Cutting down trees for food is prohibited in various areas to protect forests and all the living things that rely on them as their home. A total of 10 people are facing criminal charges in the Odesa region of Ukraine due to illegal tree-felling schemes, according to EcoPolitic: three separate schemes leading to damaged trees, with total damages over UAH 157 million (nearly $4 million USD).
Maybe most alarming, among the 10 individuals, three of them were employees of Forests of Ukraine, a state-owned service aimed at protecting and restoring the forests.
EcoPolitic noted that the director of the Ananyiv Forestry Enterprise issued a handful of illegal logging permits, leading to almost 1,300 trees in the Kuyalnik National Park being cut down. Other officials took part in mass illegal logging.
Emerging data, such as a report from the World Resources Institute, shows the large-scale impact of deforestation. With fewer trees, air quality worsens and habitats are destroyed, affecting wildlife and the entire food chain.
The World Wildlife Fund reported that "up to 15 billion trees are now being cut down every year across the world."
Government intervention in deforestation is a key step toward a cleaner future. In Kano, Nigeria, a new law prevents the use of chainsaws to cut, trim, or fell trees without a permit in an effort to protect forests. Meanwhile, the European Union has proposed a law that aims to fine companies that profit from deforested land.
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For those accused of felling trees in the Odesa region, the consequences are no joke. For the director issuing illegal permits, the repercussion is up to 10 years in jail, according to EcoPolitic. The other offenders face hefty fines and possible jail time.
To get involved in environmental endeavors in your area, you can educate yourself on the impact of climate issues, such as deforestation. To go the extra mile, you can take local action, looking for ways to help rather than hurt the environment near you.
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