Early farmers practiced girdling—slashing the bark off trees—to clear land for farming, which facilitated agricultural expansion but also contributed to deforestation, impacting ecosystems and climate.
Early farmers slashed the bark off trees and let them die in order to clear land for farming. This practice, known as girdling, was used as a method to clear forests and make way for agricultural land. Removing the bark in a complete ring around the tree's circumference interrupted the flow of nutrients and water between the roots and the leaves, resulting in the death of the tree.
This made it easier for farmers to remove the dead trees and cultivate the land. Livestock farming and the need for agricultural expansion have contributed significantly to deforestation, which impacts ecosystems by reducing habitats for various species, impacting the global climate by building up greenhouse gases, and can lead to soil erosion and changes in rainfall patterns.