Question

How do forests protect the environment?

Answer 1

Forests cover about a third of the earth’s land area and are essential to the health of our environment. For example, trees and forests absorb and store much of the carbon dioxide that otherwise would be contributing to climate change. Forests are home to about 80 percent of remaining terrestrial biodiversity. Forests also regulate water cycles, maintain soil quality, and reduce the risks of natural disasters such as floods.

Forests play an important role in environmental protection. There is a long history of protection forests in mountain areas, where they help to prevent soil erosion, landslides and avalanches, and where they are important in maintaining the water quality of rivers draining forested catchments. Special silvicultural methods are required to ensure that these forests are maintained indefinitely. Forests also respond to environmental protection. A major issue is air pollution, which is known to have had significant impacts on some forests. Air pollutants of concern include sulfur dioxide, hydrogen fluoride, heavy metals, and ozone. Control of these pollutants ultimately benefits forests. Forests have a major role to play in the protection of the global carbon cycle. They represent an important sink for atmospheric carbon dioxide, and the conversion of forests to other land uses is one of the causes of the increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations. Reforestation and afforestation could contribute to reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations, and the use of biofuels could help to reduce demand for fossil fuels.