Forests are essential for the sustainability of planet earth. Forests command great influence on the climate, soil, and environment of our world.
Why save the forest?
We should save forests as a protection against floods and famines. Forests prevent floods and reduce soil erosion by regulating the flow of water.
Adequate forest cover also ensures a sustainable and safe environment. Forest helps in increasing the humidity of the air and cause greater rainfall.
They also help in increasing the soil fertility. They protect the adjoining crops by reducing the velocity of the storms.
How to save forests?
We can Save forests stopping the cutting of trees (stop deforestation), establishing new forests (afforestation) and reestablishing old forests (reforestation).
We can save the forests through a balanced comprehensive and well-thought out plan.
- Fresh trees should be planted and in this way the trees that are cut should be replaced.
- Planting of trees should be a constant progress.
- Besides, trees that are planted must be of the right type. They should be such that can prevent soil erosion, check floods, and air pollution.
- They should also be such that grow and mature rapidly and whose wood can be used for the purpose of construction and for making furniture, etc.
- New varieties of trees should be developed to achieve these ends.
- Grass and fodder should be grown near the fields in which the people work so that they may use them easily according to their need.
- Planned afforestation should be undertaken in needed areas.
How to make afforestation programmes a success?
A comprehensive programme of afforestation is the urgent need of the hour, but success in it can be achieved only through the co-operation of the local people.
- Hence, education of the people in this connection is essential.
- Strong public opinion should be created against deforestation.
- Population explosion should be controlled for which intensive efforts should be made on a war-footing.
- Increased population means more space for the housing and more need for fuel wood, timber, etc.
Deforestation and population explosion are closely interconnected. Hence, no programme of checking deforestation can be successful without a corresponding programme of population control.
The forest conservation programs that are undertaken are scientific. The forests areas are maintained and planted with trees under the Forest conservation programs.