Deforestation in Australia

Problems

• Deforestation in Australia is a primary environmental concern, leading to the loss of millions of native animals, including endangered species, and the destruction of forests and woodlands. Nearly 50% of our forest cover has been cleared in the last two centuries, making Australia one of the worst-developed countries for deforestation.
  
  The leading cause of deforestation in Australia is livestock production, primarily cattle grazing. Livestock accounts for 73% of land use in Australia and is responsible for 54% of land clearing. Other causes include logging of native forests, mining, urban expansion, and infrastructure development.
  
  Deforestation and forest fragmentation hurt the biodiversity of animals and plants. The loss of biodiversity in Australia is of catastrophic proportions. Many bird species have been lost in Victoria, Queensland, New South Wales, Western Australia, and the Mount Lofty Ranges in South Australia.
  
  In Australia, of the 1,250 plants and 390 terrestrial animal species listed as threatened, 964 plants and 286 animals have deforestation and resulting habitat fragmentation or degradation listed as threats. These include southern cassowary, Bennet’s tree kangaroo, Cape York rock-wallaby, and, as well as the iconic, recently listed as vulnerable to extinction in Queensland and New South Wales.
  
  This large-scale destruction also hampers Australia’s ability to meet climate targets. The agriculture, forestry, and other land use sector, on average, accounted for almost a quarter (23%) of the world’s human-caused emissions. Of these, 45% were from deforestation.
  
  Tree clearing also has a significant impact on soil and water health. Without trees to anchor fertile soil, erosion can occur and sweep the earth into rivers, choking and polluting our waterways. Estimates suggest that one-third of the world’s arable land has been lost through soil erosion and degradation since 1960. In Australia, sediment, nutrient, and pesticide pollution from run-off is threatening the health and resilience of the Great Barrier Reef
  
  Forests play a significant role in reducing carbon emissions and curbing harmful by capturing and storing carbon. However, they become carbon sources when cut, otherwise removed or burnt. Deforestation and forest degradation account for approximately 15% of total global emissions, contributing to rising temperatures, changes in weather patterns, and increasingly frequent extreme weather events.
  
  Destroying old, biologically important woodland and forests at such a scale is terrible. It flies in the face of global pledges to end deforestation and maintain the integrity of Earth’s ecosystems. Australia is a signatory to both of these.