According to FAO the definition of deforestation is closely related to the definition of forest. Infact, a forest is determined by the presence of trees and absence of forms of use which prevail in territories different from forests. Deforestation is defined as the conversion of a forest to another form of use of the territory for example for agricultural, cattle breeding, extraction, building or infrastructural purposes) or the reduction in the long term of forest cover below a 10% limit. Forests play a crucial role for the water cycle and deforestation entails climatic imbalances both at a global and local level as it influences the composition of the atmosphere and, as a consequence, also has an impact on the greenhouse effect.
