Causes of deforestation:

1. Sometime there is slow forest degradation and sometime sudden and catastrophic clear-cutting for urban development.
2. Deforestation can be the result of the deliberate removal of forests for agriculture or urban development, or it can be a consequence of grazing animals.
3. The utilization of forest products, including timber and fuel wood, have played a key role in human societies.

Effects of deforestation:

Erosion: Deforestation affects the amount of water in the soil and the moisture in the atmosphere. When there are no trees to keep the soil in place, the soil becomes exposed for erosion.

Less protection from wind and rain:

There is less protection from wind and rain and heavy rainfall washes the soil into rivers. Washing of essential nutrients: Essential nutrients are washed out of the soil all together. Rivers become choked up with mud and silt, which can cause floods.

Silted water:

The silted water gets stored in dams and it reduces their water storage capacity and thus their lives.

Reduces the sources of rains:

Deforestation also contributes to decreased transpiration, which lessens cloud formation and less humidity. This ultimately reduces the sources of rains.