Slash and burn

"Slash and burn" is a way that people used to clear land so that they could grow crops and raise animals. Imagine you have a big piece of land covered in trees and bushes. To create space for your farm or ranch, you would first cut down all the trees and plants with a big tool called a machete. Then, you would pile up all the cut branches and leaves, and set them on fire. This is called "burning". The burnt debris helps to fertilize the soil, which is good for growing new crops. After the fire has burned out, you could start planting your crops, like corn or beans.

However, using the "slash and burn" method can have negative effects on the environment. The smoke from the fire can harm the air quality and make it hard to breathe. It can also destroy the natural habitat of animals, making some species endangered or extinct. Additionally, if people repeatedly use "slash and burn" on the same piece of land, the soil may eventually become depleted. This means that it will be very hard to grow crops there because the soil won't have enough nutrients. So, while "slash and burn" can be helpful in the short term, it can have long-term consequences for both the environment and the people who rely on the land for food and resources.