Overview of the Importance of Forest
Forest refers to a large expanse of land covered with bushes, shrubs, and tall trees. The beauty of the forest lies in the natural ecosystem created by tall trees, bushes, shrubs, and climbers that have made the environment suitable for human existence. The study of forest and management of forest resources is called silviculture.
The major part of the land on earth is covered with forest and serves as a storehouse of carbon, it has become a habitat for animals, a source of food for man, mitigating climate change, vital life support for the planet Earth, an avenue for research or education purpose, purify the environment, source of revenue, source of income for an individual, serve as a windbreaker, check desertification, reduce rainfall or modify the climate, and Protect water bodies or watershed
Without forests, preserving biodiversity, and global warming would be very difficult. Bushfire, lumbering, and poaching have resulted in climate change, reduction of biodiversity, and extinction of endangered species of plants and animals.
The significance of forests in the ecosystem has been reduced due to the problem of deforestation, and the efforts of government and non-governmental organizations to prevent this ugly trend have yielded no meaningful result because over a million individuals derived their livelihood from the forest.
In developing countries where individual depends heavily on wood for fuel or cooking, and where sustainable farming is not adequate practice, frequent deforestation of economic trees for wood fuel and farming hinders forest regeneration.
These human impacts on the forest not only have drastic effects on man itself but also lead to the extinction of engendered species of vital plants and animals thereby contributing to climate change.
Why Forest Is Important
The importance of forests for individuals, animals, and nations cannot be overemphasized. Some of the importance of forests as enumerated by the West Africa Examination Council (2018) are stated below.
Sources of Food Man and Animals
The forest provides vital trees and animals that serve as food for man and animals. Succulent fruits such as African walnuts, bitter kola, wild mangoes, and wild berries are food in the forest that serves as food for man.
Additionally, animals such as snails, antelopes, monkeys, cane rats, and more are found in the forest which can derive a source of livelihood.
Edible leaves, ( such as, hot Leaf, water leaf), mushrooms, herbs, and fruit can also be sourced from the forest which help provide nutrients needed for the growth, repair, and maintenance of the human body. Edible grass and folders can be harvested for feeding farm animals.
Sources of Raw Material for Industries
The forest provides raw for industries for the manufacturing of chairs, varnish, cardboard, glazes, paint, tables, notebooks, cosmetics, tissues, and house materials. Economic trees from the forest exude vital by-products such as gum Arabic, sap, and resin which are vital ingredients in the printing, painting, gluing cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries.
Pulpwood harvested from the forest is used for making books, tissue paper, pepper ceilings, plyboards, and more. additionally, Sap produced from economic trees in the forest is used in the manufacturing industries for plastic, syrups, and medicine.
Oil palm and its by-products can be harvested from the forest, processed, and used in the soap manufacturing industries. Moreso, Resin is used in industries for making varnish and glazes while timber is also harvested from the form forest and is used for making tables, chairs, cardboard, and other household cabinets.
Source of Fuel, or Wood for Cooking Food
Dry wood and fresh wood are harvested from the forest, and preserved until they are dried and are used for fuel or cooking of food. Strong woods are harvested and controlled burn to derided charcoal which are used in many households for cooking food.
Serve as a Tourist Attraction
Forest reserves across the globe serve as a source of tourist attraction to people and foreigners. Many forest reserves or parks house many wild animals and plants such as tigers, monkeys, snakes, lions, crocodiles, and other endangered plant species.
These animals and plants are conserved in the forest for people to watch. In Nigeria for example many forest reserves or parks serve as relaxation centers where people derive pleasure.
Check Desertification
Since forests help to modify the climate, prevent soil erosion, and keep the environment cool, help to create a balanced ecosystem for plants and animals to survive and thrive. The activities of the soil organisms and young seedlings help to increase the spread the vegetation and reduce the impact of desertification.
Forest regulations also work to prevent deforestation, poaching, and unauthorized movement of people along the forest which help to create conducive environments for forest fruit and other trees to reach maturity, fruit and disperse these seeds to areas where forests originally did not exist.
Additionally, as some creeping plants spread to the area where forest doesn’t exist, these plants develop strong roots and begin to germinate therefore helping to speed the spread and reduce densification.
