importance of natural vegetation essay

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Importance of Natural Vegetation and Conservation

Natural vegetation is a crucial part of nature, playing a role in keeping things in balance. Importance of natural vegetation has a great value, as it regulates water, carbon, and nitrogen cycles.

Using sunlight, plants create biomass, which is the foundation for all the food chains in nature. Plants also impact the balance of energy on the Earth’s surface and in the air around it, helping to even out extreme local weather conditions.

Besides these things, natural vegetation release oxygen and store carbon. Over time, they help in the development of soil, making it more productive. Plants are homes and food for wildlife, and they give us things we directly use, like wood, and indirect benefits, such as protecting water sources.

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Importance of Natural Vegetation

Plants are vital for the overall health of the planet , as each species plays a unique role in the ecosystem, ensuring its resilience to changes. When we conserve natural vegetation, we preserve habitats that countless organisms rely on for survival.

Conserving natural vegetation is crucial for many reasons, these ecosystems support a wide variety of plants and animals, creating a balanced and diverse environment.

Here is how natural vegetation is importance for all living on the earth.

The Ecological Importance of Natural Vegetation

Natural vegetation plays a fundamental role in maintaining ecological balance, fostering biodiversity, and providing essential ecosystem services that contribute to the overall health of the planet.

 Ecological Role of Natural Vegetation

The ecological role of natural vegetation refers to the functions and contributions of plant life within ecosystems. This includes processes such as nutrient cycling, soil stabilization, and the regulation of water flow.

Natural vegetation acts as the foundation of ecosystems, influencing the physical and chemical properties of the environment. It contributes to the health and stability of ecosystems by providing habitats for various organisms, influencing climate patterns, and participating in nutrient cycles.

Biodiversity and Natural Vegetation

Biodiversity in the context of natural vegetation refers to the variety of plant and animal species present in a particular habitat. It encompasses genetic diversity, species diversity, and ecosystem diversity.

Natural vegetation supports a rich diversity of life, from microorganisms to large mammals. Biodiversity is crucial for ecosystem resilience, as each species plays a unique role in maintaining ecosystem functions. The loss of natural vegetation can lead to a decline in biodiversity, impacting the overall health of the environment.

Ecosystem Services Provided by Natural Vegetation

Ecosystem services are the benefits that humans and other organisms derive from ecosystems. Natural vegetation contributes to various ecosystem services, including provisioning, regulating, supporting, and cultural services.

Ecosystem services provided by natural vegetation include clean air and water, pollination of crops, climate regulation, and the provision of raw materials. These services are essential for human well-being and the functioning of ecosystems.

Environmental Benefits of Natural Vegetation

Natural vegetation offers a myriad of environmental benefits, from mitigating climate change to sustaining life by producing oxygen and sequestering carbon.

Carbon Sequestration by Natural Vegetation

Carbon sequestration refers to the capture and storage of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Natural vegetation, especially forests, plays a critical role in sequestering carbon through the process of photosynthesis.

Trees and plants absorb carbon dioxide during photosynthesis and store carbon in their biomass. This helps mitigate the greenhouse effect, reducing the impact of climate change by regulating atmospheric carbon levels.

Oxygen Production from Natural Vegetation

Oxygen production is the release of oxygen into the atmosphere as a byproduct of photosynthesis, a process carried out by plants and certain microorganisms.

Natural vegetation, particularly forests and phytoplankton in aquatic ecosystems, is a primary source of oxygen production. This oxygen is vital for the survival of aerobic organisms, including humans.

Climate Change Mitigation and Natural Vegetation

Climate change mitigation involves actions that reduce or prevent the emission of greenhouse gases and enhance the capacity of ecosystems to absorb and store carbon.

Natural vegetation plays a crucial role in mitigating climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide, regulating temperatures, and preserving biodiversity. Conserving and restoring natural vegetation are essential strategies for addressing climate change.

Also Read: Human Role in Biodiversity Conservation

Economic Significance of Natural Vegetation

Natural vegetation holds economic value through sustainable resource use, agriculture, forestry, and contributions to local economies.

Economic Value of Natural Vegetation

The economic value of natural vegetation refers to the direct and indirect contributions of plant ecosystems to local and global economies.

Natural vegetation provides resources such as timber, non-timber forest products, and pharmaceuticals. Additionally, ecosystems like wetlands and mangroves contribute to fisheries, tourism, and other economic activities.

Sustainable Resource Use from Natural Vegetation

Sustainable resource use involves harvesting natural resources in a manner that allows ecosystems to regenerate and maintain their ecological functions.

Using resources sustainably from natural vegetation includes practices such as selective logging, agroforestry, and the cultivation of non-timber forest products. These practices ensure the long-term viability of natural resources.

Role in Agriculture and Forestry

The role of natural vegetation in agriculture and forestry encompasses the influence of plant ecosystems on food production, soil fertility, and forestry practices.

Natural vegetation provides essential services to agriculture, such as pollination, pest control, and soil fertility. Forests contribute to timber production, watershed protection, and the preservation of biodiversity.

Cultural and Aesthetic Value

Natural vegetation holds cultural significance, aesthetic beauty, and indigenous knowledge that contribute to human well-being and identity.

Cultural Significance of Natural Vegetation

Cultural significance refers to the importance of natural vegetation in shaping the identity, beliefs, and practices of different human cultures.

Many cultures around the world have spiritual, religious, and symbolic connections to natural landscapes. Trees, plants, and ecosystems are often integral to cultural practices and traditions.

Aesthetic Beauty of Natural Vegetation

Aesthetic beauty in natural vegetation pertains to the visual appeal and artistic inspiration derived from the diverse and intricate forms found in plant ecosystems.

Natural vegetation, from lush forests to arid deserts, provides breathtaking scenery that inspires artists, poets, and nature enthusiasts. The aesthetic beauty of landscapes contributes to the well-being of individuals and societies.

Indigenous Knowledge and Natural Vegetation

Indigenous knowledge refers to the traditional ecological knowledge and practices developed by indigenous communities regarding natural vegetation.

Explanation: Indigenous communities often possess profound knowledge about the uses of plants for medicine, food, and materials. Preserving and respecting indigenous knowledge contributes to sustainable resource management.

Wildlife Habitat

Natural vegetation serves as critical habitat for wildlife, supporting diverse fauna and playing a key role in the conservation of natural habitats.

Natural Vegetation and Wildlife Habitat

Natural vegetation as wildlife habitat refers to the ecosystems that provide food, shelter, and breeding grounds for a wide variety of animal species.

Different types of natural vegetation, such as forests, grasslands, and wetlands, offer unique habitats for various wildlife species. These habitats are essential for the survival and reproduction of fauna.

Importance of Natural Vegetation for Fauna

The importance of natural vegetation for fauna underscores the reliance of animal species on specific plant ecosystems for their survival.

Animals depend on natural vegetation for food, shelter, and breeding sites. The composition and structure of plant communities influence the diversity and abundance of wildlife in an ecosystem.

Conservation of Natural Habitats for Wildlife

Conservation of natural habitats for wildlife involves efforts to protect and restore ecosystems that provide crucial habitats for a variety of animal species.

Conservation initiatives focus on preserving and restoring natural vegetation to ensure the continuity of wildlife populations. This includes creating wildlife corridors, establishing protected areas, and addressing habitat fragmentation.

Educational Aspects of Natural Vegetation

Natural vegetation serves as a valuable educational resource, providing opportunities for studying ecology, environmental science, and fostering an understanding of the natural world.

Educational Value of Studying Natural Vegetation

The educational value of studying natural vegetation refers to the opportunities it offers for learning about ecosystems, plant biology, and environmental processes.

Natural vegetation provides real-world examples for studying ecological concepts, plant adaptations, and the interdependence of living organisms. Field studies and observations in natural ecosystems enhance educational experiences.

Role of Natural Vegetation in Environmental Education

The role of natural vegetation in environmental education involves using plant ecosystems as a tool for teaching ecological principles, conservation, and sustainability.

Natural vegetation provides a tangible and relatable context for teaching environmental concepts. It fosters an appreciation for the interconnectedness of ecosystems and the importance of conservation.

Learning from Natural Ecosystems

Learning from natural ecosystems involves gaining insights and knowledge from the functioning and dynamics of plant communities and their interactions with other components of the environment.

Observing natural ecosystems helps students and researchers understand ecological processes, biodiversity, and the impacts of human activities on the environment. It encourages a holistic approach to environmental science.

Human Well-being

The connection between natural vegetation and human well-being encompasses physical health benefits, psychological well-being, and the recreational value of natural environments.

Connection between Natural Vegetation and Human Well-being

The connection between natural vegetation and human well-being acknowledges the positive impact of green spaces on physical and mental health.

Access to natural vegetation is associated with improved air quality, reduced stress levels, and enhanced overall well-being. Green spaces in urban environments provide respite from the demands of modern life.

Health Benefits of Natural Vegetation

Definition: Health benefits of natural vegetation encompass the positive effects on physical health resulting from exposure to natural environments.

Spending time in nature has been linked to lower blood pressure, reduced risk of chronic diseases, and improved immune function. Natural vegetation promotes physical activity and a healthy lifestyle.

Recreational Value of Natural Vegetation

The recreational value of natural vegetation refers to the enjoyment and leisure activities that individuals can engage in within natural environments.

Natural vegetation provides opportunities for activities such as hiking, birdwatching, camping, and photography. Recreation in natural settings contributes to stress reduction, relaxation, and overall life satisfaction.

Climate Change Resilience

Natural vegetation plays a crucial role in building resilience to climate change, adapting to changing environmental conditions, and mitigating the impacts of extreme weather events.

Natural Vegetation and Climate Change Resilience

Natural vegetation contributes to climate change resilience by enhancing the ability of ecosystems to withstand and recover from the impacts of climate change.

Diverse and healthy ecosystems, including forests, wetlands, and mangroves, provide natural buffers against extreme weather events, regulate water flow, and contribute to overall ecosystem stability.

Adapting to Climate Change through Natural Ecosystems

Adapting to climate change through natural ecosystems involves using sustainable land management practices to enhance the resilience of ecosystems and communities.

Protecting and restoring natural vegetation is a key strategy for adapting to the changing climate. Ecosystems with intact vegetation are better equipped to withstand droughts, floods, and temperature extremes.

Mitigating the Impacts of Extreme Weather Events with Natural Vegetation

Mitigating the impacts of extreme weather events with natural vegetation involves utilizing the protective and stabilizing functions of ecosystems to reduce the severity of climate-related disasters.

Coastal vegetation, such as mangroves and dune ecosystems, helps mitigate the impacts of hurricanes and storm surges. Forests play a crucial role in preventing landslides and reducing the risk of flash floods.

Global Perspectives on Natural Vegetation

Understanding the global importance of natural vegetation involves recognizing its role in international conservation efforts and addressing cross-border implications of vegetation loss.

Global Importance of Natural Vegetation

The global importance of natural vegetation acknowledges the interconnectedness of ecosystems and the impact of vegetation loss on a worldwide scale.

Natural vegetation contributes to global biodiversity, climate regulation, and the provision of ecosystem services. Changes in vegetation patterns have far-reaching consequences that extend beyond national borders.

International Efforts for Natural Vegetation Conservation

International efforts for natural vegetation conservation involve collaborative initiatives, agreements, and programs aimed at protecting global biodiversity and ecosystems.

Organizations such as UNESCO and international agreements like the Convention on Biological Diversity focus on the conservation of natural vegetation at a global scale. Cooperative efforts are essential for addressing transboundary environmental challenges.

Cross-border Implications of Natural Vegetation Loss

Cross-border implications of natural vegetation loss refer to the environmental and socio-economic impacts that extend across political boundaries.

Deforestation, pollution, and climate change-induced vegetation loss can affect neighboring countries. Collaborative strategies are necessary to address shared challenges and promote sustainable land management practices.

Conservation and Preservation of Natural Vegetation

The conservation and preservation of natural vegetation are imperative for maintaining biodiversity, ecological balance, and sustaining essential ecosystem services.

Importance of Preserving Natural Vegetation

Preserving natural vegetation involves protecting and maintaining existing plant communities and ecosystems.

Preserving natural vegetation is essential to safeguard the ecological integrity of habitats, prevent species extinction, and maintain the balance of ecosystems. It contributes to the overall health and resilience of the environment.

Conservation of Biodiversity in Natural Vegetation

Biodiversity conservation within natural vegetation focuses on the protection of diverse plant and animal species within their natural habitats.

Conservation efforts aim to preserve the genetic diversity, species richness, and ecosystem diversity found in natural vegetation. This involves creating protected areas, implementing sustainable land management practices, and addressing threats to biodiversity.

Threats to Natural Vegetation and Conservation Efforts

Threats to natural vegetation encompass human activities such as and natural processes that degrade or destroy plant communities. Conservation efforts involve strategies to mitigate these threats and promote sustainable practices.

Human activities that harm natural vegetation includes cutting down too many trees (deforestation) using too much forest land, not taking care of forests properly, farming, taking over forest land, burning and clearing forests, wildfires, building more cities, taking too much from nature, making the environment worse, and other things can harm the plants and trees.

Natural factors influencing vegetation includes land slope, soil thickness, how wet it is, and how hot or cold it is can affect how plants grow. Out of these, how hot or wet it is are the most important.

Conservation efforts may involve reforestation, habitat restoration, and the establishment of protected areas. Collaborative initiatives are crucial for addressing global threats to natural vegetation.

Conserving natural vegetation is crucial for many reasons. Firstly, these ecosystems support a wide variety of plants and animals, creating a balanced and diverse environment.

Biodiversity is vital for the overall health of the planet, as each species plays a unique role in the ecosystem, ensuring its resilience to changes. When we conserve natural vegetation, we preserve habitats that countless organisms rely on for survival.

Another important aspect is the role of natural vegetation in providing essential services. Trees and plants help purify the air we breathe and regulate local climates. Forests, for instance, act like nature’s filters, trapping pollutants and releasing oxygen.

Conserving natural vegetation is like maintaining the Earth’s life support system, ensuring clean air, stable weather patterns, and fertile soil for agriculture.

For human well-being importance of natural vegetation can’t be denied these ecosystems contribute to our physical and mental health. Green spaces offer a peaceful escape from the hustle and bustle

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6 Ways Trees Benefit All of Us

From a city park to a vast forest, trees deliver for us when we help them thrive.

October 09, 2020

Trees have been with us throughout our whole lives. They’re the background of a favorite memory and that welcome patch of green our eyes seek as we gaze out our windows—an activity we’re doing a lot these days.

While they are silent and stationary, trees hold tremendous powers, including the power to make all our lives better and healthier.

If a tree has power, a forest has even more. What superpowers do trees have?

#1: Trees eat the greenhouse gases that cause climate change—for breakfast.

More like breakfast, lunch and dinner. Trees’ food-making process, photosynthesis, involves absorbing carbon dioxide from the air and storing it in its wood. Trees and plants will store this carbon dioxide throughout their lives, helping slow the gas’s buildup in our atmosphere that has been rapidly warming our planet.

Smarter management of trees, plants and soil in the US alone could store the equivalent carbon of taking 57 million cars off the road ! Trees are looking out for us so we have to look out for them. Older, larger trees store a lot more carbon than young trees, so it’s important that in addition to planting new trees, we conserve and protect the giants of our forests like these ancient trees in South Carolina .

#2: Trees boost our mental health while raising our physical health.

A healthy tree can lead to a healthy you and me. A study by a TNC scientist shows that time in nature—like a walk among the trees in a city park—correlates with a drop in anxiety and depression.

The good news: it doesn’t take a lot of time in nature for these soothing powers to kick in. You may have felt the benefits from a short walk or hike in your neighborhood. We’re drawn to green spaces, and for good reason.

Trees are more than just trees. 🌲🌳🌴 (video via @Nature_IL ) pic.twitter.com/tE6Fibu5kA — The Nature Conservancy (@nature_org) August 24, 2020

Access to nearby green space also contributes to better physical health by encouraging us to move around and exercise. Because we move around more when we have access to trees and parks, nature can help lower rates of obesity.

#3: Trees clean the air so we can breathe more easily.

Leave it to leaves. Trees remove the kind of air pollution that is most dangerous to our lungs: particulate matter. This pollution arises from the burning of fossil fuels, and can reach dangerous concentrations in the largest cities as well as in neighborhoods near highways and factories .

Your Dollars at Work

TNC is in the middle of the first controlled experiment testing neighborhood tree planting for health benefits  in the same way that a new pharmaceutical drug would be tested.

Tree’s leaves will filter this dangerous pollution, but only if they’re planted near the people who need them; most of the filtration occurs within 100 feet of a tree. More trees in cities, especially in lower-income neighborhoods close to highways and factories, can reduce ailments like asthma and heart disease that cause 5% of deaths worldwide.

#4: Trees give a home to the wildlife we love.

From our windows, many of us can see how much our feathered and furry neighbors enjoy their ‘high-rise apartments.’ Even a single tree can provide vital habitat for countless species.

An intact forest can do even more, creating a home for some of the most diverse and resilient webs of life on the planet. Old-growth forests, the forests that we need to protect most urgently, create habitat at the ground level, at the top of their tree canopies, and everywhere in between. All of these different types of habitat in a single area allow so many diverse species to thrive .

#5: Trees cool down your life, and could even save it.

Trees give us all shade—and that’s a good thing! Temperatures are rising and heatwaves are getting longer due to climate change. Some places feel the heat more than others. Neighborhoods with lots of pavement absorb more heat and can be five to eight degrees hotter than surrounding areas. These areas also stay hotter later into the night, which is detrimental to our health.

Enter our branchy, leafy neighbors. A tree’s shade acts like a natural air conditioning and can even keep down the energy costs of our actual air conditioning systems, which are increasingly working overtime.

#6: Trees filter your water, making your drinking supply cleaner and more reliable.

Raise a glass to a tree near you! Actually, raise your glass to trees far from you, as your water has traveled on a long journey to your faucet. Trees store and filter more than half of the water supply in the United States.

Forests do this by removing pollutants and sediments from rainfall and then slowly releasing the water back into waterways and underground aquifers. Thanks to trees, this naturally cleaner water is easier and cheaper to treat before it ends up in your tap . The water supply is also steadier because all of the rainwater didn’t end up in a river right away; it seeped through these natural filters over time.

To fully use their powers, trees need our help.

While trees are resilient, they are not invincible—and they need our help. When you support The Nature Conservancy, you’re helping to plant more trees, protect old forests and restore forests that have been partially developed. So, together, we’re helping our planet and giving an important gift to our children and their children.

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20 Reasons Why Forests Are Important

In case you're missing the forest for the trees, here are a few reminders why woodlands are wonderful.

• University of Georgia

Treehugger / Christian Yonkers

• Conservation

Forests cover nearly a third of all land on Earth, providing vital organic infrastructure for some of the planet's densest, most diverse collections of life. They support countless species, including our own, yet we often seem oblivious of that. Humans now clear millions of acres from natural forests every year, especially in the tropics, letting deforestation threaten some of Earth's most valuable ecosystems.

We tend to take forests for granted, underestimating how indispensable they still are for everyone on the planet. That would quickly change if they all disappeared, but since humanity might not survive that scenario, the lesson wouldn't be very useful by then. As the Once-ler finally realizes in Dr. Seuss' "The Lorax," a crisis like deforestation depends on indifference. "UNLESS someone like you cares a whole awful lot," Seuss wrote, "Nothing is going to get better. It's not."

