Negative Effects of Forest Industry on People

We learned that the forest industry provides income to millions of people around the world, but there are also 2.6 billion forest-dependent people. These people live in the forests, which provide food, shelter, and medicine. Forests are also a place of recreation for some, and have spiritual significance for others.

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Forests not only provide lumber to make homes, but are home to many people. The Yanomami in Brazil live without outside influence from the rest of the world; they would be considered "uncontacted" because of their isolation from the larger world community. They are completely dependent on the forest in which they live to provide all of their needs. As industry expands into forests, the homes of forest-dependent peoples may be lost.

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Harvesting food from the forest is not only an industry, but, as already noted, many people depend on the forest for food. About one-third of the world’s population is forest-dependent. They rely on the forest for food, water, shelter and income through hunting, trapping, fishing and harvesting the fruits, nuts and mushrooms. Others may use the resources forests provide to subsidise their household groceries; resources that would be removed through logging.

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Forests are the “medicine cabinets of the world”. It is estimated that 70% to 80% of people worldwide rely on traditional medicines. Trees, plants, and even insects are, or may be, a potential source of medicine. Approximately 10% of today’s drugs are derived from tropical medicinal plants, including quinine, curare (a muscle relaxant), and a number of steroids. Around 3000 plants have anti-cancer properties, and 70% of these are found in tropical forests. In Canada's Boreal Forest, First Nation Peoples traditionally used 546 medicinal plants to treat approximately 28 different diseases and disorders.

There are concerns about the possible extinction of natural medicines currently used, and not yet discovered, because of logging, deforestation and the loss of traditional Indigenous culture and knowledge throughout the world.
Indigenous peoples not only use the forests as a source of medicine but also for spiritual purposes. Some Indigenous Peoples maintain their connection to the land by hunting and fishing, as well as using traditional fields, berry or herb patches, and medicines. Many feel a deep connection to the forest and land—they are connected to the forest, the earth, and everything in it. Traditional knowledge, languages, cultural practices, and oral traditions are all connected to the land. Specific areas are considered sacred sites for ceremonies and honouring ancestors. In Canada, the logging industry works closely with First Nation groups to ensure that traditional and sacred grounds are respected. In other parts of the world, Indigenous Peoples are often not consulted and traditional areas are lost.
Forests also provide a place for people to enjoy recreational activities such as hiking, camping and ATV trips. Spending time outdoors in the natural environment is good for our mental and physical health. Forestry reduces natural areas for people to reconnect with, or through, nature.

Forest Facts

A popular Japanese practice called shinrin-yoku “forest bathing”, is time spent in natural settings just relaxing and enjoying the sights, sounds, and scents of the forest – in North America this is called “Eco-therapy”.



In summary, the forest industry employs thousands of people throughout the world; at the same time the forest is home to many people.


Image Sources: Pixabay, Pexels, Unsplash