Description Droughts can cause a lot of damage to the environment. Young readers will learn how droughts affect land and animals and how nature can recover from these long periods of dry weather. Droughts can cause dry soil, clouds of dust, and even new desert areas. They can lead to many kinds of problems for the environment. Dry soil can blow away. Plants, trees, and crops can die. Animals may lose their homes. Recovery of the environment after a drought can take a long time. Learn what people can do to help prevent droughts and help affected areas recover..