Negative Impacts
One of the negative impacts clearcutting has on the environment is that it can charge the temperatures in rivers. When clear cutting is done next to rivers there is less shade to cool the rivers. This Can raise the temperature in the river. When the temperature in a river is raised it can make it more difficult for some species of fish and plant to thrive in that river. Clearcutting can also increase erosion near rivers.
Clearcutting also affects the environment by disrupting the water cycle. Trees help filter and hold water in the forests. When trees are removed water runs along the surface of the earth carrying topsoil with it. This topsoil can then run off into nearby rivers making them muddy and murky. This mud can flow miles downstream and even into the our oceans carrying lots of nutrients with it that are needed help the Forest survive.
One of the biggest issues with clearcutting is it directly affecting animals habitat. animals homes are directly destroyed. These animals range from birds in the tree tops to small animals living on the forest floor. It also affects areas that are not being clear cutted because the homes of prey for predators are bing destroyed therefore the prators lose food.As more and more people clear-cut, more animals are being forced out of their homes and closer to human development. This is a problem because not all animals can be close to humans. Some animals such as raccoons can adapt to live with humans. Many large predators and other animals have a hard time adapting To human development and can slowly die off.