Reforestation activities promote the gradual depletion of CO2 from the atmosphere through the absorption during photosynthesis. This in turn reduces its concentration in the atmosphere by releasing oxygen and therefore helping to maintain the CO2/O2 balance. Less carbon dioxide means less pollution and less global warming.

Erosion and water contamination is yet another major environmental hazard caused by deforestation. The roots of trees serve as a natural anchor spreading extensively into the ground to hold the soil in place. As soil runoff is prevented, essential nutrients are maintained and the soil remains fertile. Trees in addition feed the soil with falling leaves and dried branches.

Forests are a natural water storage system of rainwater and slows down the aridity of the atmosphere by absorbing moisture through leaves and roots. The trees then release some of the water they absorb through transpiration as water vapors from their leaves. This helps to restore moisture in the atmosphere and help maintain the surface temperature of our planet.

On the topic of economy, when forests are properly managed and saplings are regularly planted, then a forest can be a sustainable source of timber to provide everything from paper pulp to housing.

Efforts to restore global forest coverage obviously have many benefits on a chemical, social and biological level. The pros of reforestation – and avoiding deforestation in the first place – are ever so clear. Although deforestation has a number of causes (including fires, clear cutting for agriculture or human settlements, logging, and mining), It is still up to us to do what we can, while we can.