Earth's Water Resources in Relation to Deforestation

Earth’s Forests and Water Resources

Water resources and deforestation are both environmental issues that are becoming increasingly serious. The two problems are interlinked in many ways, with both affecting each other drastically.

If we are to curb the dire water situation, the forests need to be saved, and vice versa.

This article explains the links between forests and water worldwide and also takes a look at how these issues affect New Zealand.

The Big Link

In order for there to always be fresh water available on Earth the water cycle has to be fully functional. This means that rain has to be consistently falling, serving its purpose and evaporating back up into the atmosphere. Without forest cover, falling rain goes straight to the ground and runs off the land. This causes erosion which pollutes and clogs waterways, reducing the Earths supply of clean water. However, when the rain falls onto plants it can be evaporated back into the atmosphere or taken in by the leaves and roots where it is stored. Trees also draw ground water up and store it, from there it is released into the air and rises up again. An example of the water-storing powers of Amazon, despite the presence of the world’s largest river, over half the water is stored in plants. The more forest that is damaged, the drier the climate will be all around the world.

Desertification

As the forest recedes due to the mass logging for timber and farmland, it is replaced by increasingly dry land. These deserts then begin to take control, “eating” away at the forest by stripping moisture away from the forests, killing the precious trees and increasing the amount of dry, useless desert. This is desertification and it means less and less forest that can hold water.