BENEFITS OF PLANTING TREES
‘For in the true nature of things, if
we rightly consider every green tree is far more glorious than if it were made
of gold and silver’, said Martin Luther King Jr. realizing the immense
importance of trees in our lives. No matter how much progressed and prosperous
we become in terms of earning gold and silvers, it’s pretty obvious that
nothing can replace the great values that trees behold.
WHY TREES SHOULD BE SAVED?
Now, we human beings are reasonable
enough to question why we need to do a particular thing and how will it be
useful for us; However, when it comes to trees, they do not fail to provide
ample reasons to prove their worth.
Ranging from sustaining the ecological
balance to serving commercial needs of humans by providing wood, fruits, and
medicines, trees have been serving their indispensable role to the environment
for ages. Some of the benefits we derive from trees can be enumerated as
follows:-
1.
Serving
Oxygen Needs and combating climate change:
Human Beings breathe in oxygen to live. Trees undergo the process of
photosynthesis for their food during which they utilize carbon dioxide present
in the atmosphere and release back oxygen which is used by living creatures for
respiration. Trees also help combat climate change by removing and storing excess
CO2 from the air which is a greenhouse gas and contributes to global warming.
Trees
produce a cooling effect and help conserve energy:
Trees provide cool shade by absorbing excess heat and releasing water vapors
through transpiration. This helps cutting summer air conditioner needs and
thereby promotes energy conservation.
4.
Providing
food and medicines: Trees provide food in
the form of fruits and vegetables for Humans, Birds and Animals alike. In fact,
many trees and plants behold medicinal values and help cure severe diseases.
Example: The bark of the cinchona tree helps cure malaria while Tulsi and
Ashwagandha is beneficial in cold and cough.
5.
Shelter
for Birds and Animals: Trees also serve as
shelter for a large variety of birds and animals and help conserve biodiversity
in nature by providing a proper habitat for their survival.
6.
Fulfilling
commercial aspirations: A number of
commercial goods can be derived from trees that can help in economic growth.
Example: Timber, firewood, pulpwood, fruits, medicines, minerals, rubber, gum,
fibers, fodder, oils, bamboo canes, and many more commercial items.
7.
Regulation
of Water Cycles: Trees absorb rainfall, slow down
runoff and release water for recharge of springs. The water they transpire
helps in the formation of clouds that bring down rainfall and maintain the
hydrological balance.
8.
Moderate
pollution: With the advent of the industrial era,
cities have become the hub of industries that release toxic gases and pollutants in
the atmosphere. Trees play a crucial role in pollution moderators as they
absorb toxic gases and help to keep the air pure. They even absorb noise and
prevent noise pollution.
Importance of Trees Essay in English PDF- Download
Here is an essay on the importance of trees in our life, you will get a good paragraph on the importance of trees for kids.
REASONS RESPONSIBLE FOR CUTTING OF TREES
The reasons behind
large scale cutting of trees or say deforestation include road construction,
mining and dam building activities, clearing for agricultural lands for meeting
growing population’s food needs and hydropower projects.
Forest fires are also
responsible for large scale destruction of trees. Serious efforts need to be
taken in this direction to prevent unnecessary loss of trees. Government must
take steps to ensure proper implementation of the model for sustainable
development
NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES OF CUTTING TREES
We know that trees are
one of the most precious natural entities on planet Earth and large scale
cutting of trees without plantation of new ones in their place poses serious
challenges to the lives of creatures and the whole environment. In light of
this, we find out the following major challenges as a result of incessant
cutting down of trees:-
- 1. Imbalance in oxygen and water cycle: Trees help maintain the required levels of oxygen in the atmosphere which is a vital element in the respiration process of animals and human beings. They also ensure the proper working of the water cycle in nature as discussed before. Hence, loss of trees on a large scale would disturb the oxygen and water cycles in the environment.
- 2. Excess presence of carbon dioxide: When there would be fewer trees, there would be more carbon dioxide in nature which is a greenhouse gas will further elevate the problem of global warming.
- 3. Destruction of the natural habitat of birds and animals: Several species of birds and animals depend on trees for their food and shelter needs. Incessant cutting of trees will destruct their natural habitats which might make them vulnerable and cause their extinction. This will result in a severe loss of Biodiversity.
