housing, and heating fuel. For us and our future generations to enjoy and live a healthy, tranquil existence in a clean environment free of pollution, forests are considered essential.

Deforestation is the large-scale clearance of forests through plant logging or forest fires to satisfy individual requirements. Deforestation can refer to the natural loss of trees, as well as the potential destruction of forests due to the practices of people. The management of the environment's natural equilibrium and the welfare of the entire human race depend greatly on forests. But despite knowing the negative repercussions on society and the environment, people constantly cut down trees. The most common cause of deforestation is the conversion of forested land to agricultural land or other uses.

Agricultural expansion is a major driver of deforestation in many developing countries. In Latin America, for example, small farmers clear forests to create new pastureland or cropland to support their families and communities. In some cases, large-scale commercial agriculture operations drive deforestation. For example, cattle ranching and soybean production are responsible for much of the Amazon rainforest deforestation. Other causes of deforestation include illegal logging, forest fires, and the building of roads and other infrastructure projects in or near forests. The consequences of deforestation are far-reaching and affect both people and the environment. Deforestation can lead to soil erosion, loss of biodiversity, and climate change. It also negatively impacts the livelihoods of people who depend on forests for their food, shelter, and income.

Deforestation is the process of converting a forested area to unforested land. Deforestation is the permanent destruction of forests in order to make the land available for other uses. The most common cause of deforestation is conversion of forest land to farms, ranching and urbanization. Other causes include mining, logging and the burning of forests to clear land for palm oil plantations. The effects of deforestation are vast and devastating. It contributes to global warming, as trees play a vital role in absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Deforestation also increases soil erosion, destroys habitats and decreases biodiversity. Additionally, it can lead to flash flooding and mudslides.

Causes of Deforestation

Clearing For Agriculture | Forested land is cleared for crops or pasture. This is the primary cause of deforestation in many countries, including Indonesia, India, and Brazil.

Cutting Trees For Timber | Trees are cut down for lumber and wood products. This is a major cause of deforestation in most of the countries.

Building Roads And Other Infrastructure | Roads and other forms of development require the clear-cutting of trees and other vegetation. This can lead to deforestation in areas where this development takes place.

Forest Fire | Both natural and human-caused fires can contribute to deforestation. In some cases, forested areas are purposefully set on fire in order to clear the land for other uses.

Effects Of Deforestation

Loss Of Habitat | Deforestation can lead to the loss of habitat for animals, as well as plants. This can threaten species with extinction and disrupt ecosystems. Climate Change | Deforestation can contribute to climate change by releasing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Additionally, trees play an important role in regulating the climate, so the loss of trees can further contribute to climate change.

Soil Erosion | Without trees to help anchor the soil, deforestation can lead to soil erosion. This can cause problems with flooding and make it difficult to grow crops or grasses in the affected areas.

How To Prevent Deforestation | There are many ways to prevent deforestation.

One way is to support responsible forestry practices that ensure trees are sustainably harvested. Another way is to reduce your consumption of products that contribute to deforestation, such as palm oil. You can also support organisations working to protect forests. By making wise decisions every day, you can contribute to the effort to safeguard forests. We can all contribute to the campaign to safeguard forests by using less, eliminating single-use packaging, eating sustainably, and choosing goods made of recycled or ethically harvested wood.

Deforestation is caused by a variety of factors, including logging, agriculture, and mining. The effects of deforestation are far-reaching and devastating, impacting both the environment and the people who live in it. Deforestation can lead to soil erosion, decreased water quality, loss of biodiversity, and climate change. It also contributes to poverty and social conflict. To prevent deforestation, we must work to protect forests and promote sustainable land use practices. Governments must play a role if we are to reduce deforestation. To live in a future free from severe climate disruption, we need world leaders to support ambitious national and international forest conservation policies based on the most recent scientific research.

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Deforestation in Kerala, the colonial legacy and afterward

T.R. Raghunandan

6 September 2018

This blog is part of a series on policy decisions, the causes and consquences of the Kerala floods. The first blog can be found here . 

