15 Strategies How to Reduce and Prevent Deforestation
Forests are one of the most important ecosystems on Earth. 80 percent of all terrestrial plants, insects, and animals call forests home. Nearly one third of people in the world depend directly on forests for their livelihoods [1].
Trees help regulate the climate, filter water through their root system, capture dust particles and pollutants from the air and stabilize soils against erosion. They perform these vital services equally for everyone without taking into account country boundaries or the size of your income.
Every day, we use resources that forests provide to us, such as timber, firewood, medicinal and edible plants. Yet if we continue to lose our forests at the current rate, in 80 years from now there will be no forest left on our “green” planet [2]. Every minute, the world loses around 30 football fields of forest to deforestation.
The death of the forest is the end of our life.
— Dorothy Stang
Key Strategies to Reduce and Prevent Deforestation
Deforestation is happening everywhere on the planet for many different reasons that vary from region to region. Vast areas of rainforests in a number of tropical countries, including Indonesia, Brazil, and Malaysia, have been destroyed to make way for palm oil, soy plantations and cattle ranches. The increasing global demand for wood products threatens many ancient forests around the world, whether it is for paper products, furniture or fuel.
Ending deforestation is the best chance we have to stabilize our climate, save wildlife species and protect our well-being. Protecting the forest is our mutual responsibility, no matter how far away we live from the nearest one. Adopt some of these strategies to help prevent the loss of more trees.
#1 Sustainable Agriculture Practices
Sustainable agriculture prevents deforestation by adopting farming practices that make more efficient use of existing land, thus reducing the need to clear forests for expansion.
Agroforestry is one of the most promising approaches. By blending tree cultivation with traditional farming, this farming method helps to preserve biodiversity, enrich soils, and protect natural resources.
Agroforestry has the power to reduce the pressure on forests by offering farmers alternative sources of income from fruits, nuts, timber, and medicinal plants they may get from cultivating trees, while also maintaining the environmental services that trees provide. For example, in Brazil, agroforestry systems have shown to increase farmers’ income by up to 40% compared to monoculture practices [2].
Crop rotation and diversification to reduce pressure on forests
Growing a variety of crops on the same piece of land reduces the need to clear additional forest areas for farming. In India, small-scale farmers who implement crop rotation—such as alternating between legumes and cereals—experience a 20% increase in yield while decreasing the need for land expansion.
Such practices prevent the overexploitation of the soil and help mitigate the demand for forest clearance, particularly in tropical regions where land conversion for agriculture is rampant.
Organic farming and reducing land clearance for agriculture
Organic farms are often more resilient to climate impacts and require less land for the same output compared to conventional farms. This reduces the pressure to clear forests for new agricultural land.
For example, a 2020 study showed that organic farming practices can sequester up to 1.5 tons of carbon per hectare annually. It is a small but meaningful contribution to combating climate change and deforestation altogether [4].
#2 Forest Conservation and Reforestation Programs
Restoration of degraded forests is a challenging task that takes decades, and requires careful planning and monitoring. It is not easy, but it is necessary if we do not want to lose all our forests. What is wonderful about forest restoration is the ecosystem’s capacity to perfectly recover and give us a new chance to start once again.
For example: In just 50 years a part of a long lost tropical rainforest in Costa Rica was successfully revived [12]. Similarly successful was South Korea’s reforestation program that has managed to nearly double the country’s forest cover from 35 to 64 percent since 1950s [13].
Non-profit organizations such as The Sierra Club are working throughout the world to restore degraded forests and return them to their former glory. While this doesn’t reduce deforestation directly, it can offset many negative impacts of deforestation on a global scale. Look for such organizations in your area or in the area of your interest and support their activities if you can.
Their work of reversing deforestation is precious for future generations.
Fun fact: Did you know that by building artificial homes for bats in deforested areas, we can facilitate the recovery of the tropical forest? Scientists have observed that bats fly long distances during their foraging trips in search of a variety of tropical fruits and nectar. By providing safe homes in deforested areas for bats, these flying mammals will bring some of the seeds they picked in the forest during their feeding trips and will promote a regrowth of the forest that way [14].
