Slash and Burn is the often rural practice of cutting and burning rainforest for conversion into agricultural land. Although illegal, the appeal of this process is great for rural farmers because it is quick, cheap, and almost impossible to moniter. However, there are huge negative effects to Slash and Burn. Besides the obvious deforestation of valuable rainforest, the complete clearing of former rainforest leaves the soil erosion prone and poor quality. Thin and nutrient-lacking, the clearing provides only a few years of productive crops, and leaves local towns without a forest covering. Also, the erosion of the soil runs off into water, making it murky and light-depleted affecting coral reefs and fishermen. Because Costa Rica has coasts on both sides, this problem is especially relevant to their Slash and Burn issues. Slash and Burn claims thousands of hectares of Rainforest each year for useless monoculture, and could create an even bigger problem in the future if not stopped.