Indifference, in turn, often depends on ignorance. So to help things get better for woodlands around the world, we'd all be wise to learn more about the benefits of forests — and to share that knowledge with others. In hopes of shedding more light on what forests do for us, and how little we can afford to lose them, here are 20 reasons why forests are so important.

1. They Help Us Breathe

Forests pump out oxygen we need to live and absorb the carbon dioxide we exhale (or emit). A single mature, leafy tree is estimated to produce a day's supply of oxygen for anywhere from two to 10 people. Phytoplankton in the ocean are more prolific, providing half of Earth's oxygen, but forests are still a key source of quality air.

2. They Are Home to Nearly Half of All Species

Nearly half of Earth's known species live in forests, including nearly 80% of biodiversity on land . That variety is especially rich in tropical rainforests, but forests teem with life around the planet: Insects and worms work nutrients into soil, bees and birds spread pollen and seeds, and keystone species like wolves and big cats keep hungry herbivores in check. Biodiversity is a big deal, both for ecosystems and human economies, yet it's increasingly threatened around the world by deforestation.

3. Including Millions of Humans

Some 300 million people live in forests worldwide, including an estimated 60 million indigenous people whose survival depends almost entirely on native woodlands. Many millions more live along or near forest fringes, but even just a scattering of urban trees can raise property values and reduce crime, among other benefits.

4. They Keep Us Cool

By growing a canopy to hog sunlight, trees also create vital oases of shade on the ground. Urban trees help buildings stay cool, reducing the need for electric fans or air conditioners, while large forests can tackle daunting tasks like curbing a city's "heat island" effect or regulating regional temperatures.

5. They Keep Earth Cool

Trees also have another way to beat the heat: absorb CO2 that fuels global warming. Plants always need some CO2 for photosynthesis, but Earth's air is now so thick with extra emissions that forests fight global warming just by breathing. CO2 is stored in wood, leaves and soil, often for centuries.

6. They Make It Rain

Large forests can influence regional weather patterns and even create their own microclimates. The Amazon rainforest, for example, generates atmospheric conditions that not only promote regular rainfall there and in nearby farmland, but potentially as far away as the Great Plains of North America.

7. They Prevent Flooding

Tree roots are key allies in heavy rain, especially for low-lying areas like river plains. They help the ground absorb more of a flash flood, reducing soil loss and property damage by slowing the flow.

8. They Soak Up Runoff, Protecting Other Ecosystems

On top of flood control, soaking up surface runoff also protects ecosystems downstream. Modern stormwater increasingly carries toxic chemicals, from gasoline and lawn fertilizer to pesticides and pig manure, that accumulate through watersheds and eventually create low-oxygen " dead zones ."

9. They Refill Aquifers

Forests are like giant sponges, catching runoff rather than letting it roll across the surface, but they can't absorb all of it. Water that gets past their roots trickles down into aquifers, replenishing groundwater supplies that are important for drinking, sanitation and irrigation around the world.

10. They Block Wind

Farming near a forest has lots of benefits, like bats and songbirds that eat insects or owls and foxes that eat rats. But groups of trees can also serve as a windbreak, providing a buffer for wind-sensitive crops. And beyond protecting those plants, less wind also makes it easier for bees to pollinate them.

11. They Keep Dirt in Its Place

A forest's root network stabilizes huge amounts of soil, bracing the entire ecosystem's foundation against erosion by wind or water. Not only does deforestation disrupt all that, but the ensuing soil erosion can trigger new, life-threatening problems like landslides and dust storms.

12. They Clean Up Dirty Soil

In addition to holding soil in place, forests may also use phytoremediation to clean out certain pollutants. Trees can either sequester the toxins away or degrade them to be less dangerous. This is a helpful skill, letting trees absorb sewage overflows, roadside spills or contaminated runoff.

13. They Clean Up Dirty Air

Forests can clean up air pollution on a large scale, and not just CO2. Trees absorb a wide range of airborne pollutants, including carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide. In the U.S. alone, urban trees are estimated to save 850 lives per year and $6.8 billion in total health care costs just by removing pollutants from the air.

14. They Muffle Noise Pollution

Sound fades in forests, making trees a popular natural noise barrier. The muffling effect is largely due to rustling leaves — plus other woodland white noise, like bird songs — and just a few well-placed trees can cut background sound by 5 to 10 decibels, or about 50% as heard by human ears.

15. They Feed Us

Not only do trees produce fruits, nuts, seeds and sap, but they also enable a cornucopia near the forest floor, from edible mushrooms, berries and beetles to larger game like deer, turkeys, rabbits and fish.

16. They Help Us Make Things

Where would humans be without timber and resin? We've long used these renewable resources to make everything from paper and furniture to homes and clothing, but we also have a history of getting carried away, leading to overuse and deforestation. Thanks to the growth of tree farming and sustainable forestry, though, it's becoming easier to find responsibly sourced tree products.

17. They Create Jobs

More than 1.6 billion people rely on forests to some extent for their livelihoods, according to the U.N., and 10 million are directly employed in forest management or conservation. Forests contribute about 1% of the global gross domestic product through timber production and non-timber products, the latter of which alone support up to 80% of the population in many developing countries.

18. They Create Majesty

Natural beauty may be the most obvious and yet least tangible benefit a forest offers. The abstract blend of shade, greenery, activity and tranquility can yield concrete advantages for people, however, like convincing us to appreciate and preserve old-growth forests for future generations.

19. They Help Us Explore and Relax

Our innate attraction to forests, part of a phenomenon known as biophilia , is still in the relatively early stages of scientific explanation. We know biophilia draws us to woods and other natural scenery, though, encouraging us to rejuvenate ourselves by exploring, wandering or just unwinding in the wilderness. They give us a sense of mystery and wonder, evoking the kinds of wild frontiers that molded our distant ancestors. And thanks to our growing awareness that spending time in forests is good for our health, many people now seek out those benefits with the Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku , commonly translated to English as " forest bathing ."

20. They Are Pillars of Their Communities

Like the famous rug in "The Big Lebowski," forests really tie everything together — and we often don't appreciate them until they're gone. Beyond all their specific ecological perks (which can't even fit in a list this long), they've reigned for eons as Earth's most successful setting for life on land. Our species probably couldn't live without them, but it's up to us to make sure we never have to try. The more we enjoy and understand forests, the less likely we are to miss them for the trees.

Nowak, David J. et al. " Tree And Forest Effects On Air Quality And Human Health In The United States ". Environmental Pollution , vol 193, 2014, pp. 119-129. Elsevier BV , doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2014.05.028

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• An Area the Size of California Has Recently Been Lost to Deforestation
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• How Much Carbon Do Different Forests Store & What Size Offsets Your Driving for a Year?

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Home > Books > Vegetation Dynamics, Changing Ecosystems and Human Responsibility

Impact on Forest and Vegetation Due to Human Interventions

Submitted: 29 April 2022 Reviewed: 05 June 2022 Published: 24 October 2022

DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.105707

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Vegetation Dynamics, Changing Ecosystems and Human Responsibility

Edited by Levente Hufnagel and Mohamed A. El-Esawi

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Forest and vegetation play an important role in balancing ecosystem patterns, providing food security, and blessing the environment for living beings, so the status of global forests and biodiversity, their impact and change overtime with climatic effects and challenges is important. This study’s methods include a review of global forest cover and status; distribution, and assessment; biodiversity, forest carbon assessment; causes of forest loss; and the impacts and implications of CO2 emissions. Forests encompass 31% of the world’s forests, are home to 2 million to 1 trillion species, and provide habitat for 80% of amphibian species, 75% of bird species, 68% of mammalian species, and so on. Deforestation is the major cause of forest loss, with a decrease of 4.7 million ha. From 2010 to 2020, only in the Asia Pacific region and from 2000 to 2010, 13 million ha of world forests were lost. All flora, fauna, and microbes are slowly degrading and disappearing due to human activities such as deforestation, intensive use, inappropriate forest management, agriculture, encroachment of forest land, slash burn practices, forest fires, urbanization, overharvesting, environmental deterioration, etc. Because the globe has emitted over 1.5 trillion tonnes of CO2 since 1751, the persistence of biodiversity in human-modified habitats is crucial for conservation and the provision of ecosystem services.

• forest and vegetation
• forest cover
• biodiversity
• interventions

Author Information

Ramesh prasad bhatt *.

• Atlantic International University, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

*Address all correspondence to: [email protected]

1. Introduction

Humans have changed forests, browbeaten species, fragmented wildlife’s, altered habitats, imported exotic pests and rivals, and domesticated favored species. All have had an impact on genetic diversity (both within and across species) through their effect on evolutionary developments such as destruction, assortment, implication, gene flow, and transformation. Several literatures illustrate the main impacts of human intervention causing deforestation, fragmentation, grazing, forest clearance for the development, intensive use, desertification, inappropriate forest management, agriculture, encroachment of forest land, slash burn practices, forest fire, urbanization, overharvesting, environmental deterioration, and so on.

Deforestation is one of the most significant drivers of rising greenhouse gas emissions because forests also remove CO 2 from the atmosphere. Limiting global warming to 1.5°C is out of reach without immediate and significant reductions in emissions across all sectors [ 1 ]. Southeast Asia has lost regional forest cover at a rate of 1% per year over the last 15 years [ 2 ]. Deforestation has a greater impact on tropical forests than ever before, accounting for 60% of forest loss in Latin America and Southeast Asia [ 3 ]. According to the research, logging has a disproportionate impact on deforestation processes in Southeast Asia, whereas deforestation in arid and populated regions of East Africa and South Asia appears to be driven mostly by demand for fuelwood [ 4 ].

Several studies explain that potential drivers of deforestation are international trade in Brazil [ 5 ], deforestation in Amazonia due to the comparative advantages of agriculture in South America [ 6 ], agricultural products, leading to agricultural land expansion and in turn promoting deforestation [ 7 ], weak governance in developing countries with forests often leads to higher rates of deforestation [ 8 ], and about 80% of current global deforestation is supposedly due to agricultural production [ 9 ]. Thus, agriculture, grazing, the use of firewood and charcoal, and forest fires are the primary causes of deforestation. The main reasons for deforestation are poverty and rapid population growth [ 10 ].

Fragmentation occurs due to the continuous development of cities and related infrastructure. Ledig et al. [ 11 , 12 , 13 ], forest fragmentation is a broad issue that affects global forest biodiversity, ecosystem function, and ecosystem services [ 14 ], forest fragmentation can affect the forest ecosystem’s long-term health and vitality, leading to species extinction [ 15 ], increases in agriculture, logging, and urban growth during the past decades caused unprecedented losses of tropical forest [ 16 ]. Europe had the most fragmentation caused by humans, while South America had the least. Humans have fragmented or eliminated about half of the temperate broadleaf and mixed forest biomes, as well as roughly one-quarter of the tropical rainforest biome [ 17 ].

Grazing is responsible for the loss of forest and vegetation in many parts of the world where conventional forest management practices are used. Forest grazing is also common in Bhutan and the Himalayan coniferous forests [ 18 ]. Forest vegetation depletion is particularly severe in northern Ethiopia’s highlands [ 19 , 20 ]; practically all the available area is under cultivation or used for pasture and reported severe deforestation due to forest clearances [ 21 ]. The Swiss Alps have a long history of forest grazing [ 22 ]. Wood pastures are a distinguishing feature of the traditional European rural landscape [ 23 ]. Other significant factors of forest loss and degradation in the Siwaliks and midhills include overgrazing, which is a major driver in Nepal’s Siwaliks and high highlands [ 24 ].

Agricultural growth is responsible for approximately 80% of worldwide deforestation, with infrastructure improvements such as roads and dams, as well as mining and urbanization, accounting for the remaining sources of deforestation [ 25 ]. Forest removal, as well as accompanying grazing and mining activities, has increased erosion and landslides in the Dolomites, the Maritime Alps, and the south-central Italian Alps [ 26 ]. According to the mining businesses, individual miners remove significant sections of forest in Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela [ 27 , 28 ]. Forests and woods cover 22% of Africa’s total land area. Firewood is the most important forest product, as well as the primary source of energy for the majority of African families. East Africa’s annual rate of deforestation increased from 0.7% between 1981 and 1990 to 1% between 1990 and 2000 [ 29 , 30 ].

Drylands represent around 38% of the Earth’s land area, including much of North and southern Africa, western North America, Australia, the Middle East, and Central Asia. Approximately 2.7 billion people live in drylands. Because of scant and irregular rainfall as well as inadequate soil fertility, drylands are especially vulnerable to land degradation. Plowing, grazing, or deforestation, as well as poor land management and agricultural growth, all contribute to this. As a result, India, Pakistan, Zimbabwe, and Mexico have been identified as being particularly vulnerable to degradation [ 31 ].

Forest fires contribute to global greenhouse gas emissions and have the potential to harm human health. Fires are a natural aspect of the dynamics in boreal forests, while they are mostly man-made in the humid tropics. Due to a lack of trustworthy data, global trends in fire-related forest loss remain ambiguous [ 32 ]. The Forest Resources Assessment (FRA) 2020 [ 33 ] has reported a regional total of “tree cover area burned.” This was calculated by crossing a 500-m resolution burned area map [ 34 ] and a global 30-m tree cover map from the year 2000 by Hansen et al. [ 35 ].

Inadequate forest management is one of the factors contributing to the detrimental human effect on urban and suburban forests [ 36 ]. Another issue associated with the decline of forest vegetation and its consequences for human health and biodiversity is environmental degradation. Environmental degradation is due to industrial and urban emissions as well as the presence of pollutants in the atmosphere (sulfur dioxide, ozone, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter PM 10 and PM 2.5 ) and soil contaminants (heavy metals and acid deposition) [ 11 ]. Together with SO 2 , NH 3 and NOx contribute to soil acidification, habitat alteration, and biodiversity loss. Ground-level O 3 harms forests by slowing their growth [ 37 ].

Protecting, restoring, and encouraging the protection and sustainable use of terrestrial and other ecosystems are all required for the survival of various sorts of life on land. Thus, Goal 15 focuses on sustainable forest management, minimizing and reversing land and natural habitat degradation, combating desertification effectively, and ending biodiversity loss. All of these projects seek to ensure that the benefits of land-based ecosystems, such as sustainable livelihoods, are available to future generations.

2. Material and methods

2.1 review of literature.

The important literature concerning the loss of forest and biodiversity was reviewed from different dimensions. Forest assessment biodiversity related information is made by the global forest assessment reports, books, research articles, and proceedings. Climate change is a significant threat to forests, as is the link between forests and climate change, which was assessed by UNEP, the World Bank, and other published works. Other man-made implications were assessed through assessment studies, research, and publications, including difficulties in preserving ecological integrity. The assessment finds gaps in the enabling conditions that necessitate additional research and action.

2.2 Use of ArcGIS, global forest maps and database

Although global deforestation rates average 13 million hectares per year, around 30 percent of the world’s land surface is currently forested [ 38 ]. The UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) has set a target of 10% protected area coverage. The MODIS05 VCF dataset identified forest zones that did not exist in the original GFM. Plantations, shrub lands, and agricultural areas are examples of non-natural regions that could be included on the GLC 2000 map.

2.3 Assessment of geographical distribution

The world’s forests are critical for biodiversity conservation as well as climate mitigation. The use of remotely sensed data to create new forest status and forest change spatial layers has revolutionized forest monitoring around the world. The review of simulated biodiversity values uses remote sensing data on tree cover to create worldwide maps of the importance of forest biodiversity.

Many vulnerable species rely on intact forest landscapes, including “primary” forests. For more than 40 years, remote sensing has been recognized as an essential tool for understanding land cover and land use. The phrase “urban/suburban forest” is used to refer to a type of urban or suburban forest in Europe as well as one of the following categories: location; forest type (woodland), the documented, or at least indicated, problem (pressure and threat to nature), and the quality of the information source.

2.4 Assessment of forest cover and biodiversity

The USGS Land Cover Institute provided tree cover data for 2010–2017 [ 39 ]. The FAO utilizes a 10% MCC criteria to evaluate if an area has been deforested [ 40 ].

According to Hansen et al., a number of 25% can be used to calculate global deforestation [ 41 ]. As Whittaker outlined, three commonly used criteria for measuring species-level biodiversity, including measurements such as species diversity, endemism, and genetic variety, were considered to assess the consequences [ 42 ]. Because of this heterogeneity, comparably sized areas of tree cover mapped via remote sensing can vary dramatically in biological value. Remote sensing represents an important tool for looking at ecosystem diversity, forest cover, and various structural aspects of individual ecosystems. Many different forms of remote sensing sources are reviewed and assessed to provide a means to make assessments across several different spatial scales and changes in ecosystem patterns over time.

3. Results and discussion

3.1 global forest assessment.

Forests are the most important ecosystems on the planet because they include a diverse range of plant species and are home to a diverse range of animal species, including microorganism. Forests cover over 31% of the total surface area on the planet or 4.06 billion hectares (40 million square kilometers). With around 1015 million hectares of forest cover, Europe is the second-smallest continent by area. With 842 million hectares of forest cover, South America comes in forest area in second category. With 593 ha of forest, Asia, the world’s largest continent, has the second-smallest forest area. More than half of the world’s forest cover is accounted for by five countries: Russia, Brazil, Canada, the United States, and China. When it comes to our world’s forests, deforestation and degradation of forest significant issues: by 2030, nearly 47% of the world’s forests will be deforested or degraded. More than half of the world’s forest cover is accounted for by five countries: Russia, Brazil, Canada, the United States, and China. However, due to their huge size, forests cover just a small percentage of the land areas in most of these countries. Suriname, Guyana, the Federated States of Micronesia, and Gabon have the largest proportion of forest cover, with forest covering at least 90% of their land areas. More than two-thirds of the world’s total forest acreage is shared by 10 countries [ 43 ].

Russia, the world’s largest country, has by far the most forest cover. With 815 million hectares, the country possesses more than one-fifth of the world’s forest acreage (20.1 percent), making it the most wooded country on the planet. Russia’s forest cover accounts for around 45% of its entire land area and 5.5% of the global land area. Only Canada, the United States, China, and Brazil have a larger overall land area than Russia. It also accounts for around 81% of Europe’s total forest area and is the sole reason that the continent has the largest forest area among the seven continents. Russia has four categories of forest: recreational, reserve, field, and waterproof. The Russian forestry industry provides approximately $200 billion each year. The 10 countries with the most forest cover are shown in Figure 1 .

Forest cover in the world (%).

Forests are important resources for climate regulation. Every square kilometer of land in Amazonia emits 20 billion tons of water into the sky every day. That is 3 billion tons greater than the amount of water that pours out of the Amazon, the world’s most plentiful river [ 44 ]. The most serious dangers to forests around the world are deforestation and forest degradation. Deforestation occurs when forests are converted to non-forest uses such as agriculture and road development. Forest ecosystems are said to be degraded when they lose their ability to provide vital goods and services to humans and the environment. More than half of the world’s tropical forests have been destroyed since the 1960s, with more than 1 hectare destroyed or severely degraded every second. Cattle, insects, illnesses, forest fires, and other human-related activities affect an estimated 3.7 million hectares of Europe’s woods [ 45 ].

