Forest Conservation

Forest Conservation 

Man has overexploited the forests to satisfy both his needs and his greed. This has resulted in a decrease in forest cover.

• Forests have been cleared to make way for agricultural land due to rapid population growth and increased demand for food.
• Forests have been converted into pasture land in order to expand dairy farming and cattle ranching.
• Overgrazing by animals in tropical and subtropical forests has resulted in the large-scale degradation of natural vegetation.
• Because of industrial expansion and urbanisation, there is an ever-increasing demand for timber for various purposes. It has intensified the problem of deforestation.
• Construction of multi-purpose river valley projects has resulted in land submergence and the destruction of forested riversides.

All these factors have led to the decline in forests, which have the following effects:

• The decline in the forests has resulted in decreased forest productivity.
• Forests have an impact on the human environment by moderating climate, regulating water supply, maintaining soil fertility, and purifying air. The absence of forest cover causes soil erosion, which increases the load on rivers. The increased surface load reduces the water available in rivers for human consumption. Floods are caused by siltation, which destroys property, crops, and living beings. 
• Lack of forest cover reduces precipitation, thus causing droughts.
• Forests serve as a sink for carbon dioxide that the trees, use during photosynthesis. The lack of forests raises the concentration of CO₂ in the atmosphere. As a result, the greenhouse effect in the atmosphere increases. This causes global warming and its harmful consequences by raising the temperature of the earth's surface and atmosphere.
• As a result, forest conservation is critical to the survival and prosperity of humanity.