In this paper, we study how deforestation in West Africa alters economic development in locations distant from where tree losses occurred. Clouds passing over recently cleared areas accumulate a lower amount of water, leading to a reduction in rainfalls downwind. Using satellite data, we exploit wind patterns in the region to estimate the impacts of this externality on several key development indicators. We find significant and negative impacts on agricultural productivity, GDP and conflicts up to 200km from deforested regions. Our results highlight the importance of spatial interdependencies in natural habitats between developing regions.