Source of Herbs for Medicine
Herb such as Ewe iran leaves (thaumatococus spp), stone breaker leaves (Phyllanthus niruria), Abere leaves (picralima nitida), eweta leaves (clerodendrum volubile), and other forest tree such as as guava (Psidium guajava), Albizia zygia, ginger (Zingiber officinale), neem (Azadirachta indica), combretums spp, and moringa (Moringa oleifera) and mores can be harvested from the forest, and serve as medicine for man.
These leaves contain medicinal properties that are vital for the healing of different ailments and diseases.
Boost or Increase Soil Fertilities
Leave fall in the forests tree, death, and decaying wildlife help to enrich and conserve soil. The decayed plants and animal materials help to create a conducive environment for micro and macro organisms to thrive thereby helping to mix the soil nutrients adequately.
Saprophytic organisms in the forest help to decompose these materials and mix them properly with the soil. Microorganisms such as earthworms and borrowing organisms dig into the soil and also help mix the topsoil or move materials down the soil thereby helping to increase soil fertility.
Check Soil Erosion
Tall trees, shrubs, epiphytes, climbers, and creeping plants in the forest help to bind the soil particulars together making it difficult for wind or water to carry away the soil particles.
Creeping plants, erect plants, and dead plants create blockage for runoff water to flow effectively down the forest these make the ground to absolve the water or move down the earth.
This role played by forests helps to protect communities and agricultural activities from harmful landslides and floods thereby preserving the rich topsoil for effective agricultural operations.
Purify the Environment
Trees and microorganisms in the forest help to reduce or decrease some harmful toxins or pollutants in environments (Phytoremediation).
Cyanobacteria can also break down or digest certain contamination and, make them less harmful. More so, the trees in the environment help to absorb the carbon oxides, nitrogen oxide, and other dangerous elements that are harmful to plants and animals in the ecosystems thereby helping the purity of the ecosystems.
Protect Water Bodies /Water Shed
Contaminated water such as sewage overflows, chemical spills from industries, and other pollutants can be absorbed in the soil and purified by trees thereby improving the quality of water available for human consumption.
The forests also play a significant role in the water cycle, by purifying the water it moves across the earth and is released as rainfall.
Serve as Wind Breaker
The presence of epiphytes, climbers, and tall trees makes the forest very thick and helps to reduce the speed of winds.
In an uncultivated area, the speed of wind is powerful, such that it causes serious destruction to cultivated and vital economic properties. These thick forest trees help to slow down the movement of wind thereby reducing its effect on uncultivated land.
Source of Employment Opportunity
Due to the value of the forest to man and economic development, certain people called forest guides are employed by the government to prevent the unauthorized movement of people and harvesting the forest products.
Millions of people across the globe harvest forest products and process them for making furniture and other household cabinets which they drive source of livelihood.
Additionally, millions of people curb the forest for forest resources such as fruit, nuts, leaves, and animals which can be taken to the market for sale, and directly provide income for the purchase of other household items.
Source of Revenue for Individuals and Nations
The forest products and by-products serve as sources of income for individuals and the government. The sales of the fruit, leaves, and fruits as well as the animal and their products serve as income for the individual.
The export of timber and its products to other countries serve as sources of revenue for the government while the sales of forest products by individuals increase household income thereby contributing to gross domestic product (GDP).
Provide Home for WildLife
The forest serves as a natural home for living organisms. Arboreal animals such as birds, hawks, bats, and more make their nest on the tree and dwell therein, While terrestrial animals such as the antelope, tiger, grass cutter, wild pig, gorilla, snail, snake, and amphibians provide habitat for these animals. Additionally, the forest provides a home for different species of plants and animals to grow and reproduce effectively.
Modify the Climate
Green plants and forest trees remove carbon oxide from the atmosphere through the process of photosynthesis and probably store carbon or greenhouses in the soil or above the soil level.
The Carbon dioxide that is emitted by man or other manmade activities is absorbed by the forest and other living organisms which helps to reduce climate crisis. The forest directly or indirectly slows down the rate of greenhouse gas emission reducing the impact of global warming on the globe.
Research or Education Purpose
The forest is studied in colleges, polytechnics, and Universities as career or courses of endeavor. Trees, grasses, and animals in the forest are studied in school so as to discover their importance and benefits to the environment.
Research is also conducted on these forest resources to unveil their significance and better methods of preserving and conserving these endangered species for economic and national benefits.
In conclusion,
Forest remains an important part of the ecosystem, and concise efforts should be made to protect the forest from the harmful activities of man. The article covers the importance of forests for man, the environment, and national development.