To continue the chronology of events in the taming and deforestation of the Western Ghats with which I ended last week’s blog , in 1864, Dr. Dietrich Brandis, a qualified forester, was appointed as the first Inspector General of forests. He fortified the thinking of those days, that forests were a nearly inexhaustible resource for several materials essential for industrial progress, and therefore, the government had the first claim on whatever forests had to offer. His thinking dominated the provisions of the first Indian Forest Act, enacted in 1865. In 1878 the act was revised to provide for the classification of forests into Reserve and Protected forests and brought into force in provinces. In 1906, the Imperial Forest Research Institute established in Dehra Dun; it continues to be the premier institution for the training and capacity development of officials recruited into the Indian Forest Service. In 1910, a Board of Forestry was created at national level and in 1921, following the enactment of the Government of India Act 1919, forests become a provincial subject due to political reforms.

The institutional reforms of the last decades of the 19 th century, opened the floodgates – a grim metaphor in the light of the current devastation of Kerala – to the wholesale exploitation of India’s forests. These were destroyed extensively for timber, railway sleepers, charcoal (to manufacture producer gas that was used to run vehicles) and for food cultivation, forest conservation was basically focused on addressing colonial needs. Conservation was a monopoly; the ruthlessly guarded preserve of forest departments. They encouraged monocultures and planned afforestation, with scant regard, or even awareness of the grievous biodiversity loss that such policies would trigger. These tendencies found their peak during the First World War and then again, during the Second World War.

Kerala was not immune to these national trends. The Princely States of Cochin and Travancore followed the same path to prosperity. The Mullaperiyar dam was built on the upper reaches of the Periyar river a century back; the British needed the dam to take water over the Western Ghats to the parched rain shadow areas of Madras Presidency lying to the east of the Ghats. In the foothills of the Western Ghats to the east of Chalakudy, where much of the recent devastation by floods has happened, the Rajah of Cochin built the Chalakudy tramway, a wood fired narrow gauge railway line, which was entirely devoted to moving timber from the lush, tropical forests, to the river and the main railway line below. No trace of the line remains today, except for the embankments of the old railway line.

There was a clear conflict between the recognition of traditional rights of people and the needs of government too. And to the credit of conscientious people within the government, there were plenty of differences of opinion too, regarding the idea fostered by the Government of India that forests ought to be the government’s preserve. The Madras Presidency for instance, initially rejected the adoption of the 1876 Indian Forest Act on the ground that the traditional practices and rights of people to use forest produce were not recognised in this law. Later on, they buckled to the relentless pressure of the Government of India, and relented.

The first 25 years following independence saw a continuance of colonial forest policies. The National Forest Policy 1952, while it drew attention to evolving systems of balanced and complimentary land-use, checking denudation in mountainous regions, river bank erosion, and sea erosion and sand dune shifting, establishing tree lands for community utilisation in order to deflect pressure from forests and improving grazing grounds and fuel wood availability, also spoke the language of exploitation. It said that forests must be managed for the sustained supply of timber and other forest produce required for defence, communications and industry and maximisation of annual revenue in perpetuity consistent with the fulfilment of the needs enumerated in the policy. The integration of princely States and nationalisation led to further loss of forests. Even though the biodiversity conservation movement began to pick up, it was not strong enough to stem the progressive loss of forest habitats. The focus continued to be on revenue earning from timber and commercial forestry. The subject of ‘Forests’ was also shifted from the State list, to the Concurrent list in the Constitution.

In Kerala, after Independence, the lower reaches of the Periyar’s tributaries were dammed by the Peechi and Vazhani dams and the main river was again dammed by the Idukki hydro-electric project. An engineering achievement that involved an underground power house as well. Finally, not less than thirty five major and minor dams have been constructed in Kerala. Each one of them has considerably submerged precious forest and diminished the sponge like quality of the Western Ghats. The only success of any note by conservationists was the successful thwarting of the idea of building a dam in the Silent Valley in the northern part of the Western Ghats. This would have destroyed the habitat of several rare species of animals and plants, including that of the Lion Tailed Macaque, a shy, tree dwelling primate that is rarer than the tiger in India.