These projects not only rebuild forests but also bring life back to the soil, improve water cycles, and create habitats for wildlife. Joining or supporting reforestation programs—whether through donations, tree-planting events, or simply spreading awareness—can directly contribute to reversing the damage caused by deforestation.
Preserving primary forests through national parks and reserves
Primary forests, also known as old-growth forests, are rich ecosystems that have evolved over thousands of years. They store immense amounts of carbon, regulate local and global climate, and are home to countless species found nowhere else. The protection of these irreplaceable forests is vital to slowing climate change and maintaining biodiversity.
National parks and reserves play a critical role in safeguarding these forests. Countries like Brazil, Indonesia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo have designated large areas of primary forests as protected reserves, though illegal logging and mining remain significant threats.
Governments must enforce strict laws, and global cooperation is needed to ensure the long-term protection of these invaluable ecosystems. In Peru, the creation of protected reserves has reduced deforestation rates by nearly 50% in targeted areas [2].
Community-based forest management
In 2016, tens of thousands of people in Bhutan planted 108,000 trees in honor of the birth of the country’s new prince. What a wonderful gift to the future ruler, right?
But the message the country has sent to the world had a deeper meaning. Through this act, Bhutan has demonstrated the indispensable power of community in managing natural resources. And community forestry is based exactly on that!
Community forestry is carried out by local residents, volunteers, and schools with the support of the government. This forestry technique involves tree planting, timber harvesting, cleaning, and forest conservation. Through the active involvement in the management of forests, local people become much more aware of all the benefits intact forests provide for them on a daily basis.
Let’s look back at Bhutan’s example. According to FAO report, 1,664 rural households take care of nearly 3,000 hectares of community forests. Since the program was adopted in 2000, it has improved livelihoods of participating rural communities by:
- strengthening their social bonds,
- regenerating degraded lands,
- purifying and securing water supply,
- providing communities with cheap and local source of fuel.
If you have a chance and time, join a local community forestry project. You may get far more benefits from simply being outdoors with trees and soil than you could ever get from online messaging with your friends.
#3 Sustainable Logging and Forest Management
Sustainable forestry enterprises work to balance the economic benefits of timber production with the ecological need to preserve forests for future generations. They often focus on promoting reduced-impact logging, reforestation, and long-term management plans that align with environmental conservation.
Sustainable methods like selective logging offer a better alternative to the widespread practice of clear-cutting. Instead of removing all trees from a given area, selective logging involves carefully choosing which trees to harvest while leaving the surrounding forest largely intact. This method helps preserve the overall structure of the forest, allowing it to continue functioning as a vital ecosystem.
For example, in countries like Costa Rica, selective logging practices have proven to be effective in both maintaining forest cover and providing economic opportunities for local communities. By focusing on high-value species and leaving the rest of the forest undisturbed, we can meet the demand for timber without causing irreparable harm to these critical ecosystems.
The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) sets the global gold standard for responsible forest management. Products bearing the FSC label guarantee that they come from forests managed in a way that protects biodiversity, respects the rights of indigenous peoples and sustainable harvesting practices.
In the Congo Basin, FSC certification has been key to reducing illegal logging while promoting better working conditions and healthy wildlife habitats. When you choose FSC-certified wood products—whether it’s furniture, paper, or building materials—you are not only avoiding harmful environmental practices, but you are also supporting companies that are committed to ethical forestry.
#4 Economic Alternatives for Local Communities
For many local communities, forests offer more than just timber, and it is quite a paradox of modern times that these communities have been practicing these skills for centuries before logging solely for timber came by.
By promoting eco-friendly livelihoods that rely on the sustainable use of forest resources, we can provide an economic alternative to deforestation, but it needs some time and fair pay.