3.1.1 Deforestation

Tropical deforestation is caused by a complex interplay of natural forces (social, ecological, economic, environmental, and biophysical). The particular mix of drivers differs by region of the world, country, and locality. Population growth, density, and spatial dispersion are rarely the primary causes of deforestation. Taxation, subsidies, corruption, property rights, and other institutional elements are usually linked to economic forces. Cultural and sociopolitical variables, such as a lack of public support for forest protection and sustainable use, are also important [ 46 ]. Many areas continue to experience high rates of forest loss and degradation. Tools that can offer an integrated assessment of human impacts on forest biodiversity are needed. The modeling toolkit method proposed by Sturvetant et al. could be useful in these situations [ 47 ].

Deforestation and forest degradation are both harmful to forest health, but there is a distinction to be made. Brazil has around 497 million hectares of forest, accounting for about 12.2% of the world’s total forest area. Around 92% of Brazil’s forest is categorized as primary, which means it is carbon-dense and diversified. Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon has hit the highest annual level in a decade. However, Brazil has set a goal of slowing the pace of deforestation to 3900 sq. km annually by 2020.

In the Amazon, forest degradation is a widespread occurrence that often affects a significantly larger area than clear-cut deforestation. Each year between 2007 and 2016, an average of 11,000 km 2 of forest was degraded. In the same time period, this is twice the annual average for deforested lands. While deforestation progressed at a reasonably consistent rate during the study period, degradation fluctuated greatly over time, particularly from 2009 to 2016. The total degraded area per year fluctuated from a low of 2700 km 2 in 2014 and a high of 23,700 km 2 in 2016 [ 48 ].

The Asia-Pacific Region’s total forest area in 1990 was 733.4 million ha, 726.3 million ha in 2000, 737.8 million ha in 2005, and 740.4 million ha in 2010, accounting for approximately 18.3% of the global forest area. Deforestation in the Asia-Pacific Region has decreased from an annual loss of more than 0.7 million hectares of forest from 1990 to 2000 to an annual increase of 0.5 million hectares from 2005 to 2010. There has been a considerable decrease in the net annual gain in forest area since 2005, from about 2.3 million hectares between 2000 and 2005 to approximately 0.5 million hectares between 2005 and 2010, Figure 2 , [ 49 ].

Forest area change.

According to FRA 2020, the rate of net forest loss decreased from 7.8 million ha per year in the 1990–2000 decade to 5.2 million ha per year in the 2000–2010 decade and 4.7 million ha per year in the 2010–2020 decade. In 2015, a statistical profile of the world’s forest assessment revealed 3999 individuals and 234 nations and territories have a total forest area of 2 million hectares, with an annual change rate of 0.13%. Since 1990, the ration has dropped by 31.6%, from 4128 million hectares in 1990 to 3999 million hectares in 2015 [ 50 ]. According to the FAO, forests span approximately 3.9 billion hectares (or 9.6 billion acres), or approximately 30% of the world’s land surface. Between 2000 and 2010, the FAO estimates that around 13 million hectares of forest were converted to other uses or lost due to natural causes.

3.1.2 Biodiversity in human-modified landscapes

The persistence of biodiversity in human-modified environments is critical for conservation and the maintenance of ecosystem services. Studies of biodiversity in settings where humans live, work, and extract resources could aid in the development of sound policies. However, research should cover relevant areas, and study topic biases should not result in gaps in the evidence base. Biodiversity is an important resource on the earth, but the world is in a declining stage of biodiversity. All flora, fauna, and microbes are slowly degrading and disappearing due to human activities. Global terrestrial forests account for 75% of terrestrial gross primary output and 80% of Earth’s total plant biomass, encompassing 4.03 billion hectares or 30% of the planet’s total land area [ 51 ].

3.1.3 Assessment of carbon and human alteration

The long-term or permanent transfer of forest to other land uses is referred to as deforestation. Deforestation and forest degradation constitute roughly one-fifth of total greenhouse gas emissions globally. Deforestation can have far-reaching consequences for society and the environment, from the local to the global. Forest users and managers are concerned about deforestation because it threatens their livelihoods [ 52 ]. Forest managers can help to reduce deforestation by improving knowledge of the importance of forests in landscapes. Deforestation can also harm the production, biodiversity, and health of neighboring forests. Forests are both a source of carbon emissions and a carbon sink due to forest fires, the carbon imbalance of old trees, and other non-cleaning forest processes. Forest investment and management of existing forests to address environmental issues are potential carbon-reduction strategies [ 53 , 54 , 55 ].

Forests play an important role in the Earth’s carbon cycle, storing and releasing this vital element in a dynamic cycle of growth, decay, disturbance, and rejuvenation. Forests have helped to mitigate climate change by absorbing roughly one-quarter of the carbon released by human activities such as fossil fuel combustion. The carbon balance of the Earth is the ratio of CO 2 emissions to CO 2 uptake by oceans and terrestrial systems. Photosynthesis absorbs carbon from the atmosphere and deposits it in forests. Carbon sequestration refers to the process of carbon absorption and deposition. Since 1970, the net carbon balance has risen from 280 parts per million to more than 390 parts per million [ 56 ].

Terrestrial ecosystems are important players in the global carbon cycle. Annually, an estimated 125 Gt of carbon is exchanged between vegetation, soils, and the atmosphere. Forests account for over 80% of this exchange; research suggests that deforestation in the 1980s may have accounted for a quarter of all human carbon emissions. Carbon is stored in both live and dead biomass, including standing timber, branches, foliage, and roots, as well as litter and woody debris. Any activity that changes the amount of biomass in vegetation and soil has the ability to either absorb carbon from the atmosphere or release carbon into it. CO 2 emissions were totaled. Globally, there are approximately 3870 million acres of forest, with over 95% of it being natural. While forest areas in rich countries have stabilized, deforestation in underdeveloped countries has continued. The 2001 edition of The State of the World’s Forests highlights two recent causes of forest destruction [ 57 ].

The CO 2 levels in the atmosphere have risen from 400 parts per million (ppm) for the first time in 55 years of measurements to over 410.79 ppm in the latest CO 2 reading [ 58 ]. Human activities have emitted almost 400 petagrams of carbon (C) into the atmosphere. Human activities, such as the combustion of fossil fuels and land usage, contribute to the atmospheric CO 2 content. Plants and soils retain about 2000 PgC, with forests and forest soils containing 60% of this amount. Changes in human activities could aid in the preservation of forest carbon stores and promote more CO 2 uptake and storage [ 59 ].

3.2 Forest biodiversity

The range of living organisms that occupy forests, as well as the ecological responsibilities they play in an ecosystem, is referred to as forest biological diversity. It includes not just trees, but also the numerous plants, animals, microorganisms, and species that live within them. Forest biological diversity can be considered at several levels, including ecosystem, landscape, species, population, and genetic. According to the state of the world’s forests 2020, the majority of the Earth’s terrestrial biodiversity is found in forests. Forests provide habitat for 80% of amphibian species, 75% of bird species, and 68% of mammalian species. A number of fish and shellfish species use mangroves as breeding grounds and nurseries. They help to collect sediments that would otherwise harm seagrass meadows and coral reefs.

It listed 2.12 million species in the world in 2020. Figure 3 shows that the number of described species in the world is 105 million insects, over 11,000 birds, over 11,000 reptiles, and over 6000 mammals [ 60 ].

Numbers of described species in the world.

The overall variability of life on Earth is characterized as global biodiversity. The current number of species on Earth is estimated to be between 2 million and 1 trillion [ 61 ]. Biodiversity has increased and decreased over time for (supposedly) abiotic reasons such as climate change. Biodiversity loss involves both the global extinction of many species and the local decline or loss of species in a specific environment. The latter phenomena can be either temporary or permanent, depending on whether the environmental deterioration that causes the loss is reversible via ecological restoration or ecological resilience or is effectively permanent [ 62 , 63 ].

3.3 Impacts and changes due to human intervention

Ecological succession is the relatively predictable shift in forest types over time, typically decades. Environmental factors such as soil type, water regimes, vegetation history, climate, and invasive species all have an impact on succession. All of these characteristics are influenced by humans, yet the relationship between them and humans might be ambiguous.

Forest lands are increasingly under development pressure, which may result in parcelization and fragmentation. When the forest canopy is dissected for houses, lawns, roadways, and other infrastructure, this is referred to as fragmentation. The annual net loss of forest area decreased from 7.8 million hectares in the 1990s to 4.7 million hectares from 2010 to 2020 [ 64 ]. The presence of more humans in the landscape raises the chance of exotic invasive species spreading. Invasive characteristics in native species can sometimes be promoted. Human impacts on forests have altered key biological traits, allowing species such as deer, Pennsylvania sedge, and ironwood to become invasive at times.

These native species have, in turn, weakened ecological dynamics even further. Although the effects of climate change have been clearly documented, the effects on forests have been more difficult to determine. Predictions of future forest effects are much less trustworthy. Changes in carbon dioxide levels, land use, natural cycles, and other factors all have an impact on climate change. Temperature, precipitation, and extreme events are all showing the consequences.

The best way for forest owners to prepare their woods for change and work with change is to actively manage to lessen environmental stress. Forest management, including timber harvesting, has been shown to increase commodities and services. Management leads to a more resilient and healthier forest.

The increase and contraction of forest cover are erratic. Deserts, farms, and urban areas flow all over the world, and although some countries are rapidly removing trees from their ecosystems, others are increasing their forest cover. Since 1990, the world’s forested land area has shrunk by 2 million square miles (3.1 million square kilometers), with the majority of the losses occurring in South America and Sub-Saharan Africa. Human activities have put a significant burden on the Amazon Rainforest, one of the world’s most important carbon sinks, in recent decades. Brazil’s expanding road network has been critical to economic success, but the landscape has frequently suffered as the country’s GDP per capita rises [ 65 ].

Deforestation disrupts ecosystems that are essential to both animals and humans. Every year, we take down more than 15 billion trees. Humans have transformed 420 million hectares of wooded land into different uses since 1990. Over one billion acres of forest have been removed to make space for strip mining, cattle grazing, and industrial sprawl. Animal feces from factory farms pollute the air, water, and land, hastening climate change. More greenhouse gas emissions from industrial agriculture remain in the atmosphere when forests are cut down. Forests operate as a “carbon sink,” collecting CO 2 and converting it into the oxygen we breathe [ 66 ].

During Australia’s “Black Summer” season, which began on January 1, 2019, more than 24 million hectares (59 million acres) were burned. Fires raged through forests in Victoria, Queensland, and New South Wales for 8 months. More than 510,000 hectares were burned in one incident (1.26 million acres). The total area burned during the Black Summer is believed to be 24 million hectares (59 million acres), nearly the size of the whole United Kingdom [ 67 ].

The main causes of deforestation are forest fire, livestock grazing, commercial agriculture, growing animal feed, excessive use of palm oil, illegal logging, mining extraction, paper production, urbanization, and desertification of land. People who live near woods bear the brunt of deforestation’s consequences. Forests are home to millions of wild animal and plant species. When humans destroy trees for short-term economic gain, we endanger our species’ long-term survival. Thus, each nation must first protect the natural forests and biodiversity, cope with development in an environmentally friendly manner, mitigate long-term impacts onsite, promote plantation, protect natural habitats, and control environmental pollution.

4. Conclusion

Forest lands are increasingly being pressured for development, which may result in parcelization and fragmentation. Fragmentation occurs when the forest canopy is cut up for houses, lawns, roadways, and other infrastructure. The increased presence of people increases the likelihood of exotic invasive species spreading. Since 1990, the world’s forested acreage has shrunk by 2 million square miles (3.1 million square kilometers). Forests act as “carbon sinks,” absorbing CO 2 and turning it into the oxygen we breathe. More than one billion acres of forest have been cleared to make way for strip mining, cattle grazing, and industrial sprawl.

One of the major contributors to increased greenhouse gas emissions is deforestation. Deforestation is responsible for 60% of forest loss in Latin America and Southeast Asia. Poverty and rapid population expansion are the primary causes of deforestation. Agricultural output is said to be responsible for over 80% of current world deforestation. Forest fragmentation can have a long-term impact on the health and vitality of the forest ecosystem. Human-caused fragmentation was greatest in Europe, whereas it was least in South America. Forest removal, as well as accompanying grazing and mining activities, has exacerbated erosion and landslides in the Dolomites, the Maritime Alps, and the south-central Italian Alps.

Drylands cover around 38% of the Earth’s land surface. Much of northern and southern Africa, western North America, Australia, the Middle East, and Central Asia are among them. Land degradation has been noted as a specific threat in India, Pakistan, Zimbabwe, and Mexico. Inadequate forest management is one of the elements contributing to the negative human impact on urban and suburban forests. Pollutants in the atmosphere, as well as emissions from industry and cities (sulfur dioxide, ozone, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter PM 10 and PM 2.5 ), all contribute to environmental degradation.

Biodiversity is a valuable resource on the planet, but the globe is experiencing a decline in biodiversity. Biodiversity research in areas where humans live, work, and extract resources may contribute to the formulation of sensible policy. However, research should cover important topics, and study topic biases should not result in evidence gaps. Extinction and speciation have an impact on global biodiversity. Mammal species, for example, have a mean life span of 1 million years. Biodiversity has increased and decreased over time for (supposedly) abiotic reasons.

The primary causes of global deforestation are logging, shifting agriculture, agricultural expansion, and urbanization. To reverse deforestation and biodiversity loss, we must alter our food systems. Agribusinesses must follow through on their commitments to deforestation-free commodity chains. People who live near woodlands bear the brunt of the repercussions of deforestation. Millions of wild animals and plant species live in forests. When humans damage trees for short-term economic benefit, we threaten the long-term existence of our species. Each country must first safeguard its natural forests and wildlife.

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The value of vegetation in nature-based solutions: roles, challenges, and utilization in managing different environmental and climate-related problems.

1. Introduction

2. bioretention as a type of nbs: background and applications.

Click here to enlarge figure

3. Plant Utilization for BRs in Response to Stress from Flooding and Different Contaminants Found in Stormwater

4. vegetation performance and adaptivity to different climatic regions and associated challenges, 5. plants effectiveness according to vegetation establishment time, 6. utilization of vegetation in brs according to their distribution and plant groups.

7. Species That Produce Food and Retain Runoff

8. linkage between vegetation morphology and adaptability to fluctuating environmental and climatic conditions in brs.

9. Planting for Biodiversity: Healthy Habitats Supported by BRs Vegetation

10. concluding remarks and future perspectives in utilization of vegetation in brs towards resolving environmental challenges.

• Perennial vegetation most often receives significant attention in BRs, leading to a concentration of studies on the utilization of grasses, sedges, and other perennials;
• Species belonging to the family Poaceae, Myrtaceae, Asteraceae, and Cyperaceae have, in particular, demonstrated high efficiency in toxic substance removal from contaminated water in diverse geographical locations. Similar to the family Poaceae, the family Myrtaceae is one of the most significant plant families that comprise the numerous globally scattered genera of ecological and economic value [ 135 ], while the family Asteraceae is considered to be important in urban contexts as a sustainable design tool for phytoremediation and increasing biodiversity [ 136 ];
• According to reviewed studies, the most significant plant species belonging to the family Asteraceae that are utilized in BRs are Aster nova angliae , followed by Rudbeckia sp., Echinacea purpurea L., and Liatris spicata L. From the family Poaceae, notable species include Miscanthus sinensis Andersson., Panicum virgatum Muhl., and Phragmites australis (Cav.) Steud.; from the family Myrtaceae— Melaleuca ericifolia Andrews and Leptospermum continentale Joy Thomps; and from the family Cyperaceae, the most utilized plant species belong to the genus Carex ;
• Plants like Miscanthus sinensis Andersson are highly utilized in BRs because of their high biomass and resistance to different water levels and different pollutants like heavy metals and pathogens. Likewise, plants from the genus Juncus have also been shown to be resistant to waterlogging, drought, and salt, and it is recommended that they be included in BRs within various geographic locations. Plants from the genus Iris also contributed to the increase in water quality while simultaneously surviving different biotic and abiotic stresses. Additionally, Panicum virgatum L. is an effective plant species that can be involved in BRs for various water treatment goals;
• The statements about the survival of some plant species at different temperatures need to be taken cautiously. For example, although Canna indica L. (family Cannaceae) is considered to survive the winter, it was shown that the lowest survival temperature recorded for this plant was actually −7.4 °C [ 137 ];
• It can be concluded that plants with high above-ground biomass rhizomes show the highest potential for pollutant accumulation because it has been recorded that the pollutants are mainly accumulated in the roots and biomass of the plants;
• Plants for different moisture levels in BRs are mainly being chosen due to their naturally occurring habitats (wetland, terrestrial, etc.). However, it is often suggested to choose native plant species of a geographical area, adapted to the living conditions of the specific area, that are more suited to the local climate zone;
• A community with a modest number of species is likely to be more resilient than one with fewer species in terms of ground cover, soil conservation, runoff, and productivity. Because not all species will be affected equally by environmental changes, pests, and diseases, a planting palette with greater diversity replicates more natural systems and has intrinsic resilience against these threats.

Supplementary Materials

Author contributions, institutional review board statement, informed consent statement, data availability statement, conflicts of interest.

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Share and Cite

Greksa, A.; Ljubojević, M.; Blagojević, B. The Value of Vegetation in Nature-Based Solutions: Roles, Challenges, and Utilization in Managing Different Environmental and Climate-Related Problems. Sustainability 2024 , 16 , 3273. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16083273

Greksa A, Ljubojević M, Blagojević B. The Value of Vegetation in Nature-Based Solutions: Roles, Challenges, and Utilization in Managing Different Environmental and Climate-Related Problems. Sustainability . 2024; 16(8):3273. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16083273

Greksa, Amela, Mirjana Ljubojević, and Boško Blagojević. 2024. "The Value of Vegetation in Nature-Based Solutions: Roles, Challenges, and Utilization in Managing Different Environmental and Climate-Related Problems" Sustainability 16, no. 8: 3273. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16083273

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Why do forests matter?

Forests cover one-third of the earth's land mass, serving as critical pillars for both environmental health and human well-being..

These ecosystems are not only the home to over half of the world’s terrestrial species but also play a pivotal role in combating climate change through their natural processes of carbon sequestration. Known as forest mitigation, this process is essential in reducing the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, thus averting more extreme global temperature rises.

Climate mitigation potential of forests

Recognizing forests' role in achieving a sustainable future is crucial, especially in the context of limiting global warming to 1.5°C.  This goal is unattainable without significant contributions from forests, which can be realized through ending deforestation and enhancing forest management and reforestation efforts. 

 The  mitigation potential of forests, estimated between 4.1 and 6.5 GtCO2e by 2030, highlights their indispensable role in meeting international climate goals. Forest conservation, sustainable management and restoration practices offer a cost-effective means of climate mitigation, potentially accounting for up to 30% of the available mitigation measures over the next decade.

Benefits of forest: beyond carbon storage 

Forests provide a multitude of benefits that are crucial for the health of our planet and the well-being of its inhabitants. Beyond their critical role in carbon storage, forests serve as vital shields against extreme weather conditions, such as storms and floods. They are essential in supplying drinking water to nearly half of the world’s largest cities, highlighting their significance in our daily lives. Forests also offer invaluable resources and protection for communities that rely on them for their livelihoods and security.

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is at the forefront of efforts to ensure that forests around the globe are preserved and managed sustainably. These efforts aim to secure a healthier future for both people and the environment, acknowledging the profound connection between human well-being and the natural world.

