This blog provides information about Afforestation. At first, we will read the introduction about Forests and Types of Forests. Then we will discuss the concept of Afforestation. We will also learn about the reasons for Afforestation. At second, we will study the benefits of Trees. Then we will read about Difference between Afforestation and Reforestation. It also explains the Benefits of Afforestation in detail. This blog contains Afforestation Reasons, Benefits and Reforestation.

Afforestation, Reasons, Vs Reforestation and Benefits.

What are Forests?

Forests are the complex ecological systems in which trees are the dominant life-form. A forest is the most efficient ecosystem of the nature. It has a high rate of photosynthesis, that effects both the plants and animal system in a series of complex organic relationship. Forests are the habitat of thousands of species of flora and fauna. Forests provide us life and purified environment. It is the most complex and useful ecosystem on land that provide us many resources that are used for several purposes and industrial process. Forests are also a big source of food and herbs that are widely used by living organisms.

Now a days due to exponential population growth, the forests are cut for the sake of construction of buildings, societies, marketplaces and houses for humans. This is cause extreme climate change consequences on the environment, making it hotter day by day and increasing the air pollution because of less tree shade. The average temperature of the Earth is increasing every year due to deforestation. The only way to fight with it is to implement Afforestation and Deforestation at a huge level.

Types of Forests:

There are three main types of Forests in the World. These are as follows:

Boreal Forests:

Boreal forests are also known as Taiga and Snow forests. As they can withstand the frigid temperature and bear different temperatures throughout the year. These forests are full of life and mostly contains conifers and deciduous trees.

Temperate Forests:

Temperate Forests are those that changes throughout the year and follow a cycle. It contains evergreen trees that bloom throughout the year. These are in cold temperature and so do not support all species of plants and animals.

Tropical Forests:

These are known as the biodiversity wonderlands, as they support a huge range of biodiversity. You will find rhinos, tiger, elephants etc. in this forest. It has plenty of water and suitable temperature for many plants and animals on Earth.

These are the main types of forests.

Meaning of Afforestation:

Afforestation is the establishment of a forest or stand of trees (forestation) in an area where there was no recent tree cover. When new plants are planted or seeds are sown in an area where there were no trees before, creating a new forest.

Afforestation is a useful concept against climate change. Because it is the need of the time. Afforestation is the solution of all climate change related problems. This point will be explained in the next paragraph. This blog contains reasons and benefits of Afforestation and Reforestation.

Reason for Afforestation:

As we know that we are cutting our trees and causing deforestation. It is because of rising population cause more demand of forest resources such as wood, medicinal plants, and other essential resources related to forests. Wood is widely used for manufacturing of furniture, other products for household and for construction purposes. Medicinal plants are used by pharmaceutical companies for making suspensions, medicines, tablets etc. In this way a lot of forest resources are used in bulk amounts and cause the depletion of trees and forests everyday.

Deforestation:

Another reason for afforestation is that excessive deforestation is causing dangerous levels of climate change. As the forests that absorbs atmospheric carbon dioxide CO2 that plays a great role in rise in temperature and cutting down of forests cause the temperature increase on a drastic rate. It directly cause global warming.

Air Purification:

Forests also cleanse the air in which we breathe. Forests are the air purifiers and remove all the toxic materials and pollutants that are present in the air which are harmful for living things and humans. With less forests than needed, the air quality is deteriorating every year.

Species Habitat:

Forests are habitat of many rare and important plants and animals that play a great role in ecosystems and food chains. Depletion of forests is causing extinction and endangerment of valuable plants and animals. This is a great loss of biodiversity.

All these problems can be solved by afforestation as it will help in restoring the forests and its resources. And help in the conservation of biodiversity and forests. Afforestation can help in improving the quality of air and quality of the environment rich in biodiversity.

Reasons of Afforestation

Benefits of Trees:

The trees produce oxygen for breathing of living things.

Trees helps to reduce air pollution in the atmosphere.

They play a great role in reducing the risk of erosion.

The trees helps in regulating the water cycle within the soil.

Trees are the major source of useful resources for living things.

They provide habitats to thousands of species that are important for ecosystem.

Tress are the basic foundation of Biodiversity in the world.

They play a significant role in combating the climate change.

Trees helps the local communities to survive with resources.

They cast a positive effect on mental health of humans.

Trees provides cool and shade to the environment.

Afforestation vs Reforestation:

Afforestation:

  • Afforestation is the technique of planting trees where there were no trees in recent past.
  • It needs proper monitoring of trees because it is a new place for them.
  • These forests have longer timeline because their growth starts from the initial steps.
  • It is the process of utilizing leftover space for forests.

VS

Reforestation:

  • Reforestation is the technique of planting trees where there were trees in recent past.
  • These trees do not need proper monitoring because it contains all essential nutrients for tree growth.
  • These forests have shorter timeline because they are already planted in nutrient rich and suitable land.
  • It is the process used to restore any degraded or destroyed forest by replanting trees.

Benefits of Afforestation:

Following are some of the benefits of Afforestation:

Prevent loss of Biodiversity:

When we plant a forest, animal and plant species make it a habitat and shelter for them. This helps in preventing biodiversity loss that is done by forest depletion and deteriorating of natural environment. It provide shelter and food to many plants and animals.

Prevent Climate Change:

As the forests will be restored and multiplied, it will capture more and more CO2 from the atmosphere that will help in maintaining the global temperature and helps to lower it. Another benefit is that it improves air quality for humans and living organisms. It also provides us bulk for resources for our future generations.

Save the Earth:

Afforestation helps to save the Earth. Because it provide all the essential roles to maintain and keeping the Earth’s environment in its best version. It saves the Earth as it saves its nutrients, biodiversity and ecosystems.

Food Chain and Other uses:

It helps to maintain the food chain or animals and humans by protecting certain species of plants and animals used by different organisms as food and as other useable things. Other uses consists of medicinal plants extraction, wood resources, herbs and shrubs and much more that can only be protected and grown in a forest environment.

Helps in Increasing Forest Cover:

Forest cover plays an important role in maintaining the Earth’s temperature and environment. Afforestation adds to forest cover which was not a forest and adds in global forest cover that produces a cooling effect on Earth. It also helps in lowering Earth’s temperature and global warming.

This blog contains Reasons and Benefits of Afforestation and Reforestation.

Afforestation vs Reforestation

To learn about more topics, Click the links below:

Liquid Trees

Crown Shyness

Earth Day

Features of Green Buildings

Intensive Farming

Population growth and Land use change

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