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Miyawaki Afforestation Project

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Aims & Objectives

• To help people mitigate the impact of climate change by adapting scientifically validated, innovative forest cultivation techniques.
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• To help prevent the ecological disaster faced by the coastal population due to ravages of climate change including water shortage, erasing of dwellings along the seashore, deprivation of natural biologic resources in the coastal belt and the prevalent unemployment among youth and women in the coastal tract of Kerala.
• To help development projects achieve full success by bringing line departments, local bodies and the communities together to work on emerging problems of ecological imbalances arising due to traditional compartmentalized and fragmented problem-solving approaches by development agencies.
• To partake in the national mission on Climate Change Action Plan with India's Nationally Determined Contributions (UNFCCC 21).

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• Mar 22, 2021

Ecosystem Restoration: Experiences & Challenges (In Malayalam)

Updated: Mar 28, 2021

This Malayalam article was published in the March 2021 (Volume 41, Issue No. 8, pp. 24-27) edition of Aranyam (അരണ്യം) magazine of the Kerala Forest and Wildlife Department, Govt. of Kerala. For full magazine, please visit: http://www.forest.kerala.gov.in/images/publications/2021/032021.pdf

ആവാസവ്യവസ്ഥകളുടെ വീണ്ടെടുക്കല്‍: അനുഭവങ്ങളും വെല്ലുവിളികളും

References :

Raman, T. R. S., and Mudappa, D. "Bridging the gap: Sharing responsibility for ecological restoration and wildlife conservation on private lands in the Western Ghats." Social Change 33, no. 2-3 (2003): 129-141.

Mudappa, D., and Raman, T. R. S. "Rainforest Restoration: A Guide to Principles and Practice " . Nature Conservation Foundation. (2010).

Borah, B., A., Bhattacharjee, and N. M., Ishwar. "Bonn challenge and India: Progress on restoration efforts across states and landscapes." New Delhi, India: IUCN and MoEFCC, Government of India. (2018).

Do watch the amazing documentary on the Reviving the Rainforest Project by Nature Conservation Foundation.

For more details on the project, head to https://www.ncf-india.org/western-ghats/reviving-the-rainforest

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Kerala Floods 2018: Impacts and Lessons Drawn

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• Ajinder Walia 2 ,
• Pallvi Sharma 2 &
• Naima Nusrat 3  

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Kerala, the southwest coastal state of India which ranks high on the Human Development Index, became vulnerable to severe flooding during the southwest monsoons of 2018. The state faced the worst floods in the century due to above-normal rainfall from June to August 2018. The above-normal rainfall was supplemented by a lack of integration of sustainable development practices and disaster risk management strategies. The floods affected all the districts of the state and led to the loss of over 400 precious lives along with extensive damage to infrastructure and property. It also triggered about 341 landslides in the area. The community including fishermen and women-centric organizations like Kudumbashree participated actively in responding to the disaster. Technology including WhatsApp, GIS, and crowdsourcing was used actively by the community during the search, rescue, and relief phase. The floods highlighted many constraints like lack of proper management and monitoring of critical natural resources such as water and land which left the state unprepared for major disasters caused by natural hazards. The disaster also highlighted crucial lessons to be adopted by other coastal states of the country which are expected to face increased flooding in the coming times due to climatic changes.

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Walia, A., Sharma, P., Nusrat, N. (2022). Kerala Floods 2018: Impacts and Lessons Drawn. In: Singh, A. (eds) International Handbook of Disaster Research. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-8800-3_188-1

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Essay on Effects of Deforestation for Students and Children

500 words essay on the effects of deforestation.

The world is losing most of its natural resources as and when you read this. There are many factors which are making this happen, however, one major concern is that of deforestation. Human activities are resulting in deforestation at a very rapid rate. Moreover, the effects of this activity are very dangerous. We do not realize the damage we are causing to living beings as well as the vegetation by cutting down trees. It will be clearer if we understand the impact of deforestation and make attempts to prevent it.

Impact of Deforestation

When we cut down even a single tree , the impact it has is huge. Now imagine if we clear out whole forests only altogether, how damaging would that be. We cut down forests to meet the needs of humans. In order to fulfill the agricultural , commercial , industrial , residential and other needs we remove forests . Most of the earth was covered with forests until a hundred years ago, however, now we don’t have much of them left.

