WHY ARE FORESTS NECESSARY?
Forests are very useful for us. They perform various functions. Plants release oxygen that we breathe and absorb carbon dioxide. The roots of the plants bind the soil; thus, they control soil erosion.
Forests provide us with timber for furniture, fuelwood, fodder, medicinal plants and herbs, lac, honey, gum, etc. Forests are the natural habitat of wildlife. Natural vegetation has been destroyed to a large extent because of the reckless cutting of trees. We should plant more trees and protect the existing ones and make people aware of the importance of trees. We can have special programmes like Van Mahotsav to involve more people in making our earth green.
Example:
Leela’s parents planted a sapling of “neem” to celebrate her birth. On each birthday, a different sapling was planted. It was watered regularly and protected from severe heat, cold, and animals. Children took care not to harm it. When Leela was 20, twenty-one beautiful trees, stood in and around her house. Birds built their nests on them, flowers bloomed, butterflies fluttered around them, children enjoyed their fruits, swung on their branches, and played in their shade.
Source: This topic is taken from NCERT TEXTBOOK
WILDLIFE
Forests are home to a variety of wildlife. There are thousands of species of animals and a large variety of reptiles, amphibians, mammals, birds, insects, and worms which dwell in the forest.
The tiger is our national animal. It is found in various parts of the country. Gir forest in Gujarat is the home of Asiatic lions. Elephants and one-horned rhinoceroses roam in the forests of Assam. Elephants are also found in Kerala and Karnataka. Camels and wild asses are found in the Great Indian desert and the Rann of Kuchchh respectively. Wild goats, snow leopards, bears, etc. are found in the Himalayan region. Besides these, many other animals are found in our country such as monkey, wolf, jackal, nilgai, cheetah, etc.
India is equally rich in birdlife. The peacock is our national bird. Other common birds are parrots, pigeons, mynah, geese, bulbul, and ducks. There are several bird sanctuaries which have been created to give birds their natural habitat. These provide the birds' protection from hunters. Can you name five birds that are commonly found in your area? There are several hundreds of species of snakes found in India. Cobras and kraits are important among them.
Due to the cutting of forests and hunting, several species of wildlife of India are declining rapidly. Many species have already become extinct.
In order to protect them many national parks, sanctuaries, and biosphere reserves have been set up. The Government has also started Project Tiger and Project Elephant to protect these animals. Can you name some wildlife sanctuaries of India and locate them on a map?
You can also contribute to conserving wildlife. You can refuse to buy things made from parts of the bodies of animals such as their bones, horns, fur, skins, and feathers. Every year we observe wildlife week in the first week of October, to create awareness of conserving the habitats of the animal kingdom.
Do you know
Migratory Birds
Some birds such as Pintail Duck, Curlews, Flamingo, Osprey, and Little Stint migrate to our country in the winter season every year. The smallest migratory bird Little Stint Weighing as low as 15 grams, from Arctic region travel over 8000 km to reach India.
Activity:
What will happen if tigers vanish from our forests?
Have you ever visited any tiger reserves or a zoo where tigers are kept?
Why do poachers kill tigers?
Source: This topic is taken from NCERT TEXTBOOK