Recent deforestation is most often associated with activities in the tropical rainforests of South America, but it can be seen as a serious problem in temperate zones of the Earth as well.
Clear-cutting ΓÇ£old growthΓÇ¥ evergreen trees in the national forests of the U.S. Pacific Northwest is causing a high degree of habitat fragmentation. Logging of these ancient forests has destroyed the continuity of the forests; large portions have been cut into small segments by roads. This fragmentation tends to destroy the habitats required by many species of animals.
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The image on the left shows a portion of Mount Hood National Forest in western Oregon. Dark-red areas represent old growth; light-red areas represent regrowth; and pink areas are places where young saplings have appeared. Blue areas indicate lack of vegetation due to logging.