Urgent action is needed now more than ever

Despite these benefits, the world faces the challenge of ongoing deforestation, which is a major contributor to as much as 21% of total greenhouse gas emissions attributed to the agriculture, forestry and other land use sector. The impact of deforestation is profound, undermining climate resilience efforts and threatening the livelihoods of forest-dwelling communities. The primary drivers of tropical deforestation include the production of commodities like palm oil, beef, soy, and timber, which necessitates a shift towards decoupling commodity production from forest loss.

Addressing this challenge requires a multifaceted approach, as outlined by UNEP, focusing on enhancing knowledge, creating enabling conditions, and securing finance for forest protection and sustainable management. The UN-REDD Programme, the UN Decade for Ecosystem Restoration, and other initiatives play vital roles in this effort.

Additionally, recent efforts by tropical forest countries, underpinned by international frameworks and funding mechanisms, have started to yield credible and beneficial mitigation outcomes. Yet, to fully unleash forests' mitigation potential and contribute to Paris commitments and biodiversity targets, a coherent planning and financing pathway is essential. This need becomes even more pressing as we approach key milestones such as COP30, aiming for significant progress in forest conservation and climate action by 2030.

Investing in forests not only addresses climate change and biodiversity loss but also offers substantial economic returns and job creation opportunities. By prioritizing forests in global political agendas, we can ensure a sustainable future for all.

The potential gains are enormous: By investing $30 billion in fighting deforestation, we can earn a return of $2.5 trillion in saved products and services. Targeted investments in forestry can also generate up to millions of jobs.

We catalyse and support such investments by generating knowledge on the socioeconomic value of forest ecosystem services; promoting cross-sectoral awareness; supporting planning and policy reforms; and developing capacity in developing countries.

Many leaders have already glimpsed the potential for renewable energy and nature-based assets. But for the world to see a true transformation in forest management, forests need to become a universal political priority.

Learn more about the state of forests here.

Learn more about the importance of forests here .

Related Sustainable Development Goals

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Why is biodiversity important?

Biodiversity is essential for the processes that support all life on Earth, including humans. Without a wide range of animals, plants and microorganisms, we cannot have the healthy ecosystems that we rely on to provide us with the air we breathe and the food we eat. And people also value nature of itself.

Some aspects of biodiversity are instinctively widely valued by people but the more we study biodiversity the more we see that all of it is important – even bugs and bacteria that we can’t see or may not like the look of. There are lots of ways that humans depend upon biodiversity and it is vital for us to conserve it. Pollinators such as birds, bees and other insects are estimated to be responsible for a third of the world’s crop production. Without pollinators we would not have apples, cherries, blueberries, almonds and many other foods we eat. Agriculture is also reliant upon invertebrates – they help to maintain the health of the soil crops grow in.  Soil is teeming with microbes that are vital for liberating nutrients that plants need to grow, which are then also passed to us when we eat them. Life from the oceans provides the main source of animal protein for many people.

Trees, bushes and wetlands and wild grasslands naturally slow down water and help soil to absorb rainfall. When they are removed it can increase flooding. Trees and other plants clean the air we breathe and help us tackle the global challenge of climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide. Coral reefs and mangrove forests act as natural defences protecting coastlines from waves and storms. 

Many of our medicines, along with other complex chemicals that we use in our daily lives such as latex and rubber, also originate from plants. Spending time in nature is increasingly understood to lead to improvements in people’s physical and mental health. Simply having green spaces and trees in cities has been shown to decrease hospital admissions, reduce stress and lower blood pressure.

Further reading

Plural valuation of nature matters for environmental sustainability and justice by Berta Martin-Lopez, Social-Ecological Systems Institute, Faculty of Sustainability, Leuphana University of Lüneburg, Germany

Climate change and biodiversity

Human activities are changing the climate. Science can help us understand what we are doing to habitats and the climate, but also find solutions.

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Earth’s natural resources include air, water, soil, minerals, plants, and animals. Conservation is the practice of caring for these resources so all living things can benefit from them now and in the future.

Biology, Ecology, Earth Science, Geography, Geology, Conservation

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Earth ’s natural resources include air , water , soil , minerals , fuels , plants, and animals. Conservation is the practice of caring for these resources so all living things can benefit from them now and in the future. All the things we need to survive , such as food , water, air, and shelter , come from natural resources. Some of these resources, like small plants, can be replaced quickly after they are used. Others, like large trees, take a long time to replace. These are renewable resources . Other resources, such as fossil fuels , cannot be replaced at all. Once they are used up, they are gone f orever . These are nonrenewable resources . People often waste natural resources. Animals are overhunted . Forests are cleared, exposing land to wind and water damage. Fertile soil is exhausted and lost to erosion because of poor farming practices. Fuel supplies are depleted . Water and air are polluted . If resources are carelessly managed, many will be used up. If used wisely and efficiently , however, renewable resources will last much longer. Through conservation, people can reduce waste and manage natural resources wisely. The population of human beings has grown enormously in the past two centuries. Billions of people use up resources quickly as they eat food, build houses, produce goods, and burn fuel for transportation and electricity . The continuation of life as we know it depends on the careful use of natural resources. The need to conserve resources often conflicts with other needs. For some people, a wooded area may be a good place to put a farm. A timber company may want to harvest the area’s trees for construction materials. A business may want to build a factory or shopping mall on the land. All these needs are valid, but sometimes the plants and animals that live in the area are forgotten. The benefits of development need to be weighed against the harm to animals that may be forced to find new habitats , the depletion of resources we may want in the future (such as water or timber), or damage to resources we use today. Development and conservation can coexist in harmony. When we use the environment in ways that ensure we have resources for the future, it is called sustainable development . There are many different resources we need to conserve in order to live sustainably. Forests A forest is a large area covered with trees grouped so their foliage shades the ground. Every continent except Antarctica has forests, from the evergreen -filled boreal forests of the north to mangrove forests in tropical wetlands . Forests are home to more than two-thirds of all known land species . Tropical rainforests are especially rich in biodiversity . Forests provide habitats for animals and plants. They store carbon , helping reduce global warming . They protect soil by reducing runoff . They add nutrients to the soil through leaf litter . They provide people with lumber and firewood. Deforestation is the process of clearing away forests by cutting them down or burning them. People clear forests to use the wood, or to make way for farming or development. Each year, Earth loses about 14.6 million hectares (36 million acres) of forest to deforestation—an area about the size of the U.S. state of New York. Deforestation destroys wildlife habitats and increases soil erosion. It also releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere , contributing to global warming. Deforestation accounts for 15 percent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. Deforestation also harms the people who rely on forests for their survival, hunting and gathering, harvesting forest products, or using the timber for firewood. About half of all the forests on Earth are in the tropics —an area that circles the globe near the Equator . Although tropical forests cover fewer than 6 percent of the world’s land area, they are home to about 80 percent of the world’s documented species. For example, more than 500 different species of trees live in the forests on the small U.S. island of Puerto Rico in the Caribbean Sea. Tropical forests give us many valuable products, including woods like mahogany and teak , rubber , fruits, nuts, and flowers. Many of the medicines we use today come from plants found only in tropical rainforests. These include quinine , a malaria drug; curare , an anesthetic used in surgery; and rosy periwinkle , which is used to treat certain types of cancer . Sustainable forestry practices are critical for ensuring we have these resources well into the future. One of these practices is leaving some trees to die and decay naturally in the forest. This “ deadwood ” builds up soil. Other sustainable forestry methods include using low-impact logging practices, harvesting with natural regeneration in mind, and avoiding certain logging techniques , such as removing all the high-value trees or all the largest trees from a forest. Trees can also be conserved if consumers recycle . People in China and Mexico, for example, reuse much of their wastepaper, including writing paper, wrapping paper, and cardboard. If half the world’s paper were recycled, much of the worldwide demand for new paper would be fulfilled, saving many of Earth’s trees. We can also replace some wood products with alternatives like bamboo , which is actually a type of grass. Soil Soil is vital to food production. We need high-quality soil to grow the crops that we eat and feed to livestock . Soil is also important to plants that grow in the wild. Many other types of conservation efforts, such as plant conservation and animal conservation, depend on soil conservation. Poor farming methods, such as repeatedly planting the same crop in the same place, called monoculture , deplete nutrients in the soil. Soil erosion by water and wind increases when farmers plow up and down hills. One soil conservation method is called contour strip cropping . Several crops, such as corn, wheat, and clover , are planted in alternating strips across a slope or across the path of the prevailing wind . Different crops, with different root systems and leaves, help slow erosion.

Harvesting all the trees from a large area, a practice called clearcutting , increases the chances of losing productive topsoil to wind and water erosion. Selective harvesting —the practice of removing individual trees or small groups of trees—leaves other trees standing to anchor the soil. Biodiversity Biodiversity is the variety of living things that populate Earth. The products and benefits we get from nature rely on biodiversity. We need a rich mixture of living things to provide foods, building materials, and medicines, as well as to maintain a clean and healthy landscape . When a species becomes extinct , it is lost to the world forever. Scientists estimate that the current rate of extinction is 1,000 times the natural rate. Through hunting, pollution , habitat destruction, and contribution to global warming, people are speeding up the loss of biodiversity at an alarming rate. It’s hard to know how many species are going extinct because the total number of species is unknown. Scientists discover thousands of new species every year. For example, after looking at just 19 trees in Panama, scientists found 1,200 different species of beetles—80 percent of them unknown to science at the time. Based on various estimates of the number of species on Earth, we could be losing anywhere from 200 to 100,000 species each year. We need to protect biodiversity to ensure we have plentiful and varied food sources. This is true even if we don’t eat a species threatened with extinction because something we do eat may depend on that species for survival. Some predators are useful for keeping the populations of other animals at manageable levels. The extinction of a major predator might mean there are more herbivores looking for food in people’s gardens and farms. Biodiversity is important for more than just food. For instance, we use between 50,000 to 70,000 plant species for medicines worldwide. The Great Barrier Reef , a coral reef off the coast of northeastern Australia, contributes about $6 billion to the nation’s economy through commercial fishing , tourism , and other recreational activities. If the coral reef dies, many of the fish, shellfish , marine mammals , and plants will die, too. Some governments have established parks and preserves to protect wildlife and their habitats. They are also working to abolish hunting and fishing practices that may cause the extinction of some species. Fossil Fuels Fossil fuels are fuels produced from the remains of ancient plants and animals. They include coal , petroleum (oil), and natural gas . People rely on fossil fuels to power vehicles like cars and airplanes, to produce electricity, and to cook and provide heat. In addition, many of the products we use today are made from petroleum. These include plastics , synthetic rubber, fabrics like nylon , medicines, cosmetics , waxes, cleaning products, medical devices, and even bubblegum.

Fossil fuels formed over millions of years. Once we use them up, we cannot replace them. Fossil fuels are a nonrenewable resource. We need to conserve fossil fuels so we don’t run out. However, there are other good reasons to limit our fossil fuel use. These fuels pollute the air when they are burned. Burning fossil fuels also releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, contributing to global warming. Global warming is changing ecosystems . The oceans are becoming warmer and more acidic , which threatens sea life. Sea levels are rising, posing risks to coastal communities. Many areas are experiencing more droughts , while others suffer from flooding . Scientists are exploring alternatives to fossil fuels. They are trying to produce renewable biofuels to power cars and trucks. They are looking to produce electricity using the sun, wind, water, and geothermal energy — Earth’s natural heat. Everyone can help conserve fossil fuels by using them carefully. Turn off lights and other electronics when you are not using them. Purchase energy-efficient appliances and weatherproof your home. Walk, ride a bike, carpool , and use public transportation whenever possible. Minerals Earth’s supply of raw mineral resources is in danger. Many mineral deposits that have been located and mapped have been depleted. As the ores for minerals like aluminum and iron become harder to find and extract , their prices skyrocket . This makes tools and machinery more expensive to purchase and operate. Many mining methods, such as mountaintop removal mining (MTR) , devastate the environment. They destroy soil, plants, and animal habitats. Many mining methods also pollute water and air, as toxic chemicals leak into the surrounding ecosystem. Conservation efforts in areas like Chile and the Appalachian Mountains in the eastern United States often promote more sustainable mining methods. Less wasteful mining methods and the recycling of materials will help conserve mineral resources. In Japan, for example, car manufacturers recycle many raw materials used in making automobiles. In the United States, nearly one-third of the iron produced comes from recycled automobiles. Electronic devices present a big problem for conservation because technology changes so quickly. For example, consumers typically replace their cell phones every 18 months. Computers, televisions, and mp3 players are other products contributing to “ e-waste .” The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that Americans generated more than three million tons of e-waste in 2007. Electronic products contain minerals as well as petroleum-based plastics. Many of them also contain hazardous materials that can leach out of landfills into the soil and water supply. Many governments are passing laws requiring manufacturers to recycle used electronics. Recycling not only keeps materials out of landfills, but it also reduces the energy used to produce new products. For instance, recycling aluminum saves 90 percent of the energy that would be required to mine new aluminum.

Water Water is a renewable resource. We will not run out of water the way we might run out of fossil fuels. The amount of water on Earth always remains the same. However, most of the planet’s water is unavailable for human use. While more than 70 percent of Earth’s surface is covered by water, only 2.5 percent of it is freshwater . Out of that freshwater, almost 70 percent is permanently frozen in the ice caps covering Antarctica and Greenland. Only about 1 percent of the freshwater on Earth is available for people to use for drinking, bathing, and irrigating crops. People in many regions of the world suffer water shortages . These are caused by depletion of underground water sources known as aquifers , a lack of rainfall due to drought, or pollution of water supplies. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 2.6 billion people lack adequate water sanitation . More than five million people die each year from diseases caused by using polluted water for drinking, cooking, or washing. About one-third of Earth’s population lives in areas that are experiencing water stress . Most of these areas are in developing countries. Polluted water hurts the environment as well as people. For instance, agricultural runoff—the water that runs off of farmland—can contain fertilizers and pesticides . When this water gets into streams , rivers , and oceans, it can harm the organisms that live in or drink from those water sources. People can conserve and protect water supplies in many ways. Individuals can limit water use by fixing leaky faucets, taking shorter showers, planting drought-resistant plants, and buying low-water-use appliances. Governments, businesses, and nonprofit organizations can help developing countries build sanitation facilities. Farmers can change some of their practices to reduce polluted runoff. This includes limiting overgrazing , avoiding over-irrigation, and using alternatives to chemical pesticides whenever possible. Conservation Groups Businesses, international organizations , and some governments are involved in conservation efforts. The United Nations (UN) encourages the creation of national parks around the world. The UN also established World Water Day, an event to raise awareness and promote water conservation. Governments enact laws defining how land should be used and which areas should be set aside as parks and wildlife preserves. Governments also enforce laws designed to protect the environment from pollution, such as requiring factories to install pollution-control devices. Finally, governments often provide incentives for conserving resources, using clean technologies, and recycling used goods. Many international organizations are dedicated to conservation. Members support causes such as saving rain forests, protecting threatened animals, and cleaning up the air. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is an alliance of governments and private groups founded in 1948. The IUCN works to protect wildlife and habitats. In 1980, the group proposed a world conservation strategy . Many governments have used the IUCN model to develop their own conservation plans. In addition, the IUCN monitors the status of endangered wildlife, threatened national parks and preserves, and other environments around the world. Zoos and botanical gardens also work to protect wildlife. Many zoos raise and breed endangered animals to increase their populations. They conduct research and help educate the public about endangered species . For instance, the San Diego Zoo in the U.S. state of California runs a variety of research programs on topics ranging from disease control in amphibians to heart-healthy diets for gorillas. Scientists at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in London, England, work to protect plant life around the world. Kew’s Millennium Seed Bank , for example, works with partners in 54 countries to protect biodiversity through seed collection. Kew researchers are also exploring how DNA technology can help restore damaged habitats. Individuals can do many things to help conserve resources. Turning off lights, repairing leaky faucets, and recycling paper, aluminum cans, glass, and plastic are just a few examples. Riding bikes, walking, carpooling, and using public transportation all help conserve fuel and reduce the amount of pollutants released into the environment. Individuals can plant trees to create homes for birds and squirrels. At grocery stores, people can bring their own reusable bags. And people can carry reusable water bottles and coffee mugs rather than using disposable containers. If each of us would conserve in small ways, the result would be a major conservation effort.

Tree Huggers The Chipko Movement, which is dedicated to saving trees, was started by villagers in Uttar Pradesh, India. Chipko means hold fast or embrace. The villagers flung their arms around trees to keep loggers from cutting them down. The villagers won, and Uttar Pradesh banned the felling of trees in the Himalayan foothills. The movement has since expanded to other parts of India.

Thirsty Food People require about 2 to 4 liters of drinking water each day. However, a day's worth of food requires 2,000 to 5,000 liters of water to produce. It takes more water to produce meat than to produce plant-based foods.

Tiger, Tiger Tigers are dangerous animals, but they have more to fear from us than we have to fear from them. Today there are only about 3,200 tigers living in the wild. Three tiger subspecies the Bali, Caspian, and Javan tigers have gone extinct in the past century. Many organizations are working hard to protect the remaining tigers from illegal hunting and habitat loss.

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Geography Notes

Essay on wildlife: top 6 essays | natural resources | geography.

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Here is a compilation of essays on ‘Wildlife’ for class 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12. Find paragraphs, long and short essays on ‘Wildlife’ especially written for school and college students.

Essay on Wildlife

Essay Contents:

• Essay on the Conservation of Wildlife

1. Essay on the Introduction to Wildlife:

Wildlife comprises all living organisms (plants, animals, micro-organisms) in their natural habitats which are neither cultivated/domesticated nor tamed. But in its strictest sense, it includes uncultivated mammals, reptiles, birds and fishes etc. which are generally hunted.

In broad sense, wildlife includes whole fauna and flora found in wilderness zone (natural habitat).

According to Indian Board for Wildlife (IBWL), 1970:

“Wildlife is the whole native and uncultivated fauna and flora of a particular country.”

According to Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972:

“Wildlife includes any animal, bees, butterflies, crustacea, fish and moths; and aquatic or land vegetation which form part of any habitat”.

In this definition, the word “animal” has come which according to the same Act means “Animals includes amphibians, birds, mammals and reptiles and their young, and also includes in the cases of birds and reptiles, their eggs.” 

Again in the same definition, the word “habitat” has come which according to the same Act means “Habitat includes land, water or vegetation which is the natural home of any wild animal.”

Again in the same Act “Wild animals” means “Any animal found wild in nature and includes any animal specified in Schedule I, II, III, IV or V wherever found”.

According to Indian Forest Records (1965) “Wildlife are living things that are neither human nor domesticated and are applied specially to mammals, birds, reptiles and fishes which are hunted.”

Hence, in broad sense, wildlife includes whole flora and fauna found in its natural habitat (wilderness zone) which embraces all living organisms. But in strict sense, it includes animal, birds, amphibians, mammals, reptiles, bees, butterflies, fish, their young and eggs and their habitat (i.e. land, water and vegetation which are their natural home).

But again in the strictest sense, wildlife includes mammals, birds, reptiles and fishes which are uncultivated (not domesticated, not tamed) and generally hunted.