Non-timber forest products (NTFPs) such as wild honey, medicinal plants, mushrooms, fruits, and nuts offer valuable sources of income without harming the trees themselves. This approach allows communities to continue benefiting from the forest while keeping it intact.
Take the example of wild honey. In many forested regions of Africa, wild honey harvesting has become an important livelihood, supporting local economies while protecting the forest ecosystem. Honey gatherers don’t just collect a delicious product—they also help pollinate forest plants, which supports biodiversity.
Similarly, in the Amazon rainforest, indigenous groups sustainably harvest medicinal plants that are in high demand globally. These products can be marketed as premium, eco-friendly goods that connect consumers with the value of keeping forests standing.
Sustainable tourism is another economic alternative that offers communities a way to generate income without cutting down trees. Tourists are usually drawn to the beauty of intact forests, while creating opportunities for eco-lodges, guided nature tours, and local crafts presentation. In Costa Rica, ecotourism now contributes over $1 billion to the economy annually, with forest preservation at the heart of its success.
Microfinancing and incentives for small-scale sustainable enterprises
For many small-scale farmers and forest communities, accessing capital to start sustainable businesses can be a challenge. This is where microfinancing and targeted incentives come in. Providing small loans to individuals or cooperatives helps them invest in sustainable ventures, from agroforestry to eco-friendly product development. When local people are given the financial tools to pursue alternatives to deforestation, they can build livelihoods that not only support their families but also protect the forest.
One successful example of microfinancing can be seen in Kenya, where farmers receive loans to establish beekeeping operations within community forests. These loans allow farmers to purchase equipment like protective gear and hives, enabling them to generate income from honey production. This reduces their reliance on unsustainable activities like charcoal burning, which is a major driver of deforestation in the region.
Incentives, such as payments for ecosystem services (PES), also encourage sustainable practices. In places like Mexico, PES schemes reward farmers for maintaining forest cover, conserving biodiversity, and protecting water sources.
#5 Strengthening Governance and Legal Frameworks
Illegal logging and unregulated deforestation are two of the most significant drivers of forest loss worldwide. In many cases, weak enforcement of environmental laws allows these activities to continue unchecked.
One successful example comes from Brazil, where the introduction of satellite monitoring technology has helped detect illegal logging activities in the Amazon in real time. This has allowed authorities to take swift action and reduce deforestation rates in some areas by up to 60%.
However, enforcement efforts need to be consistent and accompanied by strong penalties to deter further illegal activity. Governments must prioritize forest protection as part of their national policy agendas and allocate sufficient resources to law enforcement agencies.
Transparency and accountability in land use decisions
Too often, land is cleared for agriculture, mining, or infrastructure projects without proper oversight. By increasing transparency in how land is allocated and used, we can hold both governments and corporations accountable for their impact on forest ecosystems.
Publicly accessible databases, land registries, and impact assessments are tools that can promote accountability. For instance, in Indonesia, a new platform that tracks land use permits in forested areas has helped expose illegal deforestation by palm oil companies, forcing the government to revoke permits and halt land clearance. This level of openness allows civil society, NGOs, and local communities to monitor developments and push for more responsible land use policies.
Supporting indigenous land rights and tenure security
Indigenous peoples are often the most effective stewards of forests, yet their land rights are frequently ignored or violated. Supporting indigenous land rights is a sensible strategy for forest conservation in places where these lands have been managed by generations of indigenous peoples for centuries before.
Research has shown that deforestation rates in indigenous-managed lands are significantly lower than in areas without such protection.
For example, Greenpeace published an article about the Cree Nation of Waswanipi land fighting against the large-scale exploitation of the boreal forest in Quebec, Canada. Despite facing enormous pressure from logging companies, the Cree have so far stood their ground and made sure that their pristine forests and cultural heritage remains untouched for future generations.
Respect the rights of indigenous people, help them gain the equal rights and support them when you can.
