Do You Know How Important the Forest Is?

If we truly understand the importance of the forest, then we would know that a forestless world could spell doom for man. And so, we would make every effort to guard against the destruction of our forest resources. In this article, we would be considering the importance of the forest and the dangers of a forestless world.

The forest is a special gift to man by nature. The forest ecosystem is the most complex, diverse and productive of all ecosystems. It provides a wealth of resources for human kind. It has been estimated that between 4 billion and 5 billion of land surface is covered by forests. This represents between 34 and 41 per cent of the world's land area. Apart from the fact that the forest helps maintain a stable climate, it assists soil formation and nutrient cycling, and provides species biodiversity. Forest also provides a vast natural resource base that has allowed the development of human civilization. In recent times, the forest resources have been exploited for industrial and commercial gains.

Raw materials that originate from the rain forest are increasingly being used in pharmaceutical and medicinal products. They presently form the bulk of pharmaceutical products of China and other Asia nations, and they are very effective. Presently, over 25 per cent of products found in drug stores contain at least one tropical forest extract.

As our knowledge of forest plants increases, so will the proportions of useful products to mankind. In 1984, the commercial value of pharmaceutical and medicinal extracts from rain forest exceeded US $20 billion each year.

Timber has been well harnessed and used as construction material, both for furniture and building. Paper and pulp are also products of forest resources. The forest has also being supplying man especially the poor and those in the villages with fuelwood, a cheap source of fuel.

As population increases, the demand and consumption of forest products is increasing and has led to serious pressure on the forest. Presently, the forest is fast disappearing at an alarming rate. In Africa, over 100 kilometers of land has been stripped of vegetation in every direction. 20,000 square kilometers in Brazil's Amazon forest area has been destroyed between 1995 and 2000. If this continues unchecked, the entire global forest could be gone in a few couple of years.

To save the forest;
- Alternative resources that would substitute or supplement wood and forest resources should be discovered, developed and used.
- Trees should be planted in order to re-forest the woods.
- Extraction of forest resources should be strictly monitored and controlled.
- Authorities should carryout intensive public education and awareness campaigns.
- Strong legislation should be put in place and strictly implemented to protect the florest.

Fortune Ihunweze who is the author of this article is a professional Environmental resources Manager. He is very vast in environmental management issues and has written many articles on the environment.