The Best Methods To Adopt For Forest Conservation

 Forests are considered as the lung of the earth. These splendid ecosystems are the most crucial part of our planet that balances the environmental stability and keeps the earth alive. More than 50% of all terrestrial species of the world are inhabitants of forests. According to a study, over two-fifth of the earth's surface area was covered with forests in the past. Unfortunately, now more than one-third of the forests have been demolished by humans.

Due to unsustainable agriculture, the industrial revolution, urbanization, logging, and mining, the destruction has been reached an alarming rate. If the current rate of deforestation continues, all tropical rainforests will be no more, just within a century. Deforestation has started producing its results in the form of an increased number of incidents of soil erosion, increase in the frequency of floods, increase in temperature, extinction of many species, loss of soil fertility, etc. Saving forests is the only solution to save the world from getting annihilated.

Read on to find out the four best methods of forest conservation and forest restoration:

• Cutting of trees should follow scientific methods

Reckless cutting of trees has produced great damage to the earth. To resist deforestation, we should adopt scientific ways like a) Clearcutting, b) Selective cutting, and c) Shelterwood cutting.

Clearcutting is a part of the silvicultural system that is applied to remove all the trees from a significantly large area at one time. Clear-cut areas are then used to replant new trees.

Selective cutting is the cutting down of only the selected trees. In this process only matured trees are removed from a forested area. This process encourages the growth of the new stand of trees.

Often clear-cut areas face soil erosion, increased streamflow, and habitat disturbances. Shelterwood cutting is designed to avoid the negative impacts of clearcutting. This process requires the cutting of trees in a series. At first, a significant portion of the mature trees is cut from an area to provide seeds and shelter for the younger trees. The remaining mature trees are removed after the growth of the new trees.

• Farmers must adopt better farming practices

Overgrazing by cattle, shifting agriculture, slash and burn farming are detrimental to our environment. Innumerable forested lands were cleared for agriculture. According to a report, over 40 million sq km of forested land has been destroyed by 200 million tribal in Africa, Asia, and South America. Beef production has also become one of the major causes of the annihilation of forests. In Brazil, large areas of forests are being used as pastures for cattle grazing. It has been discovered that cattle ranching contributes to 70% of deforestation in the Amazon basin. To protect forests, these unscientific processes should be checked and substitute means should be designed. Jhoom farming is a farming method that can be employed to resist deforestation and to make lands fertile. As forests are being ruined by cattle production, you may choose a vegan diet. Whether they take an active part in forest preservation or not, vegan people contribute a lot to the preservation of forests.

• Forestation by planting a lot of trees

Reforestation and afforestation are the most important parts of the solution to combat a lot of environmental problems that the earth is facing today. Forest restoration helps in providing the necessary habitat for many threatened and endangered species. To take immediate action against deforestation, you should start planting trees as much as possible. If you are unable to plant by yourself, you may donate to the non-profit NGOs that provide monetary support and organizational assistance to run several conservation efforts. Educate kids about forest ecosystems and take them to visit forests. If the world's future citizens think of themselves as a part of nature, they will feel the urge to preserve forests.

• The function of the Government in forest conservation

Forests are considered as perennial resources of a country. Therefore, the Government of all nations should execute rules and laws to protect forests. ‘Forest Conservation Act 1980’ is one such law implemented by the Indian Government to save forests. The law should strongly deal with the illegal felling of trees. Scientific methods should be applied to preserve forests from fire, mining, and other natural calamities. Climate change investing and funding for environmental projects can help in the revival of forests. Countries earn a considerable amount of foreign exchange from tourist centers. That is why many countries are using forests as national parks and game sanctuaries. This is a smart way of forest conservation.

Closing Words

The restoration of forests cannot be done in a day. We all should work together to preserve forests taking keen and firm steps to get favorable results.

Remember, this is not a choice but a necessity to do so. If forests survive, life will stay on this planet. Otherwise, it will be all deserted.

Benefits of Planting Trees For The Environment

 Tree plantation is often regarded as one of the most interesting and ecologically beneficial activities that anyone can engage in to help improve the world. Trees give a plethora of long and short-term advantages to the environment. Along with being visually pleasing, they help to reduce carbon emissions, slow down heavy rain, improve air quality, and mitigate the heat island effect by absorbing sunlight and giving shade.

We promise that if you go outside your home, you will not be far from a tree; assuming you do not live in the desert, of course. We are surrounded by an abundance of green life in the form of trees, from pine and oak to willow and ash. And, while they are all lovely and delightful to look at, their purpose extends far beyond this.

Trees have immense value and significance, and their continued existence is critical to human survival. Listed below are just a few of the benefits of planting trees:

⦁ The Water Cycle Is Regulated By Trees

The water cycle is the process through which water evaporates and eventually falls to the earth as rain. It is then ingested by trees and native vegetation and returned to the atmosphere through transpiration. Each day, a single tree returns around 250-400 gallons of water to the air. 

As a result, trees are critical for maintaining optimal humidity levels in our air. Furthermore, they maintain the water cycle's equilibrium and contribute significantly to climate change solutions.

Whenever it relates to the water cycle, the earth has developed a natural rhythm. Deforestation wreaks havoc on this cycle, jeopardizing our freshwater resources (which account for about 3% of the earth's water).

1. Enhances Soil Quality:

Trees serve a critical function in various ways in enhancing the quality of the soil surrounding them. They extract carbon offset and other toxic chemicals from the soil as part of their carbon filtration abilities, allowing other plants to prosper.

A soil of good quality must consist of not more than 2% carbon. However, it might be as low as 0.05 percent in densely wooded places. Indeed, land surrounded by trees has the potential to quadruple crop yield due to the soil-purifying impact of trees. The higher the yield, the less land is required to feed the world's population.

2. Trees Assist in Preventing Soil Erosion:

Desertification is considerably more likely to occur in areas that have been deforested. Trees create a natural barrier against wind and flooding with their trunks and leaves. This shield slows down nature's powers and helps prevent poor weather from escalating into a natural catastrophe capable of wreaking havoc on broad areas. Hence, tree roots are critical in keeping the soil together and avoiding erosion.

3. Trees Provide Critical Wildlife Habitat:

Surely we do not need to explain why trees are critical for animals as well? Forest environments support a broad diversity of birds, insects, and animals. These organisms have evolved to and become dependent on their surroundings overages. According to several projections, if deforestation continues at its current rate, over 28,000 distinct species will become extinct during the next 25 years. Most of them would vanish without being identified.

4. Trees Help Reduce Noise Pollution:

Along with improving air quality, trees help mitigate the harmful effects of noise pollution. Noise is a significant impact on urbanization, transportation, and industrialization. It is not just irritating for people; it may be lethal to wildlife. The foliage of trees acts as a muffler, reducing the amount of sound that penetrates cities.

5. Trees Assist in the Fight Against Climate Change:

The amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has a major impact on global warming and climate change. As a tree develops, it sequesters carbon in the form of wood and emits oxygen molecules. As a result, trees function as a huge filter in reducing carbon emissions. They absorb greenhouse gases from the air and release them only when they are burnt or degraded into the ground.

6. Trees Are A Source Of Fresh Air:

We have already discussed how trees eliminate CO2 from the air. Moreover, they generate oxygen as a byproduct. Thus, trees not only remove bad air but also replenish it with breathable air. Given that about two-thirds of the human body is composed of oxygen, we should certainly take great care of our trees!

Connect with our experts to know how you can participate in tree plantation drives for the wellbeing of the environment.