The impact of deforestation in Somalia

Have you ever wondered a world without tree? How can you describe the Earth

with no green leaves no vegetables and fruits? Imagine right now just close your eyes

and think world without plant.

Hasaan husien cuts down 40 trees every month to fuel his charcoal business, fully

aware of the impact on his action in the environment. I used to keep animals but I

lost my herd to famine and disease and i am eldest in my family Hassan says.

Every day hasan cuts tree, it takes two days of burning and two more days of

cooling smoldering heap before he can sell charcoal, at six dollar for 25kg sack. As

Hasan told to BBC. twenty percent of the forest has disappeared for the last ten

years, definitely this country is turning into desert Ahmed derie elmi, director of

Somalilands environment ministry, recently told to AFP.

Deforestation is the removal of the forest or destroying trees thought a deliberate, it

is hugely increasing in last the 50 years according to WWF. Deforestation is global

problem, countries with significant deforestation include Indonesia brazil and republic

of Congo and Somalia is extremely facing a massive deforestation based on illegal

business that some individual companies are making money. So deforestation is

major problem bringing Climate change, soil erosion , loss of habitat and the water

cycle in worse. This paper would state the impact of deforestation in Somalia

according to all these effects.

By M.H Ahmed
First, nowadays Climate change was one of the hottest topics in the world, why

climate is changing? How we can prevent ? such questions were discussed. Deforestation

is regarded as one of the greatest causes of climate change in the environment.

According to (Michael Daley, associate professor of environment science at Lassell college in

Newton),< he said> the number one problem of deforestation is the impact of the global

carbon cycle. Gas molecules that absorb thermal infrared radiation are called Greenhouse

gases. If the greenhouse gases have large enough quantity, then they can force climate to

change although oxygen is the second most abundant gas in the atmosphere, it doesnt

absorb the thermal infrared radiation, as greenhouses do. So deforestation of trees dont

only lessen the amount of carbon but it also releases the carbon dioxide in the air. This is

because when trees die, they release the stored carbon. According to Global forest resource

assessment (2010). So deforestation is the second largest human caused source of carbon

dioxide to the atmosphere ranging to 6 percent and17 percent {van wert ,G,R.et al.,2009}..

Soil erosion, is one of the huge impacts that extremely ruined the Somalis land in

the last three decades after a massive destruction about heavy deforestation occurred

all Somali territories which some areas turned to semi-desert. As we know the soil

is base which tree roots anchor, cutting trees make the soil wash away by the

winds, floods, as consequence the vegetation growth ends there. The nutrient of the

soil and all the basic necessary elements losses when the erosion occurs which

results the famers moved where quality soil could be available. In addition soil

erosion also can bring the silt to go the rivers, streams, dams, lakes and all water

sources that can strongly damaged the health of the water.

By M.H Ahmed
The loss of species is considered major influence which deforestation have brought, it

become without question that the forest hosts million of species of plant and animal

gives shelter to protect and regulate temperature. the seventy percent of the Earths

land animals and plants live in the forest, and many cannot survive the in light of

deforestation that destroys their homes{Google}.

In addition to this, the water cycle is also effect and the water cycle is more

significant and essential in terms of existence of the life in the earth, and making

the life more comfortable, moreover the trees play a vital role for controlling the

amount of the water in the atmosphere by supporting to manage the water cycle,

this means that trees absorb the rain fall and produce water vapor that is released

in the atmosphere, to fewer trees remained due to deforestation, there is less

amount of water in the air to be returned in the soil consequently causes the soil

dry and inability to crops to grow.

Despite there are many Somalis who are arguing that deforestation in Somalia has

some basic benefits to society in terms of creating job opportunities and producing

the charcoal which is the most familiar used energy, which all the population use

nevertheless the deforestation that occurs in Somalia is extremely devastating to the

land, and changed some areas to desert and still continue. Meanwhile its impact has

resulted some terrible, and unacceptable changes to the environment such as climate

change and soil erosion and this can turn Somalia into desert.

By M.H Ahmed
Finely, Trees *plants* are extremely crucial and have always been important for

improving the human condition. It is clear and without question that trees are the

beauty on the earth planet. So the deforestation has already impacted the environment

in awful manner, by causing global warming, soil erosion and loss of species.

Therefore, we must consider and face this huge problem in advanced way persuading

the people that cutting a tree is like killing an organism by {unknown}. Its also quite

good every time you to remember this captivating quote he who plants a trees

plants a hope by lucy larcom

By M.H Ahmed