In a remote West African village, an 18-month-old boy played near a hollow tree in his backyard. Within hours, the young boy had fallen gravely ill, and he passed away two days later. The boy’s death would go on to mark the beginning of the 2013 Ebola outbreak.
Unbeknownst to the boy and his family, the hollow tree was infested with insectivorous bats, which have been established as the natural reservoir of the Ebola virus.
The question is – How did the bats come to reside in such close proximity to the village?
The answer – deforestation.
Deforestation has ravaged West Africa, and other tropical regions, for decades, and its effects have been devastating for animals and humans alike. Scientists have long warned of another consequence, but the general public has only just started to listen: the potential for disease outbreaks.
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, an understanding of the relationship between deforestation and disease will be required to prevent similar outbreaks from occurring in the future.
What is Deforestation?
Deforestation is often carried out to make room for agricultural croplands, urbanization, and/or logging operations, which provide wood and paper products. Forest loss and fragmentation also have significant ramifications for both animals and humans, including the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, which counteracts attempts to mitigate climate change, and a reduction in biodiversity. While most countries have regulations in place, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a rise in illegal logging and even for calls to ease regulations, particularly in Africa, South America, and Southeast Asia. Deforestation in the Amazon, for example, is up 55 percent as compared to last year. This is because the majority of the governments worldwide have shifted their efforts, funding, and resources to their respective COVID-19 responses.
Exploring the Connection
Simply put, the link between deforestation and disease is the displacement of wildlife from their natural habitats. Many outbreaks, such as those of COVID-19 and Ebola, are caused by zoonotic viruses, which are capable of jumping from animals or insects to humans and vice versa. This “zoonotic spillover” can arise via the bite or consumption of an infected animal or inhalation of the pathogen. Proximity increases the likelihood of each of these occurring. Two theories have been proposed to further explain this link:
Dilution Theory
In a biodiverse region, an animal or insect carrying a pathogen is more likely to spread said pathogen to another animal or insect, rather than a human. However, as human activities contribute to a reduction in biodiversity, there are fewer species around to pick up the bacteria and/or viruses, so these pathogens are more likely to make the jump to humans. While there are fewer species, the surviving species (e.g. bats, rats) are more likely to serve as reservoirs for zoonotic pathogens.
Pathway Theory
A study conducted by Stanford University on forest fragmentation at Kibale National Park in Western Uganda found that as fragmentation increased, more edges between forests and human landscapes were created. This increased the opportunity for and frequency of interactions between animals and humans. In turn, there was an increased risk for viral transmission.
What Can We Do?
Thankfully, there are a number of ways that we can prevent similar outbreaks from occurring, both on a larger scale and on a day to day basis.
Larger Scale
- Support Impoverished Regions: In developing countries, collapsing economies and an increased risk of infection with COVID-19 are driving locals from their cities and villages to more rural areas. Survival in these environments requires an increased reliance on the land, which inevitably leads to more deforestation, creating a dangerous feedback loop. Additionally, the shift to a rural environment increases the frequency of interaction with animals that the locals would otherwise not encounter, which increases the risk for disease outbreaks. As such, providing these regions with equitable access to healthcare and resources will decrease their dependence on their natural surroundings, thereby reducing deforestation and associated disease outbreaks.
- Support Indigenous Peoples: For centuries, Indigenous groups have struck a balance between their resource needs and forest conservation, which has allowed them to achieve conservation results greater than or equal to those of government-run protected areas, but with a fraction of the budget. Unfortunately, these groups are often subjected to significant human rights violations in the interest of deforestation (i.e. they are forced off of their land). Organizations such as the Rainforest Alliance are working to protect Indigenous peoples and both learn from and support their conservation efforts.
- Support Organizations that Fight Deforestation
Daily Basis
Sustainable living is the best way to prevent excessive forest loss and fragmentation on a regular basis. Simple ways to do this include consuming fewer paper products (or purchasing Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)- certified paper, where the certification indicates that the paper was harvested responsibly), avoiding single use packaging, and recycling. Other ways to help are outlined below.
- Reduce Meat Consumption: Approximately 80% of deforestation in the Amazon can be attributed to cattle ranching. This value does not even account for the land that is cleared to grow food for cattle consumption. Actions as simple as reducing red meat intake from multiple times a week to a few times a month, replacing red meat with chicken, which has a lower environmental impact, or replacing it with grains, fruits, and vegetables can make a significant difference.
- Alternatives to Palm Oil: Forests in Indonesia and Malaysia are primarily cleared to make way for palm oil plantations. Palm oil is an edible vegetable oil that is present in a myriad of household items, from cosmetics to processed foods. Read Emma Fagan’s recent article “What’s the Problem with Palm Oil?” to learn more about how you can be a responsible consumer.
- Support “Zero Deforestation” Companies: In light of a United Nations pledge to “reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss” in its Sustainable Development Goals, a number of major corporations have elected to implement “zero deforestation” methods that will help clean up their supply chains. Some argue that companies are not doing enough to translate policy to action, but by holding companies accountable and supporting those that are making a tangible effort, a “zero deforestation” future is not an impossibility. A few corporations that have made a commitment to eliminating deforestation from their supply chains include the Consumer Goods Forum, L’Oreal, and Unilever.
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