write short note on :importance of forests
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Answer:
The importance of forests cannot be underestimated. We depend on forests for our survival, from the air we breathe to the wood we use. Besides providing habitats for animals and livelihoods for humans, forests also offer watershed protection, prevent soil erosion and mitigate climate change.
Forests are the lifeline of the existence of the earth. Without forest cover on this planet, devastating and cascading effects on the life cycle and climate change can be seen with a negative impact on human life.
Forests are made up on trees, shrubs, grasses, herbs and much more. They are home to millions of animal species and birds. Forests are also a blessing for mankind as it provides many resources that human beings can use in order to survive and prosper.
Importance of Forests
Let us understand why the forest is important, Forests are home to many wild animals like elephants, tiger, lion, cheetah, rhinoceros, wolves, etc., which would otherwise become extinct if they are made to live without forests. And these animals are of utmost importance for a healthy food cycle. Each animal, whether carnivorous or herbivores or omnivorous has to play their part in maintaining this food cycle. Any disturbance in the cycle will lead to a ripple effect that can affect the food chain which ultimately leads to the extinction of animals and human beings.
Secondly, forests provide resources like wood, nutrients, rare timber, food, fuel and much more to human beings for their survival. Early humans were solely dependant on the forest for food and fuel to eat and survive. But as man evolved and his mental horizon expanded, he started taking advantage of various other resources that forests provided us with, including cutting down forest land for agriculture purposes, killing animals for furs, horns and organs, and conducting deforestation drives to expand cities and villages.
This greed and irresponsibility of mankind have led to a decrease in the forest cover in the world leading to global warming, floods, desertification, forest fires, extinction, biodiversity losses and much more.
Effects of Deforestation
In this informative essay on forest, let us also discuss a few points on the effects of deforestation, essay on forest and wildlife.
Change in Climate and Animal Extinction: Forest is the main source of oxygen in the world. As man has been grabbing forest lands for urbanization and industrialization, the number of trees has reduced leading to less pumping of oxygen into the atmosphere on one hand and increase in emission of carbon dioxide, nitrogen and other toxic gases into the atmosphere, on the other hand, leading to climate change and global warming. These effects are seen in the extinction of polar bears in Antarctica and various other species of wildlife across the world. The effects of deforestation can be seen in the melting of glaciers leading to floods and famine around the world.
Agriculture and Food Cycle: The roots of the trees in the forest hold the soil together and provide nutrients to it. But as trees are cut-down, the soil becomes loose and starts eroding. The particles in the soil get eroded day by day and are carried away by wind and water leading to desertification of land. This desertified land, with no nutrients and humus in the soil, is basically not suitable for cultivation. So the man can not grow any crops on this land ever.
Also, the desertification effects can be seen on fertile soils as well, harming the agriculture cycle. The agriculture cycle is also ruined by unpredictable weather conditions, scanty rainfalls, flood and storms caused due to the effects of deforestation.
Forests, if not conserved properly, can lead to devastating effects. Man has to learn how to live and let live with forests and animals. Man is not the only animal on this planet. He is meant to share the forest resources with all the animals on the planet, for his own survival as well as to save the ecosystem.