#6 Global and Corporate Responsibility
By committing to sustainable supply chains, companies can drastically reduce their environmental footprint and promote better forest management. Zero-deforestation pledges, where companies promise not to source materials from areas that contribute to forest loss, are one way businesses are stepping up.
For instance, some of the world’s largest brands have made zero-deforestation commitments in their palm oil and timber supply chains. These pledges help curb illegal logging and protect critical forest habitats, particularly in places like Indonesia and the Amazon, where corporate demand for commodities has driven widespread deforestation.
REDD+ Program (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation)
Programs like REDD+ are designed to foster international cooperation in the fight against forest loss. Through REDD+, developed countries provide financial incentives to developing nations in exchange for protecting their forests, thus helping to reduce global carbon emissions.
Since its inception, REDD+ has helped protect millions of hectares of forest across Latin America, Africa, and Asia. In Guyana, for example, the country receives payments from Norway to preserve its forests, and in return, it has maintained some of the lowest deforestation rates in the world.
Individual Actions to Reduce and Prevent Deforestation
#1 Plant a tree
The most straightforward personal strategy to fight against deforestation is to plant a tree. Planting a tree could be considered a lifelong investment into the environment and your good mental health.
The cutting down of trees causes billions of tons of carbon dioxide (a greenhouse gas) to be released into the air. By planting trees, you are helping to combat global warming because trees absorb carbon dioxide. You are also helping to reduce run off water from the hills. Tree roots prevent landslides and rock slides that sometimes can harm animals, people or damage buildings. Planting and caring for trees is essential for the overall health and quality of life of the community.
Trees are known for their mind soothing and healing properties. Just walking through a forest and looking at the trees calms our mind, alleviates worries and helps tired eyes recover from strain.
You can start by planting one tree, or two, or you can even plant a whole forest.
Have you heard the story of Jadav Payeng from Majuli Island, India?
The ‘Forest Man of India,’ as Jadav was titled by the country’s former president, has planted a whole forest with his own hands – one tree a day for over 40 years. The resulting 1,400 acres of forest inhabited by rhinos, tigers and elephants are astonishing. Trees also protect the island community from seasonal flooding and land erosion. So, this man has created a whole ecosystem from scratch, sustaining many lives through his consistent effort.
Jadav’s story is inspiring, but it’s good to know that he is not the only one. For example, Antonio Vincente has replanted 50,000 trees on his 77 acres of land in the Amazon rainforest. Similarly, Nkomo Sikenala is striving to encourage families in Malawi to plant trees around their houses by providing them tree seedlings at reduced cost.
Join these inspiring people and start writing your own story of a life-giver. Plant a tree today.
#2 Use less paper
Two million trees are cut every day just to supply the paper demand of the United States.
Globally, 40 percent of all timber is used to make paper products, and the demand for paper increases by two to three percent every year [3]. This means that the paper industry is still consuming more and more trees.
Since the industry has such a high need for wood, it should come as no surprise that some part of the timber originates from illegal logging.
By printing out every email and wasting paper, you are unwittingly spinning the wheel of illegal forest destruction. Reduce your paper use when you can. This way, you will decrease your contribution to the loss of forests.
#3 Recycle paper and cardboard
Did you know that one ton (2,000 pounds) of paper put to recycle prevents the cutting of 17 trees? These 17 trees then sequester around 250 pounds of carbon dioxide from the air every single year [10].
If just 10 percent of all the paper used by the average American in one year were recycled, 25 million trees would be saved [11]. That makes 367 million pounds of carbon dioxide absorbed by these trees in one year.
Imagine how many trees you can save and how much good they perform for the quality of our lives by recycling all your paper.
#4 Use recycled products
You may have noticed a little label “made from recycled paper” on your new notebook. The same label can be found on many other daily use items like books, paper bags, egg packaging and even toilet paper.
By choosing items made from recycled paper, you make a conscious effort to lower the demand for more timber.
Besides decreasing the need to cut more trees, your purchase is also supporting paper recycling facilities and reducing the amount of waste entering landfills. Therefore, try to purchase your next notebook made from recycled paper and the environment will be very thankful.
