Deforestation, also known as Forest clearance is the removal of a forest or stand of trees from land that is then converted to non-forest use, this act is carried out by humans.

Forest help to make the planet livable for us all, but human activity is destroying them at an alarming rate,  forest is being razed or cleared to make space for agriculture, animal grazing, construction of our urban areas, obtain wood for fuel, and manufacturing.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the world has lost 420 million hectares or about a billion acres of Forest since 1990, mainly in Africa and South America. Deforestation has greatly altered landscape around the world, deforestation can result in more carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere that is because trees take in carbon dioxide from the air for photosynthesis, and carbon is locked chemically in their wood, When trees are Burned this carbon returns to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide, with fewer trees around to take In the carbon dioxide, these green house gas(GHG) emission accumulates in the atmosphere and accelerate global warming. Deforestation in Nigeria is really devastating because Forests are disappearing at an alarming rate, from year 2000 to 2005 Nigeria has the highest rate of deforestation in the world at 55.7% according to the Food and Agriculture Organization.

 The main drivers of deforestation in Nigeria are agriculture, logging, and mining, the loss of trees cause climate change, desertification, soil erosion, fewer crops, flooding, increased greenhouse gas emission in the atmosphere.

 Also generally, deforestation act as threat to Biodiversity, The forest is home to mammals, insects, amphibians, birds, plants, too many rare and fragile species, but deforestation has rendered them homeless and endangered, driving them to brink of extinction.

WAYS TO CURB DEFORESTATION

1. Plant a tree wherever you can, that's the sum of the domestic campaign so far. Soon, all neighbours will be carbon copying each other.

2. We should consume everything less, our society is over-consuming, we are demanding too much from our planet, and having an unsustainable ecological footprint.

3. Shop sustainably certified products.

4. Teach your family, friends or colleagues about the issues around deforestation, spread awareness and raise consciousness.

5. Fighting illegal logging, and limiting logging in old-growth forests, the government has a whole lot to do in this aspect of illegal logging, they should create laws and policies to help in protecting forested area.