Six ways in which the forest in your country impacts your life
Posted by Chester Morton / Tuesday, 7 August 2018 / No comments
THE IMPORTANCE OF FORESTS TO YOU AND YOUR COUNTRY
Introduction
To any ordinary person, a forest can be any
large area that is covered by trees and bushes. In the candid opinion of the
Food and Agricultural Organization, however, for a tree to qualify as such, it must meet
some set criteria. Firstly, it must cover an area of more than 0.5 hectares,
secondly, the percentage of the surface under the tree canopy must be more than
10%, and thirdly, the trees must be able to reach a height of 5 meters when matured.
Apart from these criteria, even an established plantations for forest purposes
or a young natural stand forest which is yet to hit a canopy cover of 10% or tree
height of 5 meters is also considered as a forest. For the FAO, even where an
area of the forest is currently not having trees as a result of human activity
or caused by natural occurrences, but it is expected that these areas would
regain their natural greenery, such areas must also be considered as forests.
The FAO does not consider land that is being used for agricultural purposes as
forests.
One can see from the above discussion that for a forest to be
called a forest, there are several implications, such as, the density of the
trees, the height of the trees and the purpose to which the area is being
committed.
This being so, a forest can be defined as a large area of
land with a crown cover of more than 10% with trees growing up to 5 meters, even
if the trees are yet to reach the required height of 5 meters.
THE IMPORTANCE OF FORESTS TO YOU AND YOUR COUNTRY
Habitat for animals
The forests are important to humanity because they serve as a
habitat for animals of different species. It gives the animals the opportunity
to remain in the natural environment that was given to them by Mother Nature.
There, they are able to live longer and to constantly replenish their stock
through reproduction. It is because this has not always been so that some of
the world’s animal species have vanished from the surface of the world.
Livelihood for humans
Forests are important because they help the human race to
sustain its life. It is a source of food for the human race; it also helps them
to provide shelter for themselves. In this sense, wood from the forest provides
timber which is used in building houses.
Provision of fuel wood
When man discovered fire, his eating pattern changed
completely. In order to provide fire as and when it is needed, man needs to
have a source of fuel. That is where fuel wood comes in. This fuel is obtained
from the forests. The fuel wood is also needed to provide warmth in colder
regions of the world but in West Africa, where the temperature is comparatively
not cold, the fire may only necessary for cooking and on cold nights.
Provision of employment
The forests serve as a source of employment for the entire
world. It is estimated that about 13 million people across the world are
employed, thanks to the existence of forests. In West Africa, the production of
charcoal and its distribution is a source of employment for a large population
of the citizens.
Prevent outbreak of diseases
The existence of forests is one way in which the outbreak of
dangerous communicable diseases can be prevented. The reason is that the
forests provide a natural habitat for the various species of animals. When
their natural habitat is disturbed therefore, they must have to move away to
find food to survive. It might so happen that when they move away from their
natural habitat, they may be moving toward human settlements. Any disease they
may be carrying is then transferred inadvertently to humans. It is now believed
that the Ebola virus was carried by fruit-eating bats which moved into human
settlements in West Africa when their habitat was tampered with and infected humans to cause the Ebola epidemic in 2015.
Pharmaceutical importance
The forests are important because they serve as the basis of
the wide range of medicines available in the world today. It is estimated that,
about 25% of the active ingredients used by pharmaceutical companies of the
world are obtained from tropical rain forests. The final products of these
companies are used to treat many different diseases. It is worrying therefore,
to know that only about 1% of the plants in the forests have been tested for
their medicinal efficacy. If the forests are destroyed, then human-kind loses
the opportunity to find cures for the many other diseases that have no cures
today.
Note: If forests in general have affected or assisted you in way, share your experience with the world in the comments section.
SAMPLE QUESTION(S)
1. a. What a forest?
b. Highlight six ways in which forests are important to the human race.
ALSO READ:
How a secondary school course in forestry can prepare you to save your forests
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