Cutting down forests is a real environmental threat; yet, this is still happening at a great rate around the world. Why do you think forests are being destroyed? Are there any benefits from the destruction of forests?

Deforestation is harming the planet, but despite

this

fact, there does not seem to be any reduction in the rate at which trees are being destroyed. There are many reasons for cutting down trees, ranging from the commercial greed of large companies to the needs of subsistence farmers.

This

practice does have a few immediate benefits, but they are outweighed by its negative impact. Rainforests are being destroyed for a variety of reasons.

Firstly

, much of the forest in Central and South America has been cleared to raise cattle for the North American beef market.

In addition

, logging for valuable timbers

such

as mahogany and teak, which are used to make expensive furniture, has been going on for centuries, as has clear felling for the production of charcoal. Forests are

also

cut down to make way for plantations to grow food crops

such

as bananas and sugar cane. In some countries, forests are removed in order to extract precious metals and minerals or to search for new oil deposits. In developing countries, some people need to cut down trees to provide fuel for their daily life, and

this

is

also

a significant source of deforestation. There are certain benefits to be gained from the harvesting of forests. Primarily,

this

makes jobs available for local people. It

also

yields timber for building dwellings and it makes space for growing crops. In countries with struggling economies, timber can be exported for foreign revenue, which can

then

be used to provide services and infrastructure to improve the lives of citizens. To sum up, forests are being cut down mostly to make profits for multi-national companies and to provide resources to the developed world.

However

, for some people, filling the forest is an age-old way of life for survival. While

this

practice may provide short-term gains, in the long term it is unsustainable