Recently, we wrote an article about the biggest tree census ever conducted, and the results were pretty grim. Sure, there are some 3 trillion trees on Earth, but the bad news is that there used to be almost twice as many – before humans chipped in. Humanity has cut down 46% of the planet’s trees, and we’re continuing to do so at an alarming rate. The effects, from loss of biodiversity, to rendering species extinct, to altering the entire planetary climate, are already visible. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so I’ll let the pictures do the talking from here on.

Rice paddies and recently cleared forest land in the Thanon Thong Chai Range, Chiang Mai Province. Image via Wikipedia.

The last batch of sawnwood from the peat forest in Indragiri Hulu, Sumatra, Indonesia. Again, deforestation for oil palm plantation. Image via Wikipedia.

Deforestation for the use of clay in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro. The hill depicted is Morro da Covanca, in Jacarepaguá. Image via Wikipedia.