Did you know that forests cover almost one-third of the earth’s land surface?
Sadly, the coverage of this life-giver is rapidly disappearing as we burn and chop down massive amounts of trees. In 2020, we lost a football field-sized area of tropical forest every four seconds! The loss of forests has devastating effects on people, wildlife, and the planet. There are so many good reasons why we should conserve our forests and keep them green and healthy.
Forests protect us from natural disasters
On a local level, without forests, hills become unstable, especially during heavy rains or earthquakes, which can result in landslides. Forests also play a significant role in containing water, potentially reducing the downstream impact of heavy rains and lowering the risk of flooding.
On a global scale, forests are essential in the fight against global warming.
Mangrove forests are essential against coastal erosion. Their dense roots help bind and build soils. Their above-ground roots slow down water flows, recuding storm surge by lessening the energy of waves, and reduce the damage caused by potential coastal flooding.
Forest produce the air we breath
Forests play a crucial role in producing oxygen through photosynthesis. In the process of photosynthesis, trees and other plants take in carbon dioxide from the air and, with the help of sunlight, convert it into oxygen and glucose. This oxygen is released into the atmosphere, providing the essential air we breathe. Forests are often referred to as the "lungs of the Earth" because of their significant contribution to oxygen production and their role in maintaining a balance in the levels of atmospheric gases.
Forest fight climate change
Trees absorb carbon dioxide (CO2) during photosynthesis and store carbon in their biomass. This process, known as carbon sequestration, helps to reduce the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere, thus mitigating the greenhouse effect and global warming.
Forests also influence the Earth's albedo, which is the amount of sunlight reflected by the Earth's surface. Forests have a lower albedo than many other surfaces, such as urban areas or agricultural fields, meaning they absorb more sunlight. This can have a cooling effect on the local and global climate.
Forests help to generate rainfall
Forests play a crucial role in the water cycle and rainfall patterns through a process called transpiration.
Trees absorb water from the soil through their roots. This water is then released into the atmosphere through a process called transpiration. The water vapor released by trees adds moisture to the air, contributing to the formation of clouds and eventually rainfall.
Forests purify water
Forests act as natural filters. When precipitation passes through the forest canopy and enters the forest floor, it is filtered through layers of soil and vegetation, removing impurities and contaminants from the water. The intricate network of roots also provides habitat for microorganisms that contribute to the breakdown of pollutants.
Forests clean the air
Forests do not only produce oxygen and remove CO2 from the atmosphere, but trees and other forest vegetation act as natural filters for airborne particles, including dust and certain pollutants. They can absorb certain pollutants that are part of the group of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), including benzene, formaldehyde, xylene, toluene, ozone and terpenes and break them down through a biochemical process called phytoremediation. The release of water vapor also helps maintain a balanced and healthier atmosphere.
Forests are full of life and home to a wide variety of species
Forests are complex ecosystems where all life is interconnected. They are home to 80% of the world’s land-based plant and animal species. Dead leaves on the forest floor play just as an important role as big land animals moving through the crowns. Below the ground, trees use a network of fungi to share nutrients with each other. Because life in the forest is so interdependent, it throws off the balance of the entire ecosystem when one part is lost.
Forests support jobs
Forests provide employment and generate income for millions of people worldwide!
Some jobs directly related to forests include forester, logger, arborist, silviculturist, forest ecologist, forest biologist, forest engineer, forest ranger, forest educator, forest restoration specialist, tree nursery manager and others.
It is important that forests are managed sustainably. Sustainable forestry involves replanting and regenerating harvested areas. Instead of clear-cutting entire areas, sustainable practices often involve selective logging, where only specific trees are harvested. This minimizes the impact on the forest ecosystem and allows for natural regeneration.
Another sustainable way of making use of forests and create employment and income for people in rural areas can be ecotourism, which - according to The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) - can be defined as “responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment, sustains the well-being of the local people, and involves interpretation and education”.
Forests produce life-saving medicines
Our ancestors were often treating diseases by using plants they found in the forests. Still today, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 80 percent of the population of some Asian and African countries use herbal medicine for some aspect of primary health care. But also several standard western prescription drugs have a basis as herbal remedies, including artemisinin, aspirin, digitalis, and quinine.
Forests inspire and heal us
In the 16th century, Paracelsus wrote: “The art of healing comes from nature, not from the physician.”
There is little doubt that a person becomes relaxed when spending time in an abundant natural forest full of oxygen and sensual stimulation, and that there are health benefits related to this.
There is an abundance of techniques and treatments to use nature to improve mental or physical health, such as nature therapy, forest therapy, forest bathing (Shinrin-Yoku), grounding or earthing that you can apply when you are at any forest or at one of the beautiful forests where some of our programs take place, for instance at Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, at Jozani Forest in Zanzibar, at Tuneri Mountain Park in Bolivia, in the Himalaya mountains of Himachal Pradesh in India, in the Amazon rainforest of Ecuador, in the dense forest of Sado Island in Japan, in the Moroccan Rif Mountains or in the Indio Maiz Biosphere in Nicaragua.
Forests hold spiritual and cultural power
Sacred trees exist in many cultures and continue to hold profound meaning in many religions and traditional beliefs throughout the world.
Wherever you travel with World Unite! you can find sacred trees in the forests that are believed to have healing power, to make wishes come true or to be the homes of tree spirits.
Forests provide food security
From 30,000 wild and 7,000 cultivated edible plants, only 30 provide 95% of global dietary energy. Wheat, rice, and maize provide more than 50% of plant-derived calories globally. The low genetic diversity of crops poses a threat to global food security.
The worldwide forests boast ten thousands of edible plant foods including leaves, seeds, nuts, fruits, tubers and roots, fungi, gum and sap. They provide protein, energy, vitamins and essential minerals as well as diversity and flavour to the human diet. Efforts are ongoing to document and catalog the diversity of edible plants in different regions. Traditional knowledge work towards preserving and sharing information about these valuable resources is important and also part of some of our worldwide programs.
Forests provide spaces for recreation
Forest provide recreational opportunities that contribute to the physical and mental well-being of individuals and foster a connection between people and nature.
Popular recreation activities in forests including hiking and walking, cycling, picnicking and camping, bird and wildlife watching, photography, educational forest tours, rock climbing and bouldering, and skiing and snowshoeing.
It is important to respect the forest when doing such activities. For instance, plants and wildlife should not be collected, the forest should not be littered, wildlife should not be fed, campfires should not be mismanaged, pets should not be left uncontrolled and hiking or biking should not be done off-trail.
Do you want to help to protect forests?
Programs we offer that are related to Forests:
Read more interesting topics
No More Articles Available 