Sustainability
Forests
What is sustainability?
Sustainability is being able to provide a balance in every ecosystem. It is being able to do something without depleting any natural resources, destroying any habitats, and affecting any species in a negative way. It is being able to keep a certain environment healthy where the inhabitants could continue to support themselves without changing anything in their environment.
Forests in the World
- Forests covers a third of our planet's land
- Converts carbon dioxide in the atmosphere into oxygen which stabilizes the global climate
- Boreal forest is the largest land habitat on the planet
- Provide raw materials
- Maintains biodiversity
- It is sadly, heavily exploited
- According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, an estimated of 18 million acres of forest are lost each year
- One and a half acres of forest is cut down every second
- Industrialized countries consume 12 times more wood and its products per person than the non-industrialized countries
Why is sustainability important to the world's forests?
With sustainability, forests can remain healthy and productive. We would be able to produce forests products and continue to provide jobs for many people. We would also be able to meet our daily needs without jeopardizing any forests or the needs of future generations. With a sustainable forest, we can conserve, protect and improve biodiversity, habitats, wildlife and trees. In fact, we can also reduce the amount of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere, which would be very beneficial to future generations.
Forest Fact Break: Sustainability
Ways to Keep a Forest Sustainable
- Replanting after logging: This will ensure that there will be trees and seeds that will replace the ones that were cut.
- Selective cutting: Only cutting the desired type of trees and thus, allowing to keep any healthy trees standing and provide seeds for the future.
- Preserving wildlife corridors: This will allow any animals to live and move freely around an area.
- Supporting natural regrowth of a forest: This could be achieved by limiting the use of a forest that has a lot of its trees cut down to help the forest recover.
- Controlled burning: This could reduce brush that grows under trees. This could also release nutrients to the soil and kill pests that might be dangerous to the trees.
- Using animals to haul logs: This would cause less damage to any forests and the environment than if you were to use a bulldozer or any heavy machineries.
- Ecotourism: Showing people the beauty of a forest. By doing this, you could influence more people to help protect the world's forests.
- Buying forest products from a forest that is managed for the future: This will ensure that you are not putting any forests in danger.