Tigers have also been frequently reported to have ventured into plantations and land schemes and prey on domestic animals. Clearing forests leads to the loss of native plants, which are sources of traditional medicines and health-food products. Seventy-five per cent of commonly prescribed drugs are derived from medicinal plants and 25 per cent of them are extracted directly from plant materials. Changes in hydrology and soil erosion are another concern of forest clearance. If proper mitigation measures were not employed during the extraction process, adverse impacts will ensue.
Forests are a natural store of carbon.
Oil-palm plantations have similar net carbon fixation to lowland forests. However, as oil palms are replanted every 25 years, the carbon in standing biomass will not be able to match that of a forest. Although the oil-palm industry employs sustainable development practices such as zero burning during replanting, some of the existing practices have low level of compliance and implementation. From WWF's report on Land Use and the Oil Palm Industry in Malaysia'. Recipients should seek permission to reprint the article from the source listed above.