From Envirowiki

Deforestation describes the total removal of forest cover, often to make way for some other land use. Globally, around 13 million hectares of forest is removed every year, particularly in South America and Equatorial Africa.

Deforestation is distinct from forest degradation, which is caused by logging, grazing, roading and other activities that impact on the ecological or cultural values of the forest, while not totally removing it.

It is linked to afforestation (creation of forest in areas where forest did not previously occur) and reforestation (planting of forest in areas where forest once occurred, but has since been cleared). Neither of these terms assumes that a native forest is being grown, and both are frequently applied to exotic plantations, even though these plantations are usually monocultures, and hold far less value to original ecosystems and societies.