The same rule goes for furniture shopping. When buying a new piece of furniture, try to look first for already used pieces. You can often find real treasures for almost no cost. All they need is just a little bit of refurbishing. But this way you can obtain truly unique and personalized pieces for your interior.
#5 Don’t buy products containing palm oil
While a small amount of palm oil may be sustainably produced, the majority comes from recently cleared land. Palm oil production has become one of the main causes of tropical rainforest destruction around the world today.
Did you know that palm oil is found in many of the products you buy from the supermarket?
A large percentage of the world’s palm oil production comes from Indonesia and Malaysia, where the virgin rainforest is being cleared at an alarming rate of 2.4 million acres a year to make way for new plantations.
Avoiding products containing palm oil might not be easy, because it can be disguised in many different forms in numerous beauty products and food. If you cannot drop some of your favorite products with palm oil entirely, look at least for an alternative that carries a sustainable palm oil certification.
To date, the most rigorous certification process comes from the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), where at least 95% of the palm oil is certified in sustainable practices throughout the supply chain [5].
#6 Reduce meat consumption
To produce the same amount of protein from animal agriculture requires much larger areas of land compared to plant-based farming. For example, nearly one third of the ice-free surface of the planet is converted into pasture for our domestic animals and 30 percent of available arable land is used to grow livestock feed rather than food for our direct consumption [6].
The global demand for meat keeps constantly rising, but our space to rear livestock does not. That is why animal farming has become one of the leading causes of deforestation in Amazon. Around 70 percent of the Amazon rainforest clearing is done to make way for cattle ranches [7].
If you choose to reduce the amount of meat you eat, you will lower the global demand for meat and help prevent further destruction of forests to make way for more livestock. Start slowly by replacing one portion of animal protein a week with a plant-based protein like beans.
After all, periods of not eating meat have been practiced by our ancestors for thousands of years – be it because of the meat shortage or religious fasting. In a traditional perception, periods of no meat eating have always been connected with the complete purification of the organism.
#7 Do not burn firewood excessively
More than two billion people around the world rely only on firewood to cook and heat their homes [9]. Unfortunately, this often happens in poor areas where already vulnerable forests near villages and towns are cut for fuel well before they can regenerate. Such mismanagement slowly leads to their total disappearance.
For example: The Batán Grande forest in Lambayeque on the north coast of Peru has been declared a nature reserve. One of the key species of the reserve is a tree called mesquite. But despite being protected, more than 2,000 ha of mesquite woodlands are lost every year due to poverty of local people, who fell the trees and burn them at home anyway [8].
Global forests suffer already a great deal of damage from our excessive consumption, when you want to make a fire in your fireplace, make sure you burn wood from sustainably managed forests that have enough time to naturally regenerate.
#8 Fight governmental corruption
Corrupt governments are often payed off by illegal logging companies to ignore their activities. Do not support corrupt politicians and systems. Reduction of corruption will go a long way towards reducing deforestation overall.
In many poorer countries, the lack of police presence and law enforcement means that illegal deforestation often goes unpunished and unnoticed for many years, even though it is destroying the country’s economy and resource wealth.
For example: 70 percent of Indonesia’s timber exports come from illegal logging. Besides leaving behind extensive damage to the rainforest, the country is also losing around US$3.7 billion every year in lost revenue [15]. Thus, the illegal logging does more harm than good to the country.
Technological Innovations to Prevent Deforestation
One of the most effective tools in deforestation prevention is satellite monitoring. Satellite monitoring is especially valuable in remote areas that are difficult to access by ground patrols.
Using high-resolution satellite imagery, authorities and environmental groups can track forest loss in real time. This technology helps catch illegal deforestation before it escalates and provides governments with the data they need to intervene quickly.
For example: Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research (INPE) uses satellite data to monitor deforestation in the Amazon. This system, known as DETER, has been key in identifying hotspots of illegal activity. In 2020 alone, this technology detected over 8,000 square kilometers of forest loss.
