Forest Conservation

Forests are not only to be preserved for the natural habitat of plant and animal life but also at the same time the deforestations are to be prevented because it is the plant which absorb excess moisture from the atmosphere and keep the topsoil intact. When the earth is denuded of plants, soil erosion increases causing environmental disaster. It is estimated that about 36 million acres of forest are being razed annually. The glaring example is the emerald rain forest in the state of Rondonia in Brazil. The rain forest used to be an unsullied storehouse of diversity of life. The canopy of 200 feet tall freeze used to run uninterrupted for miles housing thousands of species of birds, insets and other life forms. In the beginning of 1970’s, the

Burning up forests to create crop land and harvesting timber unregulated has destroyed more than 15% of the Amazon forests in just about last 30 years. Tropical rain forest which covers 6% of the earth’s land area is the home to more than half of the known species. We do not know yet how many of these forests are also falling to burning, lumbering, development, and acid rain. Developed countries are chipping in some rescue efforts. One may question as to why people in the developed countries care about the survival of tropical forests. The answer is they should – because the tropical forests are also a mutually supporting link in the same ecological change developed countries are facing. Variety and diversity are the very essential of life, without which the ecosystem is bound to decline. It is necessary because of the interdependence. In many ways the plants and the trees have benefited human civilization. Not many people would know that about 1 in 4 pharmaceutical drugs today contain ingredients originally derived from native plants. It is not unlikely that a variety of herbs which have the potential to provide cures for still unconquered diseases, are being burned daily. Natural habitats also provide other priceless service to human race which ranges from climate control to water purification. If these natural habitats are destroyed, it may also so happen that our future generations will not have the delight

The main reason seems to be that throughout the tropics, the developing nations are struggling to provide food to their people and to raise cash to make payments of international borrowings. Many such poor countries are compelled to chop down their forests for exporting timber and earn money for repayment of debts. In the Central America, for example, the forests are wiped out to set up cattle ranches which supply beef to U.S. market.

But all may not be lost yet. Preservation groups and scientists are putting in place some strategies for protecting grass land, tundra, and coral reefs before they are consumed by global hunger. Attempts are being made by government and private pro-conservation lobbies to protect the wilderness and the natural systems. So there is a silver lining to the, otherwise, gloomy prospect. Let government operate people co-operate. Let us talk about some of the global strategies adopted by international organizations to protect the