Forest is an important component of our planet. It is not only home to numerous animals and birds, but also affects people's lives.
What is a forest for modern man
What does the word forest mean? Everyone has known since childhood that this is a lot of different trees that stand fairly tightly to each other. It is nice to relax and enjoy the fresh air. But in reality, this is a real ecosystem with many inhabitants that depend on each other. Here plants harmoniously cooperate with insects, animals, birds and even bacteria. They occupy a significant part of all land and spread over 40 million square kilometers!
There are three types of forests: coniferous, deciduous and mixed. Their territory depends on the territory in which they grow. In temperate latitudes, deciduous trees dump their greens with the advent of cold weather. But in the wet and hot parts of the Earth this does not happen, and the forest remains lush year after year. The most evergreen trees on the planet, and it is they who produce the bulk (80%) of oxygen for the entire earth. Such indicators confirm the importance of forests for modern man.
Direct impact on people
The forest performs many functions that a person constantly uses. In addition to maintaining the environment, it remains an important natural resource. But first of all, the significance of the forest for modern man is determined by his participation in the process of photosynthesis. Without it, oxygen production would not have been possible, and life on Earth would have stopped.
In addition, it is worth considering that today, thanks to technological progress, the world has stepped forward. But precisely because of this, the air is filled with chemical fumes and contaminants. Vegetation fights these phenomena and absorbs part of the emissions, which is why the significance of the forest for modern man today is simply invaluable. Also, the energy of trees is able to influence the human psyche in a positive way.
Indirect influence
Also, the forest is reflected in the water regime of the territory on which it grows, and located near it. The soil in this area has a special “litter”, which is able to clean the fluid that has passed through it. The forest gives out purified water, in which the bacterial content is reduced to about 70%.
Also, the significance of the forest for modern man lies in the fact that he is able to mitigate the climate. In places where it grows, during droughts or dry winds, trees reduce this harmful effect. Thanks to such protection, agricultural crops are preserved that would otherwise be destroyed by bad weather. Forest plantations have another positive effect: they protect the soil from landslides, mudflows or other geological hazards.
Forest resources and their application
But the significance of the forest for modern man is not limited only to its impact on the environment. Its wealth is many resources. In addition to wood, people get valuable vegetation that they use in pharmaceuticals, cosmetology or cooking. In total, a person receives about 30 thousand varieties of various products from forest materials.
The most common thing obtained from forest resources is paper. Magazines, notebooks, books, napkins, cardboard, fabrics and building materials are made from it. The significance of the forest for modern man is very important. Without these resources, even plain paper would be considered a huge shortage.
Today there are hydrolysis plants where paints, silk, alcohol, plastic, food products and much more are made from wood material. Among other things, wood is fuel.
Deforestation
So, what does the forest mean for modern man and how closely is it intertwined with our life? Population growth and its needs are reflected in the fact that the number of logging is regularly increasing. Scientists made a calculation and found that the average person spends 100 cubic meters in his life. wood.
To meet the needs of mankind, deforestation is carried out . But, in addition to this reason, there are other factors that lead to the death of vegetation. This includes targeted clearing of land for construction and pasture. Also there is a cutting down of places where underground deposits are located. In addition, fires often occur, from which hundreds of hectares of forest die. Every year, the planet loses about 13 million hectares of vital vegetation. After such an intervention, the forest is not restored. The reason for this is the activity of people. In the vacated places, cities “grow” or these plantations are used for farming. Today, this problem is being discussed on a global scale. It is known that approximately 80% of all living creatures live in tropical forests, which are subject to special destruction. If it is not stopped, deforestation will affect not only the extinction of rare species of fauna and flora, but also the vitality of mankind as a whole.