Forest and Wildlife of India

Forests and Wildlife of India
Introduction

Forests

We can see around us different types of trees, plants, 3 shrubs, creepers, bushes and grasses. If they grow naturally, they are called natural vegetation. If they are grown by a farmer, they are called crops. A forest is a large area of land covered with natural vegetation. Forests cover about one-third land area of the earth.

Forest and Wildlife of India

Types of Forests in India

India possesses different types of climates and landforms, so a large variety of trees is found here. The important types of forests in India are as follows :

1.Evergreen Forests :

 A plant or tree that ever remains green is called an evergreen plant or tree. It remains green throughout the year. Most trees shed all their leaves once a year. An evergreen tree does not shed all its leaves at any one time of the year. New leaves keep growing while the old ones keep falling. The trees in evergreen forests are tall and have a broad canopy at the top. They give us hard wood which is very useful for many purposes. The important varieties of evergreen trees are rosewood, mahogany, ebony etc. These are found where rainfall is heavy and dry season is short, such as in north-eastern hilly region, Western Ghats etc.

 2. Deciduous Forests :

A deciduous tree sheds all its leaves at one time in a year and becomes bare. Such trees grow in areas having a modest rainfall. Such a forest is also known as monsoon forest. Its important varieties include sal, teak, sandalwood, bamboo, mahua, sheesham and sakhu. We can find these forests in Assam, Odisha, West Bengal, Eastern Ghats and foothills of the Himalayas.

Forest and Wildlife of India

Coniferous Forests :

Coniferous forests grow on mountains, so they are also called mountain forests. These trees are tall and have pointed needle-shaped leaves. So, snow cannot settle on them. The types of coniferous trees vary according to the altitude of the mountains. We can find coniferous trees in the high altitude of the Himalayas, such as cedar, chir, fir, pine and deodar. The wood of these trees is soft and is useful for making pulp. Pulp is used for making newspaper and packaging materials.

Thorny Forests :

In desert areas, water and rainfall are deficient. A thorny tree or shrub has long roots, so it takes water from deep ground. It also has a thick bark, small leaves and sharp thorns, so that water is not lost. Its leaves do not allow water to evaporate. We can find thorny forests in Rajasthan. The important varieties of thorny trees include keekar, babool, cactus, date-palm and prickly pear. There are some other thorny shrubs and bushes also.

 Tidal Forests :

A river forms a delta where it enters the sea. Here seawater comes into the river and causes tides. The forests that grow here are called tidal forests. In India, we can find these forests in the Sundarbans in West Bengal where the Ganga and Brahmaputra rivers have formed a large delta. An important variety found in these forests is sundri tree. The Sundarbans has been named after the tree sundri.

Forest and Wildlife of India

Significance of Forests

Forests are very important and useful to us in many ways. They give us many products like timber, fuel, herbs, gum, honey, rubber among other things. They prevent soil erosion and make the soil fertile. They check strong winds and flow of water, thus they help to check storms and floods. Trees play a vital role in causing rainfall. Trees have the most important role in making oxygen without which we cannot live. They consume carbon dioxide and give out oxygen. Environmental pollution can be checked with them effectively. And above all, forests are habitat to a great number of species of wildlife.

Forest and Wildlife of India

Conservation of Forests

In view of the significance of forests, it is necessary to protect them. At the same time, we need to cut trees for different needs. Forests are cleared for many reasons, such as for laying roads and railways, for building dams and cities, for farming etc. So, we have to find a solution. When we cut down a tree, we must grow a new one in its place. A great problem arises when we cut down a tree but do not grow a new one to replace it. Significance of Forests Conservation of Forests 44 So, it is necessary that the number of trees being cut should match with the number of trees to be planted. Ideally, one-third of the total land area should be covered with forests. In India, less than one-fourth of the total land area is under forests. So, there is need to grow more and more trees. Many social workers and the government are making effort to conserve trees and plant more trees

Sundarlal Bahuguna worked for conservation of trees. He started the Chipko Movement in 1973. He started it in Chamoli (now in Uttarakhand). In this movement, people hugged trees when somebody came to cut them. The government of India has started a number of programmes for conservation of forests, such as Van-Mahotsavas. In them, a large number of trees are planted in cities, towns and villages.

The students are also encouraged to take part in them. Some other important forest conservation programmes are “A Tree for Every Child’ and “Cut one-Plant one’. We all must participate in this effort. You can plant a new tree on your each birthday. This will be your return gift to the world on your birthday.

Forest and Wildlife of India

Wildlife

India possesses a rich variety of wildlife. Wildlife means different species of animals, birds, insects, fishes and reptiles which live in the nature. The place where an animal normally lives is called its natural habitat. Many of these species are found only in India, such as elephant, Indian lion, tiger, one-horned rhinoceros, Indian bison, swamp deer, four-horned antelope, Kashmir stag, chital, nilgai and many more

Wildlife is facing the threat of extinction. This threat is due to reckless hunting, poaching and destruction of forests. It is important that we take suitable steps for its conservation

The government of India has taken a number of steps to conserve wildlife. The hunting of many species has been banned. Also, many national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and bird sanctuaries have been set up in different parts of the country for conservation of wildlife. These provide a secure habitat to wildlife. At present there are 89 national parks, 490 wildlife sanctuaries and 27 tiger reserves in our country. Many national parks and bird sanctuaries are known for a particular animal or bird :