Deforestation causes disruption in the ecological balance. Moreover, it also interferes with the lives of wildlife and human beings as well. Firstly, when there won’t be many forests left, the water cycle of the earth will get disturbed. There won’t be enough trees left to absorb the water. Moreover, it will cause floods and droughts too. Similarly, soil erosion will be another effect of deforestation.

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Other than that, the climate will experience massive change. Global warming is also happening partly due to deforestation only. The oxygen level in the atmosphere will drop down by a great number and thus naturally carbon dioxide levels will increase. Most importantly, the wildlife is losing their habitats due to deforestation. Forests are their only home and with no place left to go, they either lose their lives or wreak havoc in the cities.

Therefore, we must all come together to stop this from happening and saving our earth as well as our lives. Humans must not be so selfish so as to make other animals homeless to shelter themselves. We must not damage our vegetation to create a beautiful garden for ourselves.

How to Prevent Deforestation?

We can do a lot of things that will contribute to preventing deforestation. To begin with, do not waste paper. The more demand there will be the more supply will happen. This way, trees will keep getting cut to meet these needs.

Similarly, the government must put a ban on deforestation so the big firms can find other alternatives instead of clearing forests for commercial and industrial needs. The laws must be made stringent enough and also implemented properly to prevent it.

Moreover, there must be measures taken to control the increasing population . As there are more mouths to feed and fewer resources, our nature and forests are getting burdened. There is not adequate supply to meet the ever-increasing demands of the population. Thus, the lesser the demand, the better the conditions of the forests as well.

FAQs on Effects of Deforestation

Q.1 What is the impact of deforestation?

A.1 Deforestation has many seriously damaging effects. It disrupts the water cycle and increases the level of carbon dioxide and decreases oxygen levels. Further, it also causes floods, droughts, soil erosion and more.

Q.2 How can we prevent deforestation?

A.2 We can do a joint effort to prevent deforestation. Do not waste paper so there will be lesser cutting of trees. The government must put a ban on deforestation. The government must practice population control so as to not burden forests to meet the ever-increasing needs.

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• Deforestation Essay for Students in English

Essay on Deforestation

Deforestation is a removal or clearing of trees and forest which is converted into use for human, like for agricultural use, making houses, for commercial purpose and other development. About 31% of earth’s land surface is covered by forest, just over 4 billion hectares area and about 71.22 million hectares area of India’s total land is covered by forest. Deforestation is more extreme in the tropical and subtropical forests. These areas are converted into economical uses. The total area of tropical rain forest on Earth is about 16 million square kilometres but because of deforestation, only 6.2 square kilometres are left. According to the Global Forest Resources Assessment 2020, the global rate of net forest loss in 2010-2020 was 7 million hectares per year.

Causes of Deforestation

The primary reason for deforestation is agricultural. According to FAQ, agriculture leads to around 80% of deforest. For the survival of the livelihood, the farmer cut trees of the forest and use that land for the purpose of cultivation. Due to the increasing population, the demand of food product is also increasing, because of this large amount of land is needed for the cultivation of crops hence farmers are bounded to cut down the forest to grow crops on that land.

Apart from this, the demand for paper, match-sticks, furniture, etc. are also increasing. Therefore the wood-based industries needs a substantial amount of wood supply to make this product. Paper plays an important role in everyone life. The paper is thrown away every year like to make accounts for approximately 640 million trees. That’s why it is said that we always have to recycle paper. Wood is used as fuel, many people cut trees and burn them for the purpose to make food. Wood is also used as coal. In every house, there is a wooden door, window and many more things. These things create a very large demand for wood which results in the cause of deforestation.

Further, to gain access to these places, the construction of roads is undertaken. Trees are again cut to build roads. The expansion of cities is also responsible for the cutting of trees, this expansion of cities is directly responsible for the growing population, people of these places need houses, roads and other facilities so that they cut trees for their livelihood.

Many industries in petrochemicals release their waste into rivers, which result in soil erosion and make it unfit to grow plants and trees on these places. The oil and coal mining requires a large amount of forest land. The waste that comes out from mining pollutes the environment and affects other species.