2. Essay on Wildlife as Land-Use/Land-Use Planning/Multiple-Use Concept :

The present world, especially developing countries including India, is facing problems of over-population, poverty and illiteracy. There is tremendous growth in human population at a very fast pace and consequently causing depletion of natural resources day-by-day. The land and the natural resources are limited but the numbers of mouths to feed are going up and up.

Under such circumstances, it is really very difficult task to protect, propagate and strive for place to the wildlife. Thus, realizing the conditions of various sectors of our country particularly socio-economic life, the wildlife must be managed and guided by the efficient and intensive land-use concept.

We should propagate the wildlife through the concept of various ways by educating and motivating the public taking economical benefits from the wildlife, the renewable natural resources, for the common mass. This is possible through the concept of multiple-use of the land. Hence, multiple-use concept means that the resources not only keeping in only one use, should be utilized or used in multiple uses or directions so that maximum productions or benefits may be taken from it.

The soil is the most important resource of this earth. We cannot imagine life without it. If soil is used only for agriculture, horticulture and forestry, there will be only one type of production at a time; but if it is utilized for multiple-uses, we will get more than one production at a time.

For example, if in the lands suited for agricultural crops, the fast growing trees (forest crops) are planted on bunds (which remain vacant) then we will get fuel food, fodder for livestock, wood for agricultural implements, poles etc. in addition to the agricultural crops.

It along with this tree planting on bunds, some game birds like quails, partridge, and jungle fowl etc. which are harmless to the agricultural crops and live in agricultural fields are reared or left there; then after sometimes the villagers may be allowed to hunt them and taking fees. In this way; from agricultural fields, in addition to agricultural crops, benefits may be taken as fuel wood, fodder, wood timber, hunting etc. also.

The land is classified on the basis of the fertility and texture of the soil. On this very basis, the land is divided and distributed into various sectors such as agriculture, horticulture, forestry and so on for its proper utilization. The last type of land which is unfertile, degraded, marginal and which cannot be used for any other purpose should be merely ear­marked for wildlife including forest.

Applying modern wildlife management techniques on such land, we can get benefits through tourism; trade in general and scientific field etc. and at the same time preservation and propagation of wildlife will also be achieved. Thus, it will serve the purposes of conservation of rare and threatened species, soil and water conservation, and enhancement of our economy up to a certain extent.

Since wildlife is also a kind of land-use as a renewable crop; soil, water, air etc. are needed for them. If this land-use is also kept separate like other land-uses (agriculture, horticulture etc.), there will be problem in meeting the land for them as land is limited and upon this the first priority is of agriculture to feed the human-beings (to solve food problems of mankind).

The lands which are not suitable for agriculture and horticulture, they are lastly used for forestry and wildlife. But when there is scarcity of agricultural/horticultural lands, wherefrom the land will come for wildlife. Under such circumstances; seeing the importance of wildlife, it may be linked with other land-uses in such a way that the revenue from the main land-use may be meeting and simultaneously the wildlife may also be conserved and propagated imparting benefits to the mankind.

Developed countries have already taken steps in this direction and wildlife is viewed as a land-use and most of the wildlife in these countries are seen in the individual farms, trade centres, national parks, sanctuaries and zoos. It shows the outlook of developed countries towards the wildlife. Similar sectors of economic activities in India can be identified in each area of the country depending upon land-use pattern.

The selection also depends upon the potential and type of wild fauna present in that particular area. For instance, breeding of suitable birds should be encouraged in certain area which should be closed for a certain period and then opened up so that people may be allowed hunting, if necessary, and government may get revenue. Similarly, trade may be dealt in silk, lac, feathers, wool, fats and oils, wild meat etc. if individual farms are set-up.

Along with main land-uses like the agriculture and forestry, wildlife as land-use may be linked as follows:

(i) In Forestry:

First of all; the forest should be divided as per the objectives such as protected forest, production forest, less productive and in the form of rivers and nallahs. Therefore, the forest area which is not so important from timber production point of view is very much important from wildlife management point of view and should be the main objective for wildlife in such area.

The forest area which is important for timber production point of view, wildlife management may be less important. But this area may also be managed which can meet the demands of wildlife propagation without hampering forest production.

(ii) In Agriculture:

In villages, there are some barren and degraded lands, village roads, rivers and nallahs which are not suitable for agricultural crops. In such areas, management should be done in such a way that it may suit for certain wildlife. Bushes may be grown in degraded and barren lands.

These will help as shelter for small wild animals, birds etc. as well as will provide fodder for livestock. In such areas, game birds like partridge, quails, jungle fowls etc. may be grown which will give revenue after some time by allowing hunting through paying fees. Apart from this, pisciculture may also be developed in ponds of the villages to get handsome revenue.

Hence, in our country, there is ample chance to link wildlife as land-use with the other land-uses on the basis of the multiple-use concept by understanding wildlife as important land-use for nature, environment, eco-balance and ultimately human-life.

It involves a challenging task of wildlife resource mobilization, efficient land-use and integration of wildlife economics with the basic planning objectives. This prospective should form a part of our overall developmental strategy so that we can save, preserve, conserve and propagate our remaining national valuable wildlife heritage up to the mark.

In nutshell, it can be said that we must divide the land into several categories depending upon the quality of land and its uses for various purposes such as agriculture, horticulture, forestry etc. The land; which is unfertile, degraded and where the land cannot be used otherwise for any other purpose should be exclusively utilized for wildlife.

By applying modern management techniques, we can get economical profit from such kinds of lands by promoting tourism, scientific trade and other related business. It will serve the twin purposes like conservation of rare and threatened species as well as conservation of soil and water, and thus dragging our economy towards-prosperity.

Overall; in our country, there is urgent need of different sectors/departments like forestry, agriculture, veterinary, watershed management, fishery etc. to be interlinked in order to come together and work in full collaboration for finalizing and suggesting the proper utility and suitability of the particular piece of land so that each and every piece of land may be utilized in proper way to avoid future anomalies or complications and in getting balance in every walk of human life.

3. Essay on the Basic Requirements of Wildlife:

Food is the most important basic requirement to get energy and subsequently for proper growth, breeding, propagation and other metabolic-activities. The green plants manufacture their food by own by the process of photosynthesis and, thus, called as autotrophs.

The animal-communities do not have such type of mechanism and, thus, have to depend upon others called as heterotrophs. In this respect, the consumers like herbivorous animals depend upon plants (producers) deriving food-energy from them and, in turn, carnivores ultimately trap their food and energy from them, in this way, food-chain and food-web have been formed and ecological-balance is maintained.

Though, each animal requires nutritive elements but the food requirements of all the animals are not alike. The different species are differently adopted for their food as per their environment or habitat and, thus, have different kinds of food-habits to suit in a particular environment. That’s why; some foods are edible while others are non-edible.

A particular food may be edible for a particular species whereas it may be non-edible for others. Therefore, quality and quantity of food available in the habitat affects a lotto the number and status of the wild animals. Hence, the assessment of characteristics, quality, quantity and status of the vegetation available in the habitat and its improvement is an important and primary stage of wildlife management.

The necessity of food may be divided into two categories:

(a) Physiological Need:

Some animals fulfill their required nutrients by eating the plants itself; while in some animals, like ruminants, it is synthesized by certain bacteria etc. found in their digestive tract which make it available in useful forms of elements for the body. In some special period, such as in pregnancy and milking period, the females require more food or some special food than the normal period for proper growth of the fetus and young ones.

(b) Psychological Need:

As per food-habit, there is adaptation in the digestive system of the species and they prefer the food in that manner. For example, herbivores become instinct towards vegetarian food while carnivores towards non-vegetarian food. Deer become tempted to see grasses whereas tigers will not.

For the sustenance of life, the animals consume different types of food in the variable seasons and in this way their food-choice may be said as primary, secondary and so on.

Thus, the food may be categorized in the following kinds:

(i) Preferred Food:

The most tasteful and liked food is called preferred-food of the species.

(ii) Staple Food:

After preferred-food, the staple-food comes in the series. Generally, this food is important for the living of the animal being available for long time.

(iii) Emergency Food:

When there is scarcity of staple food, the species depends upon certain food which is neither so tasteful nor nutritive and called as emergency-food. Such food cannot sustain the animal for a long period because it induces malnutrition.

(iv) Stuffing Food:

The food which is totally non-nutritive and is consumed by the animal only to fulfill its stomach is called stuffing-food. Such food is taken in by the animals when there is no alternative.

(v) Miscellaneous Food:

Sometimes, certain animals take unusual food which is not in their habit. For example, sometimes bark eaten by sambhar and cheetal, grass by tiger (as found in its pellet sometimes) etc.

Pinch Period:

The period in which the food is not sufficiently available and causes trouble to the animal, is called pinch-period. This period may be for other basic requirements also such as water etc. The period varies as per the habitat, climate, country etc. The management part is very essential and plays important role for such period.

Selection of food by the animals depends upon the following factors:

(i) Availability:

The selection of food by the animal depends upon the season and period of the habitat, it depends upon the fact that in which season or period, which type of food is available, and how much labour is to be done to procure it by the animal; because season is responsible for the availability and quantity of the food in a particular habitat.

Hence; the food, which is easily and sufficiently found in a season, is consumed in enough quantity by the animal. It can be said that plenty of food is directly related with its consumption.

(ii) Palatability:

Palatability of food for animal is related with its taste, easy availability and digestibility etc.

(iii) Physiology:

Physiological regions is also responsible in the selection of food as per need of the animal.

(iv) Habit:

Since its evolution and habit, the animal selects its food accordingly as it is capable of digestion as well as has habitual instinct for such food.

Hence; by considering all these situations, it can be said that the quantity and quality of food serve a lot in the survival and propagation of the animals. For their survival, different kinds of animals take different kinds of food as per their adapted habit and habitat.

For example; some species survive by eating seeds of the plants which is very nutritive while some are living on grasses and leaves of the trees, some are habituated on dry grasses and leaves, some take tender leaves and grass while some prefer hard grasses and so on. Some are grazers whereas some are browsers.

All these depend upon the condition of the habitat and adaptations of the animals. Climate, soil and other natural as well as biotic-factors are responsible for outcome of the condition of the habitat to which the animal adapts it accordingly.

The aquatic animals have developed various adaptations morphologically as well as physiologically, terrestrial animals have also modified and adapted themselves to suit their living environment and the desert animals have likewise adaptations in all means to conserves water and reducing the loss of water less and less for their survival.

In each and every type of environment and habitat, the animals are having adaptations to be suited and survive nicely. Selection of food, its quality and quantity, palatability etc.; all these depend upon the conditions and adaptations of the habitat and the species concerned respectively. 

(ii) Water:

Water is another basic requirement of the wild animals. It varies with food, weather, environment, habitat and the animal’s ability to conserve it. Since water is essential for metabolic activities, it is required up to a certain extent by the animals for their survival, growth and propagation. All animals preserve metabolic water.

The desert animals conserve water to exist indefinitely on metabolic water and for this they have various adaptations in their morphology as well as physiology. Water conservation is also provided for by habits; such as the nocturnal or burrowing habit that escapes from diurnal heat and low humidity by the adaptations like possession of chitin, scales as the morphological protection and excretion of dry faeces as physiological adaptations.

Thus, the necessity of water is different in different types of animals. The size of the waterholes is not so important for wildlife rather its proper distribution in the entire habitat throughout the year is very important. Its spatial-distribution and availability with sufficient numbers have great importance for the survival and propagation of the animals.

If the number of waterholes is very few, there will be crowd and pressure of the animals around it and hard competition will arise for the survival and will not be utilized properly by them.

On the other hand, if it is properly distributed throughout the area, it will sustain the total animals as per the carrying-capacity. Therefore, management of water sources or waterholes plays an important role in the field of wildlife management. 

(iii) Shelter:

The place or area which gives protection and serves other biological needs of the species is known as shelter.

It can be divided into:

(a) Cover and

Covers are those vegetation or plants which save the animals from causal-factors and provide safety, resting, shade as well as protecting from adverse environmental-effects.

The cover can be classified as:

(i) Escape Cover:

Where, the wild animals escape themselves to protect from predators or hunters. Its shape and size depends upon the size of the animals.

(ii) Nesting Cover (Breeding-Cover):

Here the birds hide themselves for breeding, laying and nursing the eggs. Likewise, the larger animals also require such cover to deliver the litters. Its size and shape also depend upon the size and requirements of the animals.

(iii) Shelter Cover:

It is that cover which protects the animals from the problematic season etc. It may be bushes or the trees in accordance with the size of the animals.

(iv) Roosting Cover (Resting-Cover):

The cover under which, shade the animals take rest after taking the food and use as perch. This may be bush, tree or cave.

There should be sufficient space for living of the animals. Therefore, space is the important characteristic of the habitat. Without it, the animals cannot survive. Space is multi-dimensional. It is not only horizontal, but also includes vertical dimension. The horizontal dimension requires sufficient space as per the need of the animals like home-range, territory etc.

In vertical dimension in any field, the wild animals are living in six-seven levels such as at the peak height vulture etc. fly; then eagle, crows etc.; then other birds fly and live on the trees; below them some birds and animals like small birds, squirrels, monkeys etc. live on the branches of the trees; just above the ground, some animals dwell in the bushes and grasses; on the ground, the terrestrial animals like small and large mammals roam; and lastly inside the soil, wild soil-dwelling animals live.

In lack of sufficient space, the animals come under stress and there is crowd in the habitat and ultimately leading towards the diseases, casualty, hampering in courtship and mating, improper supply of food, water and so on.

Hence, proper management of the habitat is to provide proper and sufficient basic requirements of the animals (food, water and shelter) as per the carrying-capacity is the most essential and important primary objective of wildlife management.

4. Essay on the Biotic and Abiotic Factors Affecting Wildlife:

The ecosystem is the outcome of two components viz. biotic and abiotic factors. Therefore, the ecological factors are falling under two categories such as biotic or living factors and abiotic or physical factors.

In the context of wildlife, it can be dealt as follows:-

Biotic Factors or Living Factors :

It includes living organisms such as plants and animals as well as other forms of life. These factors are the resultant of the interactions and interrelations of the same species (intraspecific) or different-species (interspecific) because, in the ecosystem, all organisms are interlinked and interdependent on each other and none can live alone or in isolation for getting their basic needs like food, water and shelter and protection.

Not only this, but the animals of one species are related or dependent upon the animals of the same species and vice-versa. Such interdependency exists without considering kind and size, such as big animals or plants are associated with small insects or parasites. Such association is intraspecific (between same species) and interspecific (between different species).

The interspecific relationship is further divided into:

i. Parasitism,

ii. Mutualism (Neutralism),

iii. Symbiosis,

iv. Commensalism,

v. Predation etc.

Abiotic Factors or Physical Factors :

Broadly, the physical factors which has affected and affecting the fauna and flora of an ecosystem can be divided into two parts viz. Medium and Climate. Mainly there are six media where animals and plants live which soil, light, temperature, water, air and parasite are living in or on the body of other organism (host).

Here, we will discuss about soil, light, temperature and water in detail:

The soil, which is formed by weathering of rocks associated with organic matter and the living organisms, is the most essential medium for the survival of plants and animals. It contains various types of nutrients, minerals, water and gases and support for the plants (producers).

Thus, it is essential for the sustenance of any form of life. The dead part of the organism is decayed and transformed by the decomposers dwelling in the soil and contribute also in the soil- formation particularly humus and continue the energy-nutrient-cycle also.

The vigour and hygiene of health of the wild animal depends upon the presence and absence of the minerals in the soil. The mineral-rich soil supports more wildlife than poorly aerated and acidic soil. The animal develops in the particular soil containing materials needed for it; for example, snails are found in the soil which is enriched in calcium required for their shell formation.

That’s why; flora and fauna are different in different types of soil. The soil which is slightly acidic or neutral is generally well-suited for most of the plants and animals. Therefore, status and kinds of wildlife has direct relationship with the soil-condition of an area or habitat.

On good soil, vegetation is luxuriant and nutritious resulting good size and number of the herbivores and subsequently optimum number of carnivores are found there establishing dynamic and viable ecosystem maintaining proper food-chain. Any deterioration, naturally or artificially, changes the characteristics of the soil leading the change in food, shelter and status of wildlife in reverse direction.

(B) Light :

Light is also an important factor in influencing growth, behaviour and distribution of flora and fauna. The most important work in this field is the phenomenon of photosynthesis. The green plants (producers/ autotrophs) trap sunlight and act as factory for producing food materials maintaining food-chain of the ecosystem.

The amount of light received by an organism depends upon the intensity and duration of light. The duration of light to which an organism is exposed to receive, is called as photoperiodism.

The effect of light controls various activities of wild animals such as:

(i) Effect on Metabolism:

The intensity of light effects the metabolic rate of the animals resulting the phenomenon like hibernation, aestivation and diapause in certain species like amphibians, reptiles, insects etc. as per the intensity of light in the different seasons.

(ii) Effect on Growth:

Since there is relation between metabolism and growth, the light influences the growth of the animal as per the rate of the metabolic activities. For the growth of plants, light is very essential while certain animals may die or survive in presence or absence of light.

(iii) Effect on Reproduction:

In certain animals, especially birds and mammals, gonads and ultimately reproduction are stimulated by light. To the, intensity or illumination of light, different kinds of animals response in different ways. Sexual activities, migration etc. depend upon the duration of light in certain animals and thus their breeding seasons are also different. Likewise, plants are also effected by the relative length of day light.

(iv) Effect of Photoperiodism:

The length of day and night light affects reproduction, behaviour, migration, hibernation, and aestivation etc. of the animals. Hence, photoperiodism influences the various activities of the animals. Perhaps, the sense organs are stimulated by the photoperiodism and required physiological changes occur in the animals to response to the desired performance.

(v) Other Effects:

Light is also responsible for changing the colour of the skin of certain animals. Mimicry is the example of that which is a kind of protective measure to suit in the environment. Eyes of certain deep water aquatic animals are enlarged while nocturnal animals, as in owls, have enlarged eyes to see in night. In certain lower animals, locomotion is influenced by light known as photokinesis. Butterflies move in day period while moths in the night.

(C) Temperature :

Temperature is also one of the important factors controlling distribution and behaviour of the animals. Like light, it also controls the various activities of the animals like reproduction, embryonic development, migration, diapause and other metabolic activities. The temperature at which the body activities, physiological and metabolic, are at maximum is called as Optimum-temperature.

As per the capacity of tolerance of temperature by the animals, they are of following types:-

(i) Eurythermal:

The animals, which can tolerate, wide range of temperature such as mammals etc.

(ii) Stenothermal:

The animals which can tolerate narrow range of temperature like Pisces, snakes etc.

(iii) Poikilothermic or Cold-Blooded:

The animals, whose body temperature varies/fluctuates with the changes in temperature of the environment such as pieces, amphibians, reptiles etc.

(iv) Homoiothermic or Warm-Blooded:

The animals whose body temperature do not fluctuate with the changes in temperature of the environment and are able to regulate and maintain the body temperature at a constant level like birds and mammals.

The effects of temperature upon the animals are as follows:

(a) Effect on Metabolism:

Temperature influences metabolism of the animals by influencing the enzymatic-activities of the body. Increase or decrease of temperature, up to a certain limits, increases and decreases enzymatic-activities and subsequently the metabolism of the animals.

