Deforestation

Webster dictionary defines deforestation as "to cut down and clear away the trees or forests."

It is a lot more than that, especially because nearly 40 percent of Central America is forested.

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The effects of deforestation include:

Loss of people and their culture

Extinction of large numbers of plant and animal species

Soil loss

Global increases in temperature, leading to a rise in sea level

Floods and drought due to the amount of rainfall

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Pine is the main wood harvested, and some hardwoods, such as cedar, mahogany, and rosewood, also are cut.

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