Drones and AI: Patrolling illegal activities
Drones combined with artificial intelligence (AI) are revolutionizing how forests are monitored. Drones can fly over difficult-to-reach areas, capturing detailed images of forests, while AI analyzes the data to identify illegal activities like logging. This technology offers a more cost-effective way to patrol large, remote forests where traditional enforcement struggles.
In Indonesia, drones equipped with AI are being used to track illegal logging operations deep in the rainforest. These drones can fly for hours, covering vast areas quickly, and immediately alert authorities when they detect suspicious activities.
Blockchain & transparency in timber supply chains
Blockchain technology is now being used to track timber from its source to the consumer. By creating an unchangeable digital record of every transaction, blockchain makes it easier to verify that timber products come from sustainably managed forests.
Timber companies in countries like Ghana and Cameroon are starting to use blockchain to certify that their products meet international sustainability standards. This confirms that buyers in Europe and the U.S. are not unknowingly purchasing illegally logged timber.
What is being done about deforestation?
Through the amendment of the Lacey Act in May 2008, the United States became the first country to ban the import and sale of illegally-sourced wood.
According to the Illegal Logging Portal, the implementation of this legislation has delivered some positive results. Firstly, in assuring consumers that products they buy are legally sourced (although this does not necessarily mean, they come from sustainably managed forests). Secondly, by closing down a large market for illegal loggers, and therefore restricting their chances of making profit [16].
The European Union has implemented a similar law called Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade. Besides banning the import of illegal timber to the EU, this program also strives to help the Government of Indonesia to tackle the illegal logging on their territory [17].
Australia has jumped on the bandwagon when the country introduced the Illegal Logging Prohibition Bill in 2011, shrinking even more the market for illegally sourced wood, and thus lowering the damaging deforestation throughout the world [18].
But despite these efforts, tackling the deforestation globally will require much more initiative and international cooperation of governments, corporations and even consumers like you and me.
So, this brings up a question: how can we control deforestation then?
According to the Nature Conservancy, a promotion of sustainable forest management takes place on four important levels:
- Governments: Governments must enforce incentives to support legal and sustainable forest management and trade system.
- Land owners and managers: Forest owners must follow the legal principles of the sustainable forest management.
- Corporations and investors: Corporations must verify and buy only legally and sustainably sourced timber. Their investments have the ability to revert forest destruction and encourage sustainable forestry in developing countries through the establishment of long-term cooperation with forest owners.
- Consumers: Consumers must make responsible choices when buying products. By picking only sustainably produced items, you are pushing corporations to put emphasis on the sustainable sourcing of their products.
As you can see, the way to tackle deforestation is complex and intertwined through the daily actions of all of us. No matter what your profession is or how far you live from the forest, every decision you make affects how many trees will be lost next year in the world’s tropical rainforests or vast boreal forests of the north.
Numerous international and locally-focused organizations strive to protect forests from deforestation and apply sustainable forestry practices. Examples of some you may have heard of are:
- Greenpeace
- World Wildlife Fund
- Rainforest Action Network
- Rainforest Alliance
- Conservation International
- Amazon Watch
- Arbor Day Foundation and many more.
You can support their efforts by visiting their websites, making donations, or perhaps even participating in their volunteering programs.
Success stories in preventing deforestation
Brazil’s Amazon Fund
One of the most significant efforts to curb deforestation is Brazil’s Amazon Fund. Funded by international donations, primarily from Norway, the Amazon Fund has invested in over 100 projects focused on preventing deforestation and supporting indigenous communities.
Between 2008 and 2018, deforestation rates in Brazil dropped by around 70%, largely thanks to the initiatives supported by the fund. Although recent political challenges have threatened these gains, the Amazon Fund remains a model for how international cooperation can help protect forests.