(b) Effect on Reproduction:

Like other factors, temperature also affects the activities and behaviour or reproduction of the animals. It also controls or induces sex-cells maturation and their liberation in certain animals. The outbreak of grasshopper, sex-ratio of rotifers, and production of fertilized and unfertilized eggs in daphnia is governed by the temperature or period of temperature.

(c) Effects on Growth:

Growth and development of animals are also effected and controlled by the temperature. It affects them at the different stages of their life-cycle.

(d) Effects on Distribution:

Specially cold-blooded and warm ­blooded animal’s distributions are related with the temperature. The animals having narrow range of tolerance of temperature are restricted to the specific areas only, whereas the animals having greater range of tolerance of temperature are widely distributed.

(e) Effect on Structure and Behaviour:

Temperature is also responsible for animal’s structure and their behaviour such as the animals living in colder region has more life span than the warmer areas.

There are certain theories in this regard like:

(i) Bergmann’s Rule:

According to this, the animals living in cold region are much larger than the warmer region. For example, the largest polar bears are found in far north in cold climate whereas the smaller black bears are living in warmer climate.

Furthermore; it is well known that of a given species, the races which inhabit desert areas are always pale or sandy-coloured whereas those living under the influence of heavy rainfall, in well-wooded or humid tracts, tend to be darker in colouration. It is assumed that the reduced force of ultraviolet rays due to water vapour suspended in the air may account for the darkening. 

(ii) Gloger’s Rule:

The rule says that the temperature together with light and moisture governs the colour of many animals. In warm humid climate, majority of birds and mammals are darker than the animals living in cold or dry climate.

(iii) Jordan’s Rule:

Temperature has apparent control on the number of vertebrae in certain species of fishes. The fishes living in low water temperature have more vertebrae than those living in warm water as found in cool-fish.

(iv) Allen’s Rule:

As per this rule; the tail, neck and other external parts of the animals living in colder parts are compact as well as shorter in comparison with the animals living in warmer parts. For example, the ear sizes of three different species of fox (Arctic fox, Red fox and Desert fox) have different sizes of the pinna.

Their ear-sizes (pinna) are found increasing from arctic to desert fox. Arctic fox has smallest ear-size, Red-fox has bigger and Desert fox has the biggest size. It is assumed that the shorter ear-size will reduce the area of exposure and, thus, help in reduction in loss of heat from the body.

(D) Water :

We know that water plays an important role in the existence of the living organisms and comes under basic need of the animals for all types of metabolic-reactions of the body. Even various animals have adopted for aquatic-life (fresh water or salt water). The animals which can tolerate narrow fluctuation of the salt-concentration are called as stenohaline and which can tolerate wide range is called as euryhaline.

Of course; all the animals, whether aquatic or terrestrial, require water. On the hand, there are various aquatic-adaptations in aquatic animals; on the other hand, there are various adaptive-features to conserve water in the animals living in dry and desert places. For such particular mode of life; animals have developed morphological, anatomical and physiological adaptations.

Thus, water acts as a limiting-factor for the animals living in any ecosystem. Any factor, which approaches or exceeds the limits of tolerance, is said to be limiting-factor. If in a particular habitat, the scarcity of food, water or shelter arises at any stage or time then it is called the limiting-factor for that particular thing of that habitat.

For example; the scarcity of food will be limiting-factor for food, scarcity of water will be limiting-factor for water and likewise scarcity of shelter will be the limiting-factor for shelter and soon. The period in which limiting-factor – arises is called as pinch-period. In case of aquatic animals, oxygen acts as a limiting-factor because it is in scarce in water but the same is not as a limiting-factor for the terrestrial animals where it is in abundance.

The distribution of water also determines the carrying-capacity of a habitat. By creating more waterholes in an area, carrying-capacity can be enhanced. The wildlife is more concentrated at the watery areas.

Besides this, relative-humidity also determines the occurrence of specific vegetation as well as distribution and availability of the animals. It is clear that the animals depend upon the vegetation for food and the vegetation is dependent upon the water and its distribution.

Hence; the ecological factors, abiotic and biotic, act as limiting- factors with respect to that organism. It is the established fact that the amount of a substance below or above the certain limits may also limit the abundance or distribution of a species. For example, carbon-dioxide is necessary for growth of green plants through photosynthesis.

Small increase in its concentration increases the rate of plant growth; but if the concentration is increased significantly, it becomes toxic. Sheldford (1913) postulated the theory called as “Law of Tolerance”. According to him, all environmental-factors have a tolerable limit, the critical- minimum and critical-maximum.

The range between the critical- minimum and critical-maximum is known as “Limit of Tolerance”. If for a particular species, the tolerance exceeds its limit, the species will disappear from that particular area, as long as such condition exists. But, before this range is crossed on either sides and the limits of tolerance are reached, there is stress upon the animals and called as “Zone of Physiological Stress.”

Generally, it is difficult to identify a single limiting- factor because presence and absence of an organism or a group of organisms in an ecosystem depends upon a complex of factors and entire complex of conditions involved.

Therefore, the approach towards the limiting-factor should cover all the aspects of ecosystem and a single species approach may not be helpful in proper understanding of the various interactions in population, factors, habitat etc. For wildlife management, we should follow wholestic concept of the ecosystem.

5. Essay on the Importance of Wildlife :

If we view wildlife from close quarters and juxtapose our observations and all the major disciplines, we simply cannot believe how important wildlife is.

We may nail down the following cardinal points:

(i) Ecological Balance:

Wildlife maintains nonetheless balance of nature through:

(a) Regulation of population of different species by self-regulation and feedback,

(b) Food-chains or passage of food and energy through series of populations comprising producers, consumers and micro-organisms, and

(c) Natural cycles or circulation of inorganic nutrients between biotic and abiotic environments, prevention of leaching and run-off.

Thus it preserves the environment as a self-sustaining system. It balances population and maintains food-chains and natural-cycles.

(ii) Gene Bank:

The most direct relationship of preservation of wildlife to human progress is its significance as gene banks for breeding programmes in agricultural, animal husbandry and fishery. Wildlife serves as a gene banks for breeding improved varieties in agriculture, animal husbandry and fishery.

Plant and animal breeders have been able to produce high-yielding and disease-and-stress resistant varieties which form the backbone of modern agriculture. Average life of a crop variety is 5-15 years.

More application of fertilizers, irrigation and pesticides cannot raise production unless a variety of a crop or of an animal has the genetic potentiality to respond to improved inputs. To develop such varieties, a very wide range of plants or animals has to be screened and selected.

Scientists have been constantly examining the wild relatives of crop plants for the presence of useful genes that can be introduced to breeding programmes. Hence, gene- bank maintenance is essential.

Let us see how this point has held well in practice:

(i) Some old rice varieties from Kerala saved rice cultivation when Nilaparvata lugens (Brown Plant Hopper) attacked all modern rice varieties.

(ii) Wild rice (Oryza nivara) provided the resistance to the grassy stunt virus which has threatened rice cultivation in 1970’s. It was incorporated in IR-36 by Dr. Khush and others.

(iii) In potatoes, resistance to late blight has been incorporated from Solanum demissum, mosaic virus and leaf roll virus from Solanum acaule, mosaic virus Y from Solanum stoloniferum damping-off and nematodes from Solanum spegazzini.

The production of high-yielding, disease-resistant crops, livestock and fish cannot continue without the wild relatives of the cultivated varieties. This is because of pests and pathogens evolve new strains; climates change; soils vary; and consumers’ demands change with time. Since the average life of a crop variety is only 5-15 years, new varieties are constantly being produced to meet the changing demands.

We cannot predict which species become useful to us in the future. With increasing knowledge and skills, man is busy finding new uses for the traditionally used species. If penicillium had been eliminated from the earth before man could discover its antibiotic properties or Cinchona had become extinct from Peru before quinine was discovered, some of the severest infectious diseases would have continued to savage the world.

Man is the only species who has widely used the hidden values of a wide range of species around him. He is aware that the rich diversity of organisms today is the product of natural evolution stretching unbroken through 3.5 billion years.

A species once lost cannot be retrieved. Therefore, it would be unethical to be responsible for the destruction of a species. We have an evolutionary responsibility to conserve biological diversity for our descendants.

(iii) Plant Propagation:

Pollination in certain plants is performed by wild animals like birds; insects etc., and thus help in plants propagation, which is very essential.

(iv) Cleaning of Environment:

Scavengers and decomposers wild animals (like vultures, eagles, jackals, hyaenas etc.) as well as micro-organisms, which feed upon dead animals, convert them into different nutrients and release energy back to the nature increasing fertility of the soil. They do very important work of cleaning the environment; otherwise what the fate of this planet will be, can be assumed.

(v) Scientific Importance:

For research purposes and studies of anatomy, physiology, ecology, evolutionary aspects; wild animals are used, which help in saving human life.

(vi) Soil Erosion:

It is prevented by plant cover, litter, mixing of litter by movement of wild animals and conversion to spongy humus by micro-organisms.

(vii) Experimental Animals:

Monkeys, Rabbits, Guinea-pigs, Rats etc.

(viii) Economic Importance:

Timber, firewood, paper, gum, resins, tannins, several drugs, essential oils, spices, lac, silk, honey, hair, feathers, guano (the dung of sea-fishes used as manure or the manure made from fish), leather, musk, ivory etc. are obtained from wildlife.

Besides these, benefits are also obtained from:

i) Tourists

ii) Exports

iii) Hunting of surplus stock

iv) Procurement of food materials

v) Hide, ivory etc. after death of wild animals; though now-a-days it is legally banned and not in practices.

(ix) Potential Uses:

Just as all present day cultivated/domesticated plants and animals are derived from wildlife; new foods, beverages (A beverage is a type of plant product used by everyone daily which contains an alkaloid called caffeine having the stimulative action in the human body; e.g., tea, coffee, cocoa etc. It is also fragmented product of the plant), drugs and other useful products may be obtained in future from wildlife.

6. Essay on the Conservation of Wildlife:

India is rich in biodiversity including the wildlife. Its wildlife includes rare animals like the lion in Gir forests of Gujarat, elephants in Kerala and Assam jungles, rhinoceros is found in Assam and northern West Bengal. The Bengal tiger of Sunderbans is really ferocious to look at. Rewa in Madhya Pradesh is known for the White tigers. Gaur or Indian bison is another big animal common in Central parts of India.

The Rann of Kutch has the wild ass. Rajasthan has cranes and Indian bustard. The country has a large species of deer and antelope. It has crocodiles and gharials in rivers and salt water. There is a large variety of monkeys, snakes and other reptiles. Tortoises are also very common. Besides these animals, it has very large varieties of birds and fishes. Tiger is our National Animal and Peacock is our National Bird.

Many of these species have become rare. Some are almost on the way to extinction. With growing population, forests are recklessly cut down. The hunger for cultivated land, for building, big dams and hydel power projects has snatched the homeland of wild animals. Many people kill them for fun of hunting. Indian Cheetah and other so many animals have become extinct (in recent years).

It is high time that we give up our arrogance and carelessness towards the wildlife. The Government has setup several sanctuaries, national parks, projects etc. Hunting of animals is prohibited so that they may thrive in peace. Such sanctuaries and national parks have now become centres of tourists’ interest. They are a source of income and employment to a large number of people, serving domestic and international tourists.

Conservation is defined as the management of human use of the biosphere so that it may yield the greatest sustainable benefit to present generation while maintaining its potential to meet the needs and aspirations of future generations.

It is scientific management of wildlife so as to maintain it at its optimum level and derive sustainable benefit for the present as well as future generations. The conservation of wildlife is directly related to healthy and better forests. Wildlife conservation includes protection, preservation, perpetuation of rare species of plants and animals in their natural habitats.

Conservation of living resources has three specific objectives:-

(i) To maintain essential ecological processes and lite-supporting systems.

(ii) To preserve the diversity of species or the range of genetic material found in the world’s organisms.

(iii) To ensure sustainable utilization of species and ecosystems which support millions of rural communities as well as major industries. Thus, conservation of living resources is a complex operation which is specifically concerned with plants, animals and the micro­organisms; and with those non-living elements of the environment on which they depend. 

Conservation Strategies:

Wildlife conservation as well as its propagation through the proper management techniques is a must. Sanctuaries, national parks, biosphere reserves, projects etc. have been created for exclusively protecting the wild flora and fauna in all parts of the world as a part of broad wildlife management prospective.

Scientists representing 100 countries of the world have evolved a comprehensive “World Conservation Strategies” (national and international conservation strategies) for the judicious use of resources.

Some of the steps proposed to save the existing species of the wildlife are as follows:-

(i) All efforts should be made to preserve the species that are endangered throughout the range. The species that are sole representative of their family or genus should receive special attention. An endangered species should be given priority over vulnerable one, a vulnerable species over a rare one and a rare species over other categories.

All the threatened species is protected. Priority is given belonging to monotypic genera, endangered over vulnerable, vulnerable over rare and rare over other species.

(ii) Prevention of extinction requires sound planning and management of land and water uses. The wildlife should be protected both in their natural habitat (in situ) and in zoo and botanical gardens (ex situ).

The threatened species be provided with both in situ conservation (under natural habitat in forest/national park/sanctuary/biosphere reserve) and ex situ conservation (in zoo/botanical garden/biological garden/arboureta/channelling into trade).

(iii) As many varieties as possible of food crops, forage plants, timber trees, livestock, animals for aquaculture, and their wild relatives and microbes should be preserved. Priority should be given to those varieties that are most threatened and are most needed for national and international breeding programmes.

All the possible varieties, old or new of food, forage and timber plants, livestock, aquaculture animals and microbes are conserved.

(iv) Each country should identify the habitats of wild relatives of the economically valuable and useful plants and animals and ensure their preservation in protected areas (sanctuaries, national parks, and biosphere reserves).

Wild relatives of all the economically important organisms be identified and conserved in protected areas.

(v) The critical habitats (the feeding, breeding, nursery and resting areas) of the species should be safeguarded.

(vi) In case of migratory or wide-ranging animals, a network of protected areas should be established to preserve the habitat of the species.

Resting/feeding places of migratory/wide-ranging animals are protected.

(vii) If a species migrates or ranges from one national jurisdiction to another, bilateral or multilateral agreements should be made to set up the required network. Exploitation of the species and pollution of the environment along the migration routes should also be regulated.

For migratory/wide-ranging animals, pollution and exploitation should be controlled. Bilateral and multilateral agreements be made where required.

(viii) Unique eco-system should be protected as a matter of priority. Only those uses which are compatible with their preservation should be permitted.

The national protection programmes have to be coordinated with the international programmes, particularly the biosphere reserve (unique ecosystem) programme of the UNESCO’S Man and the Biosphere Project and National Parks and Protected Areas of International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN).

The international network of biosphere reserve programme aims to conserve and use the diversity and integrity of plant and animal communities for the present and the future within natural ecosystem. This would safeguard the genetic diversity of species and their continuing evolution.

National Wild Life (Protection) Act, enacted in India in 1972. Wildlife protection strategies formulated in India in 1983 and protection programmes integrated with international programmes. Wildlife Institute of India was located at Dehradun, Uttaranchal. Indian Board for Wildlife (IBWL) was established in 1952.

Unique ecosystem is preserved on priority basis.

(ix) The productive capacities of exploited species and ecosystems have to be determined and it has to be ensured that utilization does not exceed those capacities. Industries, communities and countries that are over-exploiting the living resources they depend on, should be convinced that they would be better off if utilization is kept at a sustainable level.

The reproductive capacity of the exploited species and productivity of the ecosystem be determined. Exploitation should not exceed the same.

(x) International trade in wild plants and animals has to be regulated to appropriate legislative and administrative measures. International trade in wildlife should be highly regulated.

India is a signatory to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES).

Our late Prime Minister, Smt. Indira Gandhi addressed in her inaugural speech of World Conservation Strategy in 1980 – “The interest in conservation is not sentimental one but the rediscovery of a truth well-known to our ancient sages. The Indian tradition teaches us that all forms of life – human, animal and plant – are so closely interlinked that disturbance in one gives rise to imbalance in the other. Nature is beautifully balanced. Each little thing has its own place, its duty and special utility. Any disturbance creates a chain reaction which may not be visible for some time. Taking a fragmentary view of life has created global and national problems.” 

Protected Areas in India:

India is richly endowed with various bio-geographical provinces, ranging from the cold deserts of Ladakh and Spiti to the hot deserts of the Thar; the temperate forests in the Himalayas to the lush green tropical rain forests of the low lands. India is also endowed with large fresh water bodies such as the Wular and the Manasbal lakes in Kashmir, the Chilka in Orissa and the Kolleru Lake in Andhra Pradesh and the rugged and rich coastline and coral reefs of the Deccan.

To protect, preserve and propagate these varied natural bounties; the Government of India passed Wild Life (Protection) Act in 1972 under which national parks and sanctuaries could be created. Creation of biosphere reserves has also been put into practice since 1986.

Protected Areas are ecological/bio-geographical area where wildlife is conserved by maintaining habitats, natural resources and preventing poaching. They are delimited to protect biological diversity, i.e. cold desert (Ladakh and Spiti) hot desert (Thar), Wetland (Assam and N.E. States), saline swampy areas (Sunderbans, Rann of Kutch), mangroves, temperate forests, subtropical forests, tropical forests, tropical wet evergreen forests, tropical moist deciduous forests, tropical dry deciduous forests, tropical thorn, coral reef etc.

Protected Areas include:

a. National parks,

b. Sanctuaries and

c. Biosphere reserves.

a. National Parks:

They are areas which are strictly reserved for the betterment of the wildlife. They are the areas maintained by government and reserved for improvement of wildlife. Cultivation, grazing, forestry-operation and habitat-manipulation are not allowed.

b. Sanctuaries:

In a sanctuary, protection is given only to the fauna and operations such as harvesting of timber, collection of MFP and private ownership rights are permitted so long as they do not interfere with the well-being of animals.

They are tracts of land where wild animals/fauna can take refuge without being hunted. Other activities like collection of forest products, harvesting of timber, private ownership of land, tilling of land etc. are allowed.

c. Biosphere Reserves:

During the past few decades, the concept of biosphere reserves has been evolved by the Man and Biosphere Programme (MAB) of the UNESCO.

India has identified 14 areas to be declared as Biosphere Reserves. Of this Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve including parts of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu was declared in 1986.

In a biosphere reserve, multiple land use is permitted by designating various zones. There is the Core Zone (where no human activity is permitted), the Buffer Zone (where limited human activity is allowed) and the Manipulation Zone (where a large number of human activities would go on). In a biosphere reserve, wild population as well as traditional life styles of tribals and varied domesticated plant and animal genetic resources is protected.

Biosphere Reserves are multipurpose protected areas which are meant for preserving genetic diversities in representative ecosystems by protecting wild populations, traditional life style of tribals and domesticated plant/animal genetic resources. There are some 243 biosphere reserves in 65 countries of the world. In India 14 potential sites were identified in 1979 by Core Advisory Group but only 12 biosphere reserves have been set up by now.

Each biosphere reserve has a:

(a) Core Zone: No human activity is allowed.

(b) Buffer Zone: Limited human activity is permitted.

(c) Manipulation Zone: Human activity is allowed but ecology is not permitted to be disturbed.

(d) Restoration Zone: Degraded area for restoration to near natural form.

National parks, sanctuaries and biosphere reserves would be the last refuse (shelter) for wild plants and animals in the coming years.

Wildlife Organizations:

There are several organizations engaged in conservation of wildlife at national and international levels.

