Deforestation is the permanent devastation of native forests and woods. Deforestation happens in many ways: when trees are cut down to grow crops, for livestock, logging so wood can be used for building things like houses and furniture, for roads and neighborhoods, for firewood, and forest fires.
Deforestation disrupts the carbon cycle. The forest trees take carbon dioxide as well as pollutants from the atmosphere. When the trees are destroyed or burned or left to rot, carbon is released into the air as C02 and methane.