Environmental / Problems / Slash & Burn

Slash and burn is an agricultural procedure widely used in forested areas. The vegetation in an area of forest is cut and allowed to dry. After some period the residual dry vegetation is burned. Plots are cultivated for a few seasons as fertility declines. Burning removes the vegetation and may release a pulse of nutrients to fertilize the soil. Slash and burn causes so much destruction that the recovery of forests may require many decades or even human generations. One of the side effects is erosion.

Although farming may be the only way of survival for a few countries, slash and burn greatly decreases the soil's fertility, and no further growth of any type may arise for generations. Slash and burn may also cause certain plant types to become extinct, thus causing complications for the food chain and harming the ecosystem.

The burning of forests contributes very much to carbon emissions worldwide. These carbon emissions are not merely contained within the area, they spread, causing respiratory problems from airborne particles. The razing of forests also upsets the carbon cycle. Photosynthesis does not take place, thus there are excess greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, contributing to global warming. Less trees also leads to the erosion of topsoil, as the roots often hold the soil together.

Slash and burn techniques clear out space for agriculture and also pastures for cattle and other lifestock.