Another reason is forest fire. Thousands of trees every year lost by a forest fire. The reason for forest fire is the hot temperature of that place and milder winter. On many places, the fire is caused because of human’s irresponsibilities. Fires, either caused by human or by nature, results in a massive amount of loss of forest covers.

We all know that the population of the world is increasing rapidly, which is also a reason behind deforestation. People cut down trees and on that place they make houses.

Effect of Deforestation

Forest are the lungs of our planet. Trees take carbon dioxide and release oxygen which is responsible for our living. Trees also provide shed to soil because of which soil remain moist. Trees also release water vapours, that’s why climate remains humid but due to the process of deforestation the climate becomes drier and hotter which make ecology difficult that leads to climate change. Also, this factor is mainly responsible for the forest fire.

Animal and plants which form flora and fauna across the world have to suffer due to the deforestation. Various animal species are lost, they loos their habitat and forced to move to a new location. It is very difficult for them to adopt new habitats. The cutting of trees is responsible for soil erosion. The fertile soil is held in place by intricate root structures of many layers of trees. Without trees, erosion often occurs and sweeps the land into nearby rivers. With the cutting of trees the soil is directly exposed to the sun which dries them dry. Deforestation is mainly responsible for floods, loss of biodiversity, food ecosystem, wildlife extinction and habitat loss.

FAQs on Deforestation Essay for Students in English

Question 1:- How Deforestation is Responsible for Land Degradation?

Answer:-Trees provide shed to soil because of which soil remain humid. Also, the fertile soil is held in place by intricate root structures of many layers of trees. When the trees are cut down then the soil becomes loose and also there is no shed for soil which results in soil erosion. So, we concluded that trees prevent soil erosion and thus land degradation.

Question 2:- What are the Causes of Deforestation?

Answer:- There are several reasons for deforestation like agriculture, logging, cattle ranching, for making furniture from wood, constriction of roads and forest fire.

Question 3:- Where is the Largest Rainforest Located in the World?

Answer:- The largest rainforest is the Amazon Basin in South America.

Kerala Flood Essay in English

Kerala Flood: Why A Natural Calamity Happened?

Kerala Flood Essay in English Kerala is a place where floods often come. This state has the worst history when it comes to floods. In the history of Kerala, 8 th August 2018 was the black day. On this day, the state encountered heavy rainfall. As per the records, 12 inches of rainfall were hit the state within 24 hours. This flood was one of the worst ones than ever encountered in 1924. In the year 1924, 3368 mm rainfall and 2086 mm rainfall was reported in the year 2018 in the state of Kerala.   

At that time, at least 20 million people were affected by this natural disaster, which took place after the heavy rainfall on 16 th August 2018. This state is an area, where not only rainfalls, even landslides are common. In many parts of the state, landslides, cloudbursts, and rainfalls are common to take place.

One-sixth of the total population of this state was affected by the flood. In this incident, around 445 people were reported dead, while 140 people were missing. There are 14 districts in Kerala and all of them were on high red alert when this natural calamity was about to happen.

The flood which took place after the heavy rainfall in the state was declared as a level three natural disaster by the Government of India. From this thing, it is concluded that the natural disaster was devastating and its nature was severe.

There are many causes of floods in Kerala. Firstly, we will talk about the condition of dams in Kerala, which can be a major cause behind such devastating calamities.

Essay on Flood in Kerala in English

Conditions of dams.

In Kerala, there are 54 dams and out of which thirty-five dams were opened due to the heavy rainfall in 2018. This happened for the first time in Indian history when such a huge number of dams were in the opening condition.

Even all the gates of Idukki dams were unlocked for the first time in twenty-six years and all the 5 gates of the Malampuzha dam were also unlocked, this dam is located at Palakkad.

What are the major reasons to notice?

Based on the study by the Metro Man of India, Mr. E Sreedharan, the Government of Kerala is the culprit behind this devastating situation of Kerala at that time. He is a noted engineer and confirms that the Kerala government should be blamed.

