1. Environmental Issues:
Desertification
and Deforestation

2. Desertification

3. Desertification What is it?
Desertification: degradation of land into desert

4. Desertification How does it happen?
Human causes of desertification (major):
- overgrazing of grasses by cattle takes away support holding soils together, allowing nutrients to be blown away
- poor farming techniques can take nutrients from soil, leaving it to salty to be productive
Natural causes of desertification (minor):
- fire and climatic changes

5. Desertification What are the effects?
- reduction of nutritional density
- famine
- economic loss
- loss of biodiversity (variety of plant and animal life)‏

6. Deforestation

7. Deforestation What is it?
Deforestation: permanent destruction of forests and woodlands

8. Deforestation How does it happen? Causes of deforestation: - fires
- cattle ranching
- insect activity
- mineral and oil extraction
- logging for wood and paper products
- acid precipitation

9. Deforestation What are the effects?
- loss of biodiversity (variety of plant and animal life)‏
- loss of soil nutrients
- increase in erosion, especially on hill slopes
- increase in global warming
- changes in climatic patterns

10. Deforestation What can we do to limit deforestation in B.C.?
- preservation of forest lands in parks
- conservation/recycling of paper products
- increased use of alternative building products