Some of them are mentioned below:

(i) International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN).

(ii) Man and Biosphere Programme (MAB Programme).

(iii) United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).

(iv) Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF).

(v) Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

(vi) Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO).

(vii) United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

(viii) Indian Board for Wildlife (IBWL).

(ix) Wildlife Preservation Society of India (WPSI).

(x) Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Jodhpur, India (CAZRI).

(xi) Crocodile Breeding and Management Training Research Institute (CBMTRI).

(xii) Tiger Conservation Society (TCS).

(xiii) Zoological Survey of World (ZSW).

(xiv) Botanical Survey of World (BSW).

(xv) Zoological Survey of India (ZSI).

(xvi) Botanical Survey of India (BSI).

(xvii) International Council for Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN).

(xviii) International Council for Botanical Nomenclature (ICBN).

(xix) Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS).

(xx) Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun (WII).

(xxi) Global Tiger Forum (GTF).

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• Natural Vegetation and Wildlife

What is Natural Vegetation?

A plant population that has evolved naturally without the assistance of humans is referred to as natural vegetation. For a long period of time, they have also been unaffected by humans. This is what we refer to as virgin vegetation. Cultivated fruits and crops, as well as orchards, are considered vegetation, but not natural vegetation. Plants from a specific area or time period are referred to as flora. The word "fauna" refers to animal species.

Types of Natural Vegetation

The following are the principal types of natural vegetation in India:

1. Tropical Evergreen Rain Forests: Tropical Evergreen Rainforests are located in areas with even more than 200 cm of annual precipitation. They are mostly located in the northeastern states of Assam, Meghalaya, the Western Ghats, Nagaland, the Himalayan Tarai zones, the Andaman Islands and Arunachal Pradesh. They can also be found in the Khasi and Jaintia hills. The trees throughout this area are gaining a lot of height.

Sandalwood, Mahogany, Gurjan, Rosewood, and bamboo are the main trees grown in this region. It does have a multilayered structure due to the abundance of vegetation among all kinds – shrubs, trees, and creepers. Elephants, monkeys, and lemurs are among the species that can be found in these regions.

2. Deciduous or Monsoon Type of Forests: On the lower elevations of the Himalayas, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Bihar, Orissa, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, and the surrounding areas, deciduous forests can be found. The rainfall in this region ranges from 100 to 200 cm. Teak is the most common tree in the region. Deodar, Pal Ash,  Blue Gum, Sandalwood,  Sal, Ebony, Arjun, Khair, and Bamboo are among the other trees. Mostly during dry summers and winters, the trees in this forest lose their leaves. These forests are further classified into humid and dry deciduous forests depending upon the availability of water.

3. Dry Deciduous Forests and Scrubs: Such forests thrive in climates with annual precipitation ranging from 50 to 100 centimeters. The Central Deccan plateau, Haryana, Punjab, portions of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and the southeast of Rajasthan are the most affected.

4. Semi Desert and Desert Vegetation: The annual rainfall in this region is less than 50 cm. This vegetation zone is home to thorny trees, acacia, and Babul. The Indian wild date is commonly found in this region. They have dense flesh and broad roots. Plants in this area hold water in their stems to help them survive the drought. Gujarat, Punjab, and Rajasthan all have this kind of vegetation.

5. Tidal or Mangrove Forests: Rainfall totals only about 50 cm in this region. This vegetation zone is home to thorny acacia, bushes, and Babul trees. Here is where you'll find the Indian wild date. Large roots and dense flesh are characteristics of this species. This region's plants store water in their stems to withstand the drought. Gujarat, Punjab, and Rajasthan all have areas with this kind of vegetation. In such forests, the ‘Sundari' is perhaps the most important tree. Hogla, Pasur, Garan, and other tidal forest trees are significant. This forest is vital to the forestry industry because it provides both timber and firewood. The coastal strip is adorned with palm and coconut trees.

Natural Vegetative Propagation

When an axillary bud develops into a lateral shoot that has its own roots, this is considered as biological vegetative propagation (also termed as adventitious roots). Bulbs, stolons, rhizomes, and tubers are plant systems that allow for natural vegetative propagation. Since specialized organs of vegetative reproduction, such as seeds in annuals, help to withstand seasonally harsh environments, some species of plants that withstand and substantially grow through vegetative reproduction are almost by definition perennial. A clonal community is a plant that survives in a given location by the vegetative reproduction of organisms over a prolonged period of time.

In certain ways, Natural vegetative propagation is a method of survival and growth of the individual's biomass rather than reproduction. The process of "vegetative development" occurs when an individual organism grows in size through cell multiplication while remaining intact.

Wildlife used to belong to undomesticated animal species, but it has since expanded to include those animals that evolve or live in the wild without being established by humans. In all habitats, wildlife can be identified. Deserts, grasslands, wetlands, deserts, rainforests, and other regions, including the world's most populated cities, all have unique wildlife.

Although the term is also used to refer to species that are unaffected by human activity, many scientists believe that human activities have a significant impact on wildlife. Humans have traditionally tried to keep society and wildlife apart in a variety of ways, including legal, social, and moral ones. Some species, on the other hand, have adapted to suburban life. Domesticated cats, mice, dogs, dogs, and rats are examples of this. Few religions consider such species to be sacred, and environmental activists have protested against the destruction of wildlife for human benefit or entertainment in recent eras.

Some of the examples of wildlife are given below:

Gir National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary, also known as Sasan Gir in Gujarat is home to Asiatic lions.

India is also home to the most magnificent mammal on the planet: the elephant.

Tigers are generally found in the Himalayan region, in the forests of Madhya Pradesh, and in the Sundarbans of West Bengal.

The leopard is one of the most important animals of prey.

The wetlands and forests are home to peacocks, pheasants, ducks, parakeets, cranes, and pigeons.

The one-horned rhinoceroses live in the swampy and marshy areas of Assam and West Bengal.

The Tibetan antelope, The yak, the shaggy horned wild ox weighing around one ton, wild sheep, the bharal (blue sheep), and the kiang (Tibetan wild ass) are found in the freezing high altitudes of Ladakh.

Camels and wild asses are found in arid areas of the Thar Desert, and the Rann of Kachchh, respectively.

Turtles, crocodiles, and gharials are generally found in lakes, rivers, ponds, and coastal environments.

Uses of Wildlife

For food: People and trappers in the Stone Age depended on wildlife, including animals and plants, for food. In reality, ancient human hunters might just have hunted some species to extinction. In certain areas of the world, fishing, hunting, and collecting wildlife is still a major food source. Hunting and non-commercial fishing are primarily viewed as a hobby or recreational activity in many other countries.

Bushmeat is meat produced through wildlife that isn't usually considered a game. The increased supply of wildlife as a popular food source in East Asia is decimating communities of sharks, pangolins, primates, and some other animals believed to have aphrodisiac qualities.

As pets and in medicinal ingredients: Others, including parrots and monkeys, are meant for the pet industry and are frequently brought into the United States. Certain Amazon species become famous ingredients in local markets' traditional medicines. The medicinal value of animal parts is primarily dependent on folklore.

Conservation of Natural Vegetation and Wildlife

Below given points state the reasons for the conservation of natural vegetation and wildlife:

Forests provide us with oxygen and precipitation.

Soil erosion is prevented by forests.

Pollination and seed dispersal are both based on animals and birds for plants.

Forests supply us with a variety of medicines.

In industries, a variety of forest products are being used as raw resources.

They are a constant in the natural world.

These wildlife communities help to preserve ecological balance.

Some animals are extinct, and others are on the verge of becoming extinct.

Endangered animals ought to be safeguarded.

Wildlife has the same right to exist on this planet as humans.

Initiatives by the Government to Protect Natural Vegetation and Fauna

Pollution, commercial hunting, deforestation to make way for cultivable and habitable land, acid deposits, and so forth. are main causes of threat to nature.

The Wildlife Protection Act was introduced by the government in 1972. 

In India, 10 out of the 18 biosphere reserves set up have been incorporated in the world network of biosphere reserves.

There are 104 national parks, 535 wildlife santuaries, and various zoological gardens in order to safeguard the country's flora and animals. 

For the preservation of endangered animals, various government projects, such as Project Tiger, Project Rhino, Project Great Indian Bustard and many other eco-developmental projects have been introduced. 

The government has been providing financial and technical aid to the Botanical Gardens since 1992.

The government has also taken actions to protect natural resources, including UNESCO Protected 18  biosphere reserves.

Various projects and programs have been launched for the protection of wildlife such as Project Tiger, Project Lion, Project Elephant, Project Vulture, etc.

Changes in Natural Vegetation of India

In huge regions of India, the vegetation cover is no longer natural. It has seen significant transformations as a result of a multitude of factors, including the rising demand for arable land, industrial expansion, and mining. The vegetation of the majority of areas has been modified, replaced, or degraded by human habitation in some areas except for some inaccessible locations such as the Himalayas, central India's hilly region, and the marusthali. urbanization and pasture overgrazing.

FAQs on Natural Vegetation and Wildlife

1. What is the importance of wildlife?

Wildlife contributes to the ecological balance of the environment. Carnivore extinction results in a rise in the number of herbivores, which has an effect on forest vegetation. As a result of a lack of resources in the forest, they migrate to agricultural land and kill the crops. Wildlife refers to the birds, plants, animals, and other creatures that live in a forest. Wildlife also balances our earth. So, It also helps the economy of our country as well as the world.

2. What factors have an effect on natural vegetation?

Natural vegetation is defined as an area that exists independently of human intervention.  It depends upon the various environmental factors that mainly include the relief and the climate. The land and soil come under the category of relief while the sunlight, temperature, rainfall, humidity, precipitation, etc come under the category of climate. It is not touched by humans in its original form. Its growth depends upon various environmental factors. The factors that have an effect on natural vegetation:

Photoperiod

Precipitation

Temperature

3. Why does India have such diverse flora and animal heritage?

India is one of the world's twelve mega biodiversity countries. India ranks ninth in the world and fourth in Asia in terms of plant diversity, with over 47,000 species. India has over 15,000 flowering plants, accounting for about 6% of the total number of flowering plants on the planet. Non-flowering plants, such as ferns, algae, and fungi, abound in India. India also has 89,000 species of animals as well as a rich variety of fish.

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Types of forests

Abiotic conditions, flora and fauna.

What is a forest?

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• World Wildlife Fund - Forest Habitat
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• Table Of Contents

A forest is a complex ecological system in which trees are the dominant life-form. A forest is nature’s most efficient ecosystem, with a high rate of photosynthesis affecting both plant and animal systems in a series of complex organic relationships. Forests can develop under various conditions, and the kind of soil, plant, and animal life differs according to the extremes of environmental influences.

What are the main types of forests?

There are three main types of forests, defined by latitude: taiga (boreal) forests, temperate forests, and tropical forests.

How are forests classified?

Forests are distinguished from each other according to species composition (which develops in part according to the age of the forest), the density of tree cover, soil types, and the geologic history of the forest region.

What are the minimum climate requirements for a forest ecosystem?

Tree-dominated forests can occur where the temperature rises to above 10 °C (50 °F) in the warmest months, and the annual precipitation is more than 200 mm (8 inches).

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forest , complex ecological system and natural resource in which trees are the dominant life-form.

Forests can occur wherever the temperatures rise above 10 °C (50 °F) in the warmest months and the annual precipitation is more than 200 mm (8 inches). They can develop under a variety of conditions within these climatic limits, and the kind of soil, plant, and animal life differs according to the extremes of environmental influences.

In cool high-latitude subpolar regions, forests are dominated by hardy conifers such as pines ( Pinus ), spruces ( Picea ), and larches ( Larix ). In the Northern Hemisphere, these forests, called taiga , or boreal forests, have prolonged winters and between 250 and 500 mm (10 and 20 inches) of rainfall annually. Coniferous forests also cover mountains in many temperate parts of the world.

In more temperate high-latitude climates, mixed forests of both conifers and broad-leaved deciduous trees predominate. Broad-leaved deciduous forests develop in middle-latitude climates, where there is an average temperature above 10 °C (50 °F) for at least six months every year and annual precipitation is above 400 mm (16 inches). A growing period of 100 to 200 days allows deciduous forests to be dominated by oaks ( Quercus ), elms ( Ulmus ), birches ( Betula ), maples ( Acer ), beeches ( Fagus ), and aspens ( Populus ).

In the humid climates of the equatorial belt are tropical rainforests, which support incredible plant and animal biodiversity . There heavy rainfall supports evergreens that have broad leaves instead of needle leaves, as in cooler forests. Monsoon forests , which are the deciduous forests of tropical areas, are found in regions with a long dry season followed by an intense rainy season. In the lower latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere, the temperate deciduous forest reappears.

Forest types are distinguished from each other according to species composition (which develops in part according to the age of the forest), the density of tree cover, type of soils found there, and the geologic history of the forest region. Altitude and unique meteorological conditions can also shape forest development ( see cloud forest and elfin woodland ).

Soil conditions are distinguished according to depth, fertility, and the presence of perennial roots. Soil depth is important because it determines the extent to which roots can penetrate into the earth and, therefore, the amount of water and nutrients available to the trees. The soil in the taiga is sandy and drains quickly. Deciduous forests have brown soil, richer than sand in nutrients, and less porous. Rainforests and savanna woodlands often have a soil layer rich in iron or aluminum, which give the soils either a reddish or yellowish cast. Given the vast amounts of rain they receive, the soil is often poor in tropical rainforests, as the nutrients are quickly leached away.

The amount of water available to the soil, and therefore available for tree growth, depends on the amount of annual rainfall. Water may be lost by evaporation from the surface or by leaf transpiration. Evaporation and transpiration also control the temperature of the air in forests, which is always slightly warmer in cold months and cooler in warm months than the air in surrounding regions.

The density of tree cover influences the amount of both sunlight and rainfall reaching every forest layer. A full-canopied forest absorbs between 60 and 90 percent of available light, most of which is absorbed by the leaves for photosynthesis . The movement of rainfall into the forest is considerably influenced by leaf cover, which tends to slow the velocity of falling water, which penetrates down to the ground level by running down tree trunks or dripping from leaves. Water not absorbed by the tree roots for nutrition runs along root channels, so water erosion is therefore not a major factor in shaping forest topography .

Forests are among the most complex ecosystems in the world, and they exhibit extensive vertical stratification. Conifer forests have the simplest structure: a tree layer rising to about 30 metres (98 feet), a shrub layer that is spotty or even absent, and a ground layer covered with lichens, mosses, and liverworts. Deciduous forests are more complex; the tree canopy is divided into upper and lower stories, while rainforest canopies are divided into at least three strata. The forest floor in both of these forests consists of a layer of organic matter overlying mineral soil. The humus layer of tropical soils is affected by the high levels of heat and humidity, which quickly decompose whatever organic matter exists. Fungi on the soil surface play an important role in the availability and distribution of nutrients, particularly in the northern coniferous forests. Some species of fungi live in partnership with the tree roots, while others are parasitically destructive.

Animals that live in forests have highly developed hearing, and many are adapted for vertical movement through the environment . Because food other than ground plants is scarce, many ground-dwelling animals use forests only for shelter. In temperate forests, birds distribute plant seeds and insects aid in pollination, along with the wind. In tropical forests, fruit bats and birds effect pollination and seed dispersal. The forest is one of nature’s most efficient ecosystems , with a high rate of photosynthesis affecting both plant and animal systems in a series of complex organic relationships.

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• Published: 06 May 2021

How trees and forests reduce risks from climate change

• Lisa Palmer 1  

Nature Climate Change volume  11 ,  pages 374–377 ( 2021 ) Cite this article

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Across the globe, increasing tree cover is a popular solution to offset carbon emissions. Replenishing trees is only part of the answer, and scientists seek an increased role as part of a multi-layered policy approach.

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Lisa Palmer is a journalist and author of Hot, Hungry Planet: The Fight to Stop a Global Food Crisis in the Face of Climate Change (St. Martin’s Press, 2017), and the National Geographic Visiting Professor of Science Communication at the George Washington University in Washington DC.

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Essay on Conservation of Natural Resources for Students and Children

500+ words essay on conservation of natural resources.

Natural resources are something that is occurring naturally on Earth. It forms an indispensable part of our lives. It comprises of air, water, sunlight, coal , petroleum, natural gas, fossil fuels, oil, etc. However, they are exploited by humans for economic gain. Natural resources are at depletion because of the overuse. Some of these resources are available in abundance with the capability to renew. On the other hand, some are non-renewable . Thus, it demands a responsible behavior for the conservation so as to ensure their sustainability.

Why Conserve Natural Resources?

Human beings depend upon the natural resources for their development activities. If the resources are not used wisely, it would create an imbalance in the environment. Thus would head us in opposition to an eco-friendly atmosphere. The need for conservation arises from the significance of natural resources. It is as follows-

• Water is a renewable natural resource . We use it for drinking, producing electricity, irrigation, in various industries and for a number of activities. Its scarcity would cause loss of vegetation, adverse effect on flora and fauna, erosion of soil, etc.
• Plants and animals provide a wide range of industrial and biological materials. Also, it assists in the manufacturing of medicine and for various other uses.
• It takes millions of years for the formation of natural resources.
• Fossil fuels are of great importance. A lot of energy is produced from coal, oil and natural gas all of which are fossil fuels.
• Forest is the most important natural resource which helps in economic development . Forest provides paper, furniture, timber, medicine, gum, etc. Also, it maintains a balance in the ecosystem. Moreover, it prevents soil erosion and protects wildlife.
• Land resources support natural vegetation, wildlife, transport. The land also provides us food, cloth, shelter, and other basic needs.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Ways to Conserve Natural Resources

Different ministries of the Government, national and international agencies have been working for the purpose of conserving the natural resources .

• Environment education must be imparted by including the same in the curricula of the schools.
• National Parks are making an effort for the safety of the natural resources.
• By reducing, reusing and recycling of non-renewable resources.
• Non-human species must be disturbed only to meet the basic needs.
• Planting of more and more trees to save our forest resources.
• Seeking alternatives to non-renewable resources.
• By increased use of bio-gas and bio-fuels.
• By preventing the dumping of industrial wastes into the river bodies. This is a measure to protect the rich marine life.
• Overgrazing must be prevented. Also, poaching of animals must be controlled.
• Practicing crop rotation techniques helps in maintaining the fertility of the soil.
• Burning of fossil fuels emits carbon-di-oxide which is a major greenhouse gas. It is responsible for the greenhouse effect. Thus, the burning of fossil fuels must be controlled.

These are some of the measures which we can undertake for the conservation of natural resources. As Human- beings, we have a social responsibility to fulfill towards nature. Thus, while using resources, we shall follow the principle of sustainable development.

Natural resources are a present for the creation. These help in satisfying the human needs to its fullest. Furthermore, the rational use of natural resources maintains the earth’s atmosphere. Also, the wise use leads to protection of bio-diversity. Humans cannot imagine their lives without natural resources. Thus, the conservation of the same is essential.