He also stated that this flood in Kerala was a man-made calamity. There are many possible reasons, which are responsible for this lethal disaster in the state of Kerala. These reasons are mentioned below:

Deforestation Heavy rainfall Mismanagement of dams Changing the flow of the rivers Overpopulation Inaccurate construction of banks Mining and quarrying Construction The Indian Meteorological Department Pollutants were thrown in Rivers

Also Read: Drought Essay in Englis h

Heavy rainfall

In 2018, Kerala received 116% more monsoon rainfall than it actually receives. Of course, rains are unpredictable. This is why it is not easy to predict what is going in the next moment. However, this factor cannot be a single reason for this disaster.

Deforestation

After the days of independence, the green cover around Kerala has been eradicated. The decrease in green cover in Kerala was due to rapid development. As a result, it decreased the water absorption capacity of land and developed the stage of water stagnation. It could be one of the causes of destruction in 2018.

Altering the river’s flow

Kerala is known as a state of rivers. It has a maximum number of rivers with a 3 rd position in the country. Nature has set up everything in the best form for humans. But humans are playing with nature.

Nature defined the purpose in keeping the river flow in the Arabian Sea, but people have changed this setting for their benefit. This is why changing the flow of rivers could also be a big reason behind this massive disaster in Kerala.

Overpopulation

Kerala is one of the highly populated states in India. The more population, the more chances of destruction. This is why this disaster could be due to the higher population in Kerala.

Mismanagement of dams

As mentioned above, many dams were opened at that time when the rainfall was predicted. The dam authorities were at fault, as the water was released in huge amounts and they were waiting till the water reached the danger mark. It clearly stated that the water was not released with safety.

The Indian Meteorological Department

Once this calamity happened, people targeted the Indian Meteorological Department, as they are responsible to make predictions for heavy rains. While on the other side, this department targeted the human activities of deforestation and other human acts.

Mining and quarrying

Day by day, these human acts have also been increasing. With such acts, the soil loses its grip and becomes incapable of neither holding water nor the soil particles. This can be a reason why there are higher landslides in this area.

According to the report by the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel, the regions impacted by the floods were already mentioned in the ecologically sensitive zones.

Construction on Hilly areas

With the increase in population, the area is becoming restricted. People began construction at hilly places. At that time, the construction took place in a bad way without even examining the flow of water, even the rainfall was supposed to happen, this thing should not be mistaken.

This unplanned construction and the irresponsibility of appropriate authority to control the flood could be also a reason.

Final verdict

We cannot blame nature for such calamities to happen. Human acts are also responsible for these disasters as they are going against the will of Mother Nature. In Kerala, the government should take appropriate steps to control these incidents.

There should be rescue operation teams and the management to check the plans and actions of the National Disaster Management Policy. This is why we can say that there is not just a single reason behind the happening of floods in the state of Kerala.

This is about Kerala flood in English essay, from this entire article, we cover information regarding about Kerala flood 2019 essay in English pdf, essay on Kerala flood 2018 in English. If found anything missing let us know by commenting below. For more info kindly visit us at wikiliv.com

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Afforestation Essay | Essay on Afforestation for Students and Children in English

February 13, 2024 by Prasanna

Afforestation Essay:  Afforestation is the procedure of introducing new trees and new tree seedlings to an area that has not been under forestation previously. Afforestation is done through tree planting and seeding in both natural and artificial ways. Trees influence every aspect of the environment, and their importance is increasing every day as they tend to satisfy every need of humanity.

Trees act as wind barriers and protect the environment from getting degraded. The world is evolving and triggering pollution levels. Increase of population is resulting in clearing up of forest areas. Afforestation is the immediate need of the hour to tackle the ongoing global issues. It is an economic aspect which can be carried out easily.

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Long and Short Essays on Afforestation for Students and Kids in English

We are providing essay samples to students on a long essay of 500 words and a short essay of 150 words on the topic Afforestation Essay for reference.

Long Essay on Afforestation 500 Words in English

Long Essay on Afforestation is usually given to classes 7, 8, 9, and 10.

From the very beginning, trees have provided us with all the necessary components that humankind requires. From food, to shelter and even protecting the environment from wearing off. Trees supply the two most pivotal components, which are food and oxygen without which humankind would not have existed.