Costa Rica’s Payment for Ecosystem Service
Costa Rica has become a global leader in reforestation and forest conservation. In the 1980s, deforestation had devastated much of the country’s forests. To reverse this, Costa Rica introduced a Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) program, which compensates landowners for preserving forests, planting trees, and restoring degraded lands.
This program has helped double the country’s forest cover in just a few decades, and today, Costa Rica stands as a global example of how well-structured government incentives can bring back forests.
Indonesia’s Indigenous Peoples Alliance
In Indonesia, the Indigenous Peoples Alliance of the Archipelago (AMAN) has been crucial in securing land rights for indigenous communities. By helping local tribes gain legal ownership over their forests, AMAN empowers them to protect their land from illegal logging and deforestation.
Studies have shown that forests managed by indigenous communities have lower deforestation rates compared to those under government control. Indonesia’s efforts to recognize indigenous land rights have not only slowed forest destruction but also promoted sustainable livelihoods for these communities.
Challenges and Barriers to Implementation
Reducing deforestation is not just about implementing good policies; it requires overcoming complex economic, political, and social barriers. One of the largest hurdles is the economic dependency that many developing countries have on industries tied to deforestation.
Agriculture, logging, and mining often provide income for both local communities and national economies. In countries with rainforests, Brazil and Indonesia, large-scale deforestation is driven by the production of commodities like soy, palm oil, and beef, which are in high demand internationally. The economic benefits from these industries often outweigh the immediate concerns for the environment.
Poverty also plays a significant role in forest destruction. In many parts of the world, impoverished communities rely on forests for fuelwood, small-scale agriculture, and basic survival needs. Without viable alternatives, people have no choice but to cut down trees to meet their day-to-day needs. In Malawi, large amounts of forest are cleared each year for firewood, as most rural households still use wood as their primary fuel source for cooking and heating.
The impact of corruption on forest conservation
Corruption remains one of the greatest barriers. In many countries, corrupt government officials are paid off by illegal logging operations to ignore environmental regulations and allow forest destruction to continue unchecked.
In some cases, entire sections of protected forests are illegally cleared with no consequences for the perpetrators. For example, it is estimated that 70 percent of Indonesia’s timber exports come from illegal logging, which not only devastates the rainforest but also robs the country of valuable revenue—about US$3.7 billion annually.
The lack of law enforcement in poorer regions allows illegal deforestation to go unpunished. Fighting corruption and increasing transparency in land use decisions are critical if we want to make real progress in curbing deforestation.
Forests need ongoing international funding and support
Many developing countries simply lack the financial resources to implement and enforce conservation policies. Reducing deforestation on a large scale requires sustained international funding and support.
International initiatives like the REDD+ program (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) provide financial incentives for countries to protect their forests, but these programs need continuous funding to be effective.
The success of Brazil’s Amazon Fund depended heavily on financial contributions from Norway. However, with recent political changes in Brazil, much of this progress has been threatened, showing how fragile these initiatives can be without consistent global support.
If international funding dries up, many conservation efforts will collapse, leaving forests vulnerable once again.
[2] http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/6-reasons-stopping-deforestation-still-matters/
[3] https://goo.gl/P9iWYM
[4] http://forest-trends.org/indonesia_timber_supply.php
[5] https://goo.gl/6Kr8Wm
[6] http://www.fao.org/docrep/018/ar591e/ar591e.pdf
[7] https://goo.gl/w252Fh
[8] https://goo.gl/oeQ2cQ
[9] http://www.fao.org/forestry/energy/en/
[10] https://www.usi.edu/recycle/paper-recycling-facts/
[11] https://sites.uco.edu/administration/green/recycling/index.asp
[12] https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080428133928.htm
[13] http://www.wri.org/blog/2014/05/restoration-it%E2%80%99s-about-more-just-trees
[14] https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080428124235.htm
[15] https://goo.gl/svbkYb
[16] https://www.illegal-logging.info/regions/usa
[17] https://goo.gl/529kCS
[18] https://goo.gl/dPzhzk