- 4. Problem of soil erosion: The roots of the trees keep a hold on soil and prevent it from being eroded. Hence, cutting of trees results in soil erosion and loss of soil fertility subsequently causing Desertification.
- 5. Trees act as windbreakers: Without trees, people living in windy areas will experience difficulties as trees there act as windbreakers and prevent soil erosion as well as problems in performing daily chores.
WHAT CAN BE DONE? - SOLUTIONS AND INITIATIVES
‘Change begins with you’. Individual
efforts can play a significant role in planting and saving trees. Here are some
of the suggestions that might prove beneficial:-
· Planting
of more and more trees: Nelson Henderson once
said that “The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do
not expect to sit”. Seeing the innumerable benefits that trees provide, it is
considered that planting trees is the noblest amongst all deeds.
With the continuous, the rise in population, more and more trees are being cut for fulfilling the needs
of food and space. In such a scenario, it is very important that we plant a lot
of trees in our surroundings and ensure their proper growth too by looking
after them well and not just leaving the planted saplings ignored.
· Dealing
with deforestation: Deforestation
involves cutting of trees on a large scale. We need to keep a check on
deforestation activities and reduce them as much as possible because of the forest
formation takes decades and ruthless cutting of trees with just a few strokes is
only going to aggravate our problems in the near future.
· Spreading
Awareness: Awareness should be spread among the general public regarding the importance of trees and how can we save them. More
of ‘Plantation Drives’ and awareness campaigns should be organized for small
children as it’ they who are the bearers of the future.
· Community
Role: The community plays a crucial role in
planting and saving trees as collective efforts always turn out to be fruitful.
Example:-Many religions like Hinduism and Jainism promote worshiping of trees
to make their community realize the worth.
Then there are instances like the sacrifice of 363 Bishnoi women who laid down their lives to protect ‘Khejri’
trees of Rajasthan and the ‘Chipko Movement’ of
1973 where people used to hug trees in order to prevent them from being cut. A
very brave statement of Amrita Devi, the leader of the movement, was recorded
back then that said,” If a tree is saved from felling at the cost of one’s head,
it should be considered as cheap bargaining”.
· Initiatives
by NGOs: NGOs like Green Yatra, Sankalp Taru,
Say Trees, Siruthuli and many more are solely devoted towards the objective of
tree plantation and conservation. Such NGOs play a very crucial role in
spreading the message and engaging individuals in tree protection activities,
instilling a sense of responsibility among all which is much needed as it’s our
duty only to take care of the flora and fauna around us which are crucial
elements for our own survival on planet Earth.
INITIATIVES BY INDIAN GOVERNMENT
· According to ‘THE
TELEGRAPH’, the Indian Government has attributed $6.2 billion for plantation of
trees in line with the Paris Agreement in 2015.
· The Government has
also passed the CAMPA law which is supposed to allocate around 40 Thousand
Crore Rupees to the Indian States for tree
plantation. This includes setting up of parks and Green Belts too.
· National Mission for
Green India: This mission aims at enhancing the quality of forest cover, Eco
restoration of forests. There is also a Centrally sponsored scheme called
“National Afforestation Programme” for the regeneration of degraded forests with
the help of community participation by people residing in the surroundings.
· The Ministry of
Environment, Forests and Climate Change also takes up several initiatives to
keep a check on deforestation and ensures afforestation through various
environmental programs and tree plantation initiatives.
CONCLUSION:-
Trees are like green
lungs of Mother Earth and it’s time to make sincere efforts to save and protect
them because it’s trees only that will ensure our well being even when we get
lost into the race of Industrialization
and urbanization in the name of development.
It’s these trees we
plant, that will selflessly give us their all till their last breath and it’s
protection of trees only that will subsequently ensure well being of all other
living creatures and the environment.
Who among us would
like to give a choking world and barren lands to our next generations? None of
us, right? The best gift we can give to our posterity is a healthy environment
and it is well known that trees will serve this purpose best. So, let’s take a pledge to do our best in protecting trees and planting new saplings because
it’s
‘ TREES WELL NURTURED
THAT SHOW SOCIETY IS CULTURED’.
The benefit of Planting Trees- Importance of Trees in Our Life
Related Post
0 Comments