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Why Native Plants Matter

Over the past century, urbanization has taken intact, ecologically productive land and fragmented and transformed it with lawns and exotic ornamental plants. The continental U.S. lost a staggering 150 million acres of habitat and farmland to urban sprawl, and that trend isn’t slowing. The modern obsession with highly manicured “perfect” lawns alone has created a green, monoculture carpet across the country that covers over 40 million acres. The human-dominated landscape no longer supports functioning ecosystems, and the remaining isolated natural areas are not large enough to support wildlife. Native plants  are those that occur naturally in a region in which they evolved. They are the ecological basis upon which life depends, including birds and people. Without them and the insects that co-evolved with them, local birds cannot survive. For example, research by the entomologist Doug Tallamy has shown that native oak trees support over 500 species of caterpillars whereas ginkgos, a commonly planted landscape tree from Asia, host only 5 species of caterpillars. When it takes over 6,000 caterpillars to raise one brood of chickadees, that is a significant difference. Unfortunately, most of the landscaping plants available in nurseries are alien species from other countries. These exotic plants not only sever the food web, but many have become invasive pests, outcompeting native species and degrading habitat in remaining natural areas. Landscaping choices have meaningful effects on the populations of birds and the insects they need to survive. The bottom line is this—homeowners, landscapers, and local policy makers can benefit birds and other wildlife by simply selecting native plants when making their landscaping decisions. To do your part, you can use Audubon's  handy database  to discover native plants in your area and which types of birds they'll attract. Just enter your zipcode, and it's as easy as that. 

For more information on why native plants are so important to helping birds and other wildlife, see the below video and benefits. 

Video clip: Doug Tallamy

Benefits of Native Plants: Low maintenance: Once established, native plants generally require little maintenance. Beauty: Many native plants offer beautiful showy flowers, produce abundant colorful fruits and seeds, and brilliant seasonal changes in colors from the pale, thin greens of early spring, to the vibrant yellows and reds of autumn.  Healthy Places for People: Lawns and the ubiquitous bark-mulched landscapes are notorious for requiring profuse amounts of artificial fertilizers and synthetic chemical pesticides and herbicides. The traditional suburban lawn, on average, has 10x more chemical pesticides per acre than farmland. By choosing native plants for your landscaping, you are not only helping wildlife, but you are creating a healthier place for yourself, your family, and your community.  Helping the Climate: Landscaping with native plants can combat climate change. In addition to the reduced noise and carbon pollution from lawn mower exhaust, many native plants, especially long-living trees like oaks and maples, are effective at storing the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide.  Conserving Water: Because native plants are adapted to local environmental conditions, they require far less water, saving time, money, and perhaps the most valuable natural resource, water. Wildlife In addition to providing vital habitat for birds, many other species of wildlife benefits as well. The colorful array of butterflies and moths, including the iconic monarch, the swallowtails, tortoiseshells, and beautiful blues, are all dependent on very specific native plant species. Native plants provide nectar for pollinators including hummingbirds, native bees, butterflies, moths, and bats. They provide protective shelter for many mammals. The native nuts, seeds, and fruits produced by these plants offer essential foods for all forms of wildlife.

Help Audubon grow 1 million  bird-friendly native plants ! Just plug your zipcode into our  handy database  to discover which native plants in your area will attract certain types of birds. It’s fast, easy, and a great way to draw more birds to your yard while  providing vital natural habitat . 

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Essay on Conservation of Forest and Wildlife

Students are often asked to write an essay on Conservation of Forest and Wildlife in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Conservation of Forest and Wildlife

Introduction.

Forests and wildlife are vital parts of our ecosystem. They provide shelter, food, and even oxygen. Sadly, these natural resources are under threat due to human activities.

Importance of Forests and Wildlife

Forests absorb harmful carbon dioxide, helping to combat climate change. They are also home to countless species of animals. Wildlife, on the other hand, contributes to biodiversity, crucial for ecosystem balance.

Threats to Forests and Wildlife

Deforestation and hunting are major threats. Forests are being cleared for agriculture or urbanization, while animals are hunted for their body parts.

Conservation Efforts

Protecting these resources involves creating protected areas, enforcing laws, and promoting sustainable practices. Education also plays a key role in conservation.

250 Words Essay on Conservation of Forest and Wildlife

Forests and wildlife are integral to maintaining ecological balance. They serve as carbon sinks, absorbing greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming. Wildlife, on the other hand, plays a crucial role in pollination, pest control, and maintaining a balanced food chain.

Impacts of Deforestation and Loss of Wildlife

Deforestation and loss of wildlife have far-reaching impacts. It disrupts the balance of the ecosystem, leading to severe climatic changes, soil erosion, and loss of biodiversity. The extinction of a single species can have a domino effect, causing the collapse of an entire ecosystem.

Conservation Strategies

Conservation strategies revolve around sustainable use and management of natural resources. These include the establishment of protected areas, implementation of laws against illegal hunting and logging, and promotion of eco-tourism. Additionally, reforestation and afforestation programs can help restore degraded habitats.

The conservation of forests and wildlife is not just an environmental issue; it’s a matter of survival for future generations. It is our collective responsibility to ensure that we use our resources sustainably, preserving the balance of our ecosystems. Through concerted efforts and global cooperation, we can protect and preserve our natural heritage.

500 Words Essay on Conservation of Forest and Wildlife

Forests and wildlife are integral parts of our planet’s ecosystem, playing a crucial role in maintaining ecological balance. They not only support a diverse range of flora and fauna but also provide essential resources for human survival. However, with rapid industrialization and urbanization, the conservation of forest and wildlife has become a pressing issue.

The Importance of Forests and Wildlife

Wildlife, on the other hand, contributes to the biodiversity of the planet. Each species, no matter how small, plays a vital role in the ecosystem. They help in pollination, pest control, decomposition, and much more. Wildlife also has intrinsic value, enhancing our world with their beauty and diversity.

Unfortunately, human activities pose significant threats to forests and wildlife. Deforestation, driven by the need for agricultural land, timber, and urban development, is causing a rapid loss of forest cover. This not only results in a loss of habitat for wildlife but also contributes to climate change.

Efforts towards the conservation of forest and wildlife must be multi-pronged. Legal measures, such as implementing strict laws against deforestation and poaching, can deter destructive activities. Protected areas, like national parks and wildlife reserves, should be established and effectively managed to provide safe havens for wildlife.

Community involvement is also crucial. Local communities should be educated about the importance of conservation and encouraged to participate in conservation efforts. Sustainable practices, such as community forestry and eco-tourism, can provide economic benefits while preserving the environment.

The Role of Technology and Research

The conservation of forest and wildlife is not just an environmental issue; it is a matter of our survival. As we continue to exploit nature for our needs, we must also take responsibility for its protection. By understanding the value of forests and wildlife, implementing effective conservation strategies, and harnessing the power of technology and research, we can ensure a sustainable future for all life on Earth.

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How Can We All Help Conserve Nature?

When we speak about conserving nature, we are really talking about taking care of our future, because nature provides essential resources for our survival and enjoyment. We asked an international group of scientists working on different environmental issues worldwide to identify important practical actions that we can all do to help conserve nature. We obtained nearly 100 responses and grouped them into three main categories: (1) Actions to reduce our ecological footprint; (2) Actions to conserve nature; and (3) Actions that help us connect with nature. We briefly explain actions that can be performed daily to reduce our impact on nature, and provide some useful links for further reading.

Protecting Nature to Ensure Our Future

We often forget how much humans depend on nature . Even city-dwellers living in modern skyscrapers need air to breathe, water to drink, and food to eat, all of which are provided by nature. True, you can buy bottled water and ready-to-eat meals in supermarkets, but they were not produced there. Some fruits and vegetables, for example, only grow in tropical countries and cross the globe in refrigerated ship containers, to arrive just ripe to your local supermarket. All drinking water ultimately comes from a natural source, since we still do not have the technology to manufacture large amounts of water in the laboratory [ 1 ]. The same applies to the air we breathe, which is purified and oxygenated by plants [ 2 ]. So, when we speak about preserving nature, we are really also talking about preserving ourselves.

Whereas nature encompasses the natural environment as a whole, the term biodiversity [ 3 ] is used to refer to all living organisms. Biodiversity is ultimately responsible for the services we receive from nature, which are also called Ecosystem Services [ 4 ] or Nature's Contribution to People [ 5 ]. For example, forests containing many different bee species provide pollination services to nearby crop fields. In places where natural forests have been cut down, beekeepers must bring in artificial beehives to guarantee that enough pollinators visit crop flowers to produce fruit [ 6 ]. Other wild organisms, like wasps and birds, act as pest-control agents for agricultural crops, reducing the population of pests that damage those crops, and resulting in higher crop yields.

You are probably thinking that you already knew about this, and that there is not much you can do to preserve air, water, or fruit trees. But even if you live in a big city, far away from oxygen-producing forests, natural water springs, or crop fields, your daily actions can have a strong impact on these natural resources. Spilling a single drop of cooking oil while cleaning the dishes contaminates a million drops of water. Traveling in a vehicle powered by fossil fuels contributes to air pollution and global climate change [ 7 ]. Buying certain processed food ingredients, like palm oil, can contribute to massive deforestation in the tropics, as farmers clear land to grow these crops for money. All these impacts together make up what is called our ecological footprint on nature [ 8 ], which is a measure to quantify our daily life's impact on nature.

We will now share with you some important practical actions that we can all do to help conserve nature, to preserve our own well-being, and to guarantee that natural resources are available for future generations.

What Actions Can We Take to Help Conserve Nature?

We asked an international group of scientists, working on various environmental issues, to provide ideas on what young people can do to help conserve nature. We obtained nearly 100 responses and then organized all of the ideas by grouping them into three main categories: (1) Actions to reduce our ecological footprint ( Figure 1 ); (2) Actions to conserve nature ( Figure 2 ); and (3) Actions to connect with nature ( Figure 3 ). Below we explain each.

• Figure 1 - Word cloud showing the key actions that can be taken to reduce our ecological footprint.

• Figure 2 - Word cloud showing the key actions that can be taken to conserve nature.

• Figure 3 - Word cloud showing the key actions that can be taken to connect with nature.

Reduce our ecological footprint: Reducing our ecological footprint means placing less demand on nature (read here about the 3Rs—reduce, reuse and recycle; and get some ideas here on how you can help nature). Here are some ways that you can do this:

• Recycle your rubbish and participate in or help organize recycling campaigns.
• Avoid littering and participate in or help organize litter clean-ups ( here you can link to a website for volunteering or starting your own beach clean-up).
• Use less plastic by, for example, carrying a reusable water bottle, saying no to disposable straws and cutlery, avoiding plastic toys, and bringing your own shopping bags (for further ideas on a plastic-free life take a look here ).
• Swap toys, movies, and books instead of buying new ones.
• Donate, recycle, and repair electronic devices (see how here ).
• Use less water when brushing teeth, taking a shower, or washing the dishes.
• Use less electricity by turning off lights and electronic devices when not in use, using energy-saving light bulbs, and hanging clothes to dry.
• Use public transport, share a journey with friends (e.g., car-sharing), cycle, or walk when possible.
• Use less paper by not printing unnecessary things and reading e-books.
• Turn down the air conditioning when it is hot and use fans if you are still hot-they use much less power.
• Turn down the heat when it is cold and use sweaters, blankets, and socks to keep warm.
• Do not waste food and try to buy food that is grown locally and in season.
• Eat more non-meat proteins (like beans), less dairy, more vegetables, and more organic food when possible.
• Buy products that do not cause damage to the environment and that have certified labels (such as Rainforest Alliance and Animal Welfare ).
• Refuse to buy what you do not need, because every item you do not buy reduces the demand for the production of that item. For example, if everyone stopped buying plastic bags, super markets would stop selling them.

Conserve nature: Conserving nature means to protect, preserve and restore biodiversity. Here are some ways that you can do this:

• Try to prevent your pets from killing/harming wildlife (for some specific advice to help your local birds, see this ).
• Do not touch or take home wild animals or plants (see some advice here ).
• Plant native wildflowers, fruit trees, and pollinator-friendly plants in your garden or yard (for some related gardening tips, check out this ).
• Make compost to improve soil quality and to help insects (check out a guide to composting here ).
• Build and place bat houses, bird houses, and “bee hotels” in your garden, school grounds, and local green spaces ( here you can learn how make and manage a Bee hotel).
• Do not buy/keep wild pets at home (such as parrots, song birds, wild cats, or reptiles), in order to avoid supporting illegal trafficking of animals ( here you can find more info about illegal wildlife trade).
• Be aware of wild animals crossing the road and respect their paths ( here is some further information about the importance of wildlife crossings).

Connect with nature: Connecting with nature means setting aside time to interact with the natural environment. Here are some ways that you can do this:

• Play outside and spend more time in nature (read this link to find out why this is so important).
• Organize trips to explore the national parks/nature reserves close to you.
• Join conservation programs or eco-clubs (see how here ).
• Participate in nature-focused citizen science initiatives (learn more about citizen science here and see actual projects you can join here and here ).
• Use books or apps to identify the plants and animals around you (check out a cool app here ).
• Play games to learn more about nature (check out some fun examples here and here ).
• Use websites, blogs or social media to help raise awareness on the importance of conserving nature and share all these ideas).

Understanding the importance of nature and biodiversity for our own well-being can really help us to help nature. In this article, we have provided some practical ideas that we can all try to reduce our ecological footprint, conserve nature, and connect with nature. We encourage you to put these ideas into practice and share these actions with your family and friends.

Nature : ↑ The term that encompasses living organisms and the forces responsible for the physical world, such as the weather, mountains, oceans, and landscapes.

Biodiversity : ↑ The word biodiversity means the variety of all living organisms on Earth, and includes different levels of organization—from genes, species, and communities through to entire ecosystems.

Ecosystem Services : ↑ The many benefits that people get from natural ecosystems. These services can be broken down into provisioning (e.g., food and wood), supporting (e.g., soil formation and nutrient cycling), regulating (e.g., clean air and water purification), and cultural (e.g., recreation and eco-tourism).

Climate Change : ↑ Change in global or regional climate patterns, most due to increased levels of greenhouse gases produced by the burning of fossil fuels. Greenhouse gases, like carbon dioxide, act like a blanket, trapping heat near the Earth's surface, and raising the temperature.

Ecological Footprint : ↑ This is a measure of how much people take from nature, which is then compared to what natural resources are available to provide for people.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

[1] ↑ Ernst, C., Gullick, R., and Nixon, K. 2004. Conserving forests to protect water. Opflow 30:1–7. doi: 10.1002/j.1551-8701.2004.tb01752.x

[2] ↑ Nowak, D. J., Hirabayashi, S., Bodine, A., and Greenfield, E. 2014. Tree and forest effects on air quality and human health in the United States. Environ. Pollut. 193:119–29. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2014.05.028

[3] ↑ Carrington, D. 2018. What is Biodiversity and Why Does it Matter to Us? Guard. Available online at: https://www.theguardian.com/news/2018/mar/12/what-is-biodiversity-and-why-does-it-matter-to-us

[4] ↑ Millennium Ecosystem Assessment 2005. Ecosystems and Human Well-being: Synthesis . Washington, DC: Island Press. Available online at: http://www.millenniumassessment.org/documents/document.356.aspx.pdf

[5] ↑ Daz, S., Pascual, U., Stenseke, M., Martn-López, B., Watson, R. T., Molnár, Z., et al. 2018. Assessing nature's contributions to people. Science 359:270–2. doi: 10.1126/science.aap8826

[6] ↑ Potts, S. G., Imperatriz-Fonseca, V. L., and Thompson, H. M. (Eds.). 2016. The Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services on Pollinators, Pollination and Food Production . Bonn: Secretariat of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. Available online at: https://www.ipbes.net/assessment-reports/pollinators

[7] ↑ Center for Climate and Energy Solutions. Climate Basics for Kids . Available online at: https://www.c2es.org/content/climate-basics-for-kids/ (accessed June, 2019).

[8] ↑ Global Footprint Network. Ecological Footprint . Available online at: https://www.footprintnetwork.org/our-work/ecological-footprint/ (accessed June, 2019).

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Our forests, rivers and oceans are worth so much to us

We're valuing nature before we pay the price

The natural world is an incredible wonder that inspires us all. It underpins our economy, our society, indeed our very existence. Our forests, rivers, oceans and soils provide us with the food we eat, the air we breathe, the water we irrigate our crops with. We also rely on them for numerous other goods and services we depend on for our health, happiness and prosperity. 

These natural assets are often called the world's 'natural capital'. These benefits are also hugely important to the economy – from farming and forestry to leisure and tourism. If you add them all up, the total value of these benefits is phenomenal – at least US$125 trillion every year .

Because nature is free, we often take it for granted and overexploit it. We clear forests, overfish oceans, pollute rivers and build over wetlands without taking account of the impact this will have. By not taking into account the benefits we get from nature, we create huge social and economic costs for ourselves. 

We need to look at the value of nature in economic and social terms to help us better understand the full implications of the choices we make. Instead of making decisions based on short-term financial interests, we can look at the longer-term benefits for people and the economy – and of course nature itself.  Using this argument, we’re persuading governments and businesses to take better care of the natural world, so that it can continue to sustain us all into the future.

"If we start to understand the value of nature to our society and economy, we will recognise the importance of living in harmony with nature, rather than destroying it for short term gain.  So many governments and businesses around the world are now realising this, and starting to act – it gives me real hope for the future."

We’re working with government, business, financial institutions and other organisations to ensure that the value of nature is brought into the heart of decision making, both in the UK and around the world.

We use the value of natural capital to advocate for better conservation outcomes. For example, by showing that key areas of tiger habitat in Sumatra are important for storing carbon and retaining soil, we can help the government plan in ways that benefit people directly and improve protection of tiger habitat. 

We work to ensure that businesses and financial institutions recognise the impact that they have on ou r planet , promote sustainable finance advocating for best practice across the board, sustainable sourcing, sustainable development and sustainable investing.

Where valuing nature is making an impact

By valuing nature we can transform the way the environment is managed, delivering stronger environmental protection as well as social and economic gains across the world.  

The Ganges: India's sacred river

The Ganges river starts its 2,500km journey from the Himalayas to the Bay of Bengal, meandering through one of the world's most amazing regions.

Satpuda Maikal in the heart of India

The Satpuda Maikal landscape, in the heart of India, is home to over 400 wild tigers.

Why UK seas and coasts are important

The UK seas are home to a great variety of animals. They're also vital for our growing renewable energy sector.

UK rivers and chalk streams

The picturesque rivers flowing through the British landscape is a vital source of fresh freshwater for homes, businesses and wildlife.

Virunga-Bwindi-Volcanoes in Central Africa

Virunga-Bwindi is a spectacular mosaic of wildly diverse and rich landscapes in Central Africa. No wonder it is one of the most biodiverse areas.

Our ‘Draw the Line’ Virunga campaign

In 2013 we launched a successful international drive to stop UK oil company Soco from exploring for oil in Virunga National Park in central Africa. As a result, Soco committed to end its oil operations in the park and other UNESCO World Heritage Sites. But for Virunga National Park to be safe in the long term we need the government in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to cancel all oil exploration permits (as requested by UNESCO), and to focus on sustainable development. We still need your help to secure a sustainable future for this special place and its communities and wildlife.

New hope for African rhinos Read More

A Corridor for Wildlife and Communities Read More

A Breath of Fresh Air Read More

A people's plan for nature Read More

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What we're doing

Influencing policies in Brazil and Colombia

Transforming lives through community banks

How we're holding the line in Virunga

Illegal Wildlife Trade in Nepal

Making palm oil sustainable

Valuing Belize’s barrier reef

Developing the Natural Capital Protocol

One Planet Economy: our work valuing nature