The world is going through various global issues and needs immediate aid. Afforestation is the establishment of a forest or a stand of trees in an area where there was no previous cover. Soil erosion, pollution and ecological imbalance can only be treated by planting more trees.

Afforestation can create an ecological balance to manage the evolving population and its effects. Various NGO’s and Government agencies have involved themselves in the process of afforestation. Practising of tree planting in desolate lands that lacks green cover can make it fertile enough to cater to the needs of humanity.

Planet earth is constantly undergoing deterioration due to inhumane activities which are resulting in the depletion of the green cover. Overpopulation is affecting natural resources. Deforestation to make a place for humans have triggered various global issues, and one of them is pollution that has led to global warming.

Increase of population has led to industrialization and urbanization, which is the root cause of degradation of the environment. At this crucial hour, the present situation of earth can be saved by preserving the green cover. To combat global warming and soil erosion, human beings need to indulge themselves in afforestation and reforestation activities so that planet earth can be saved from the ill-effects of desertification.

Afforestation has a major role to play to promote the economy of the nation. Forests supply all the raw materials and other items that are necessary for commercial use. Forests increase water retention capacity and reduce soil erosion to a great extent. It acts as a boon for the agricultural sector since the entire world and its functioning depends upon it. The increase in water retention capacity can also prevent droughts.

You can now access more Essay Writing on this topic and more.

Afforestation also provides ample supply of timber, fodder and many more that enhances the cattle life. It shields crops from damage and makes crop production better. Worldwide efforts are being undertaken to contribute to afforestation.

The Central hardwood forest region of the US witnesses increase in the number of landowners who are converting their croplands marginally into forests. This effort is being made to reduce the pressure on the use of the existing hardwood species, like black cherry and walnut.

India has also made its contribution to afforestation by the National Afforestation Programme (NAP). This scheme involves the ecological restoration of degraded forests to develop the forest resources, including peoples’ participation so that their livelihoods can take a better turn.

People should be made aware of the rising global concerns regarding tree felling. People should encourage themselves and their surroundings to make their own forests. Afforestation is the only easy method to tackle the degradation of planet earth and cover it with maximum greens.

Short Essay on Afforestation 150 Words in English

Short Essay on Afforestation is usually given to classes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.

Afforestation is the process of planting areas of land with trees, to form a forest. Overpopulation and deforestation are causing much decline in the environment. People are moving to jungles and felling trees for the sake of farming and settlement. The wealth of every country is green forests. But their decline is triggering global issues.

Life cannot be imagined with the absence of trees, since they are the source of food for all living beings and organisms. Trees are part and parcel of life. The concept of social forestry should be popularised. Its main aim is to increase planting trees to meet the increasing needs of human. The effort of afforestation is to reduce the pressure of the traditional trees and protect them from declining.

Many government and non-government institutions participate in many programs that are related to afforestation with the sole aim of creating forests or increasing the number of trees.

10 Lines on Afforestation Essay in English

1. Afforestation can help to bring about climatic change 2. Afforestation is the process of creating a new forest. 3. It is considered as a process of establishment of the forest through natural succession. 4. Afforestation with the help of tree planting bar helps to make tree planting easy. 5. The process of afforestation helps to maintain the fertility of the soil. 6. Afforestation allows natural trees in the forests to be conserved. 7. Long lost ecosystem areas can be brought back by the act of afforestation. 8. Organizations are using afforestation to convert the semi-arid or arid regions into productive regions to fight global warming. 9. Planting trees in barren lands allow a constant supply of essential products from areas that are not even productive. 10. Environmental issues like air pollution are tackled by afforestation.

FAQ’s on Afforestation Essay

Question 1. What is the difference between afforestation and reforestation?

Answer: Afforestation is planting trees in areas where there was never any forest or plantation and reforestation is replanting trees in areas where the forest has been damaged previously.

Question 2. How does afforestation help mankind?

Answer: Planting trees fulfil all need of humans since trees provide food, oxygen and many more basic requirements of humans.

Question 3. Name an afforestation program in India.

Answer: National Afforestation Programme is practised in India.

Question 4. Name two methods to promote afforestation.

Answer: a) Government involved afforestation. b) Regulations on cutting trees.

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