Forests as a carbon sink are often overlooked as a major source
of carbon removal from the atmosphere, a process known as carbon
sequestration. Conversely, deforestation, whether removal of
forests by logging or burning, has been a major contribution to
atmospheric carbon addition since the mid-Holocene, when the
ascent of man to planetary dominance began. Carbon storage in
the world's forests as of 2005 was estimated at 1036 Gigatons
(as carbon dioxide), and global net loss of forests averages
0.0002% per year (Nabuurs et al. 2005). Massive deforestation at
present is most prevalent in places such as the Amazon,
Indonesia, Brazil and Borneo. There are two main reasons for
land use conversion by deforestation; ranching and agriculture.
These conversions are done in an attempt to produce short term
economic benefit by forcing immediate environmental change.
Cattle ranching is one of the leading causes of deforestation in
numerous places including the Brazilian Amazon, that have
forested area to have effects of