Essay on 'forest is wealth'
Answers
Answer:
Some of the major uses of forest wealth are as follows:
Forests are one of the most important natural resources on this earth. Covering the earth like a green blanket these forests not only produce innumerable material goods, but also provide several environmental services which are essential for life. Forests are of immense value to us.
Explanation:
1. Economic Uses:
Forests provide us a large number of commercial goods which include timber, firewood, pulpwood, food items, gum, resins, non-edible oils, rubber, fibers, lac, bamboo canes, fodder, medicine, drugs and many more items.
Half of the timber cut each year is used as fuel for heating and cooking. One third of the wood harvest is used for building materials as lumber, plywood and hardwood, particle board and chipboard. One sixth of the wood harvest is converted into pulp and used in paper industry. Many forest lands are used for mining, agriculture, grazing, and recreation and for development of dams.
2. Ecological Uses:
The ecological services provided by our forests may be summed up as follows:
i. Production of oxygen:
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The trees produce oxygen by photosynthesis which is vital for life on this earth. They are rightly called as earth’s lungs.
ii. Reducing global warming:
The main greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (C02) is absorbed by the forests as a raw material for photosynthesis. Thus forest canopy acts as a sink for C02 thereby reducing the problem of global warming caused by greenhouse gas CCX.
iii. Wildlife habitat:
Forests are the homes of millions of wild animals and plants. About 7 million species are found in the tropical forests alone.
iv. Regulation of hydrological cycle:Forested watersheds act like giant sponges, absorbing the rainfall, slowing down the runoff and slowly releasing the water for recharge of springs. About 50-80 % of the moisture in the air above tropical forests comes from their transpiration which helps in bringing rains.
v. Soil conservation:
Forests bind the soil particles tightly in their roots and prevent soil erosion They also act as wind-breaks.
vi. Pollution moderators:
Forests can absorb many toxic gases and can help in keeping the air pure. They have also been reported to absorb noise and thus help in preventing air and noise pollution.