Importance of Forests Essay

A forest refers to vast areas of land covered with thick vegetation, trees and animals dwelling within. Forest ecosystem comprises diverse flora and fauna. It includes various living organisms such as trees, shrubs, plants, microorganisms, wild animals and birds. They also include abiotic factors of the environment like temperature, wind, topography, water and rocks. Forests are one of the major natural resources of a country. The total forest and plant cover of the country is 78.92 million hectare, which is 24 percent of the geographical area of the country.

Forests are a precious resource given to us by nature. It provides livelihood to many tribals, shelter to animals and plants and also lots of oxygen to human beings and animals. If you want to live in forests, you should know how the light, air and sunlight affects the forests. Depending upon the climatic location of the forests, there are different plants present ranging from small shrubs and herbs to huge trees. Tropical rainforests are the densest type of forest with all the types of forest. They can be classified as tropical, temperate based on their location and further classified to evergreen, deciduous and dry forests based on the climatic conditions they are located in. 

Importance of Forest

1. Forests are Home For Innumerable Species in the Plant Kingdom: 

• There are numerous kinds of trees like Neem, bamboo, canes, Sheesham, ebony, fig, sal, teak and many more. 

• Along with trees, there are various types of shrubs, herbs, creepers, grass, climbers are found in forests.

• Their use in fuel, timber and industrial raw material cannot be undermined. 

• Hard woods such as teak, mahogany, logwood, ironwood, ebony, sal, semal, etc. are used in making furniture, tools and wagons. Softwoods like deodar, pine, fir and cedar balsam are used as raw material for making paper pulp.

2. Forest is the Natural Habitat to Many Species in Animal Kingdom

• Forest provides the most conducive environmental conditions, food and shelter to various kinds of animals, birds, insects and other microorganisms.

• The soil in the forest is so fertile that it becomes favorable habitat for small insects and microorganisms.

• A complex biodiversity in the forest forms a chain of food to the animal kingdom like different organisms depend on each other. For instance, herbivorous animals depend on plants and carnivorous animals depend on herbivores for their food, thus forming a big chain of food.
  

3. Forest Prevents Soil Erosion 

• Forest helps in controlling floods to a large extent. The roots of the trees absorb the rainwater, preventing soil from getting eroded.

• The humus formed from the dead and decay of insects and microorganisms when added to the soil, increases the fertility of the soil. It also soothes the extremes of climate by reducing the heat in the summers and the cold in winters.
  

4. Forest is Called the Green Lung

We know that plants absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen. Hence, trees in the forest provide oxygen to the animals and animals provide carbon dioxide to the trees and plants. This cycle of exchanging gases balances the atmosphere in the forest, thus called the green lung. They prevent global warming.

5. Forest Prevents Pollution

• Forest is a rich source of oxygen and so the air inside the forest is always pure and clean. 

• The dense trees and plants also prevent the wind and dust storm from flowing inside the area, hence the air pollution is prevented.

• The atmosphere is always cool inside the forest and receives a good amount of rainfall.

• Forest also absorbs the loud sound and noise from the vehicles nearby, thus reducing the noise pollution.

6. Forest Regulates the Water Cycle

As we know that plants and trees get rid of excess water through the process of transpiration. Water is released in the form of water vapor in the process of transpiration. It increases the content of water vapor in the atmosphere. The water vapor condenses and forms clouds and this leads to rainfall. The roots of the trees absorb the rainwater and hence the groundwater level increases. This is how the forest regulates the water cycle.

7. Role of Forests in Climate Change

Forests help enormously through the process of restoration. Trees absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and fix it into the roots. Studies suggest that if one can add 0.9 billion hectares of the canopy, historical greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced 2/3 rd times. This would then postpone and to an extent avoid the worst impacts of climate change. Nearly 25% of the world’s population depends directly upon the forests for livelihood. They are home to 80% of the world’s animals living on the land. Natural forests which occur naturally help in reducing soil erosion, protect biodiversity, fight greenhouse gas emissions, and provide employment to many.

8. Economic Importance of Forests

The product functions of forests in India are lesser than the protective functions. But still, the product functions can not be neglected. Forest’s contribution toward the national income has been increasing gradually over years. The value of environmental benefits is not economically added to the benefits of the tree. They provide fodder to millions of animals and livestock. They provide fruits, vegetables to animals and human beings. They provide a livelihood to woodcutters, carpenters, and craftsmen. They are also home to lots of marginalised tribes of around 35 lakhs. The tribals have become part and parcel of the forests. It has 5000 species of wood, and 450 varieties have high commercial value. They provide raw materials for lots of livelihood opportunities like silkworm rearing, toy making, leaf plate making, lac toy making, providing gums and resins of different types. They also provide other minor forest produce like timber, wood pulp, drugs, herbs and medicinal plants which forms the base for bigger economic activity.

9. Forest Provides Essential Nutrients to Human Kind

Forest provides medicinal products, gum, latex, hone, wax, oil, spices, bones as valuable sources for many products.

10. Indirect Benefits of Forests

• They increase the relative humidity and improve the precipitation levels

• They regulate the water supply. The soil surrounding the roots of the trees avoid soil erosion and increases the water holding capacity

• Forests are home to rich and varied wildlife. They form a crucial part of natural parks, biosphere reserves and wildlife sanctuaries.

Laws in India Protecting Forests

• Indian forests act, 1927 defines the parameters to mark any forest area as protected forest, reserved forest, rules to levy tax on forest produce etc., It also defines the punishments for the offences committed inside the forest area. This act was amended to remove bamboo from the “tree ” category in 2017.

• The wildlife protection act. 1972 made lists of scheduled plants and animals and described the economic activity allowed with respect to each of them and the status of protection.

• Apart from these, Central Zoo Authority, NAtional Tiger Reserve are some of the statutory bodies which look after the forests and the wildlife present in them.

Conclusion

Learning about forest from professional subjects matters if Vedantu can really help in understanding the concept clearly.