Forests
Forests are useful to us in many ways. Timber and firewood are useful forest products. The most valuable timbers of great commercial importance are deodar, pine, oak, rove wood and satin wood. Timber is used for building houses ships, railway carriages etc.. and to make scientific, engineering, agricultural and educational equipment’s.
Forests yield a number of minor products such as gums and resins, beeswax and honey, oils and herbs, rubber and latex, drugs and spices oil seeds, incense and perfume.
It is well known that oils are used in the manufacture of products like soap, cosmetics, perfumes, disinfectants. agarbathis and syrups. Animals and birds add to the wealth of the forests. The powerful elephants, the graceful but fearful tiger, the majestic lion, the nimble deer, the colourful peacock, the beautiful parrot are wild animals and birds of which our country can be proud of. We all know the value of the tusks and bones of Elephants and the skins of Deer. Tiger and Leopards.
The vegetation in the forest contribute to the rainfall in the area. It may be difficult to understand this but it is a fact that the more forests we have the more rains we get. The unexpected and unforeseen drought situation in this country is only due to deforestation.
Further forests preserve soil and moisture. By that growth of abundant trees, villages are protected from and cold winds. They force rain water to soak into the ground and deliver it as clear water to the streams for the greatest part of the year and this is essential for our agricultural economy.
It is needless to point out that forests are the back bones of our country. In ancient days, the forests extended over most of the country and they have gradually been destroyed for timber, pasture and cultivation. As the population increased more and more forests were destroyed.
The Vanamahotsava day and the wild life week will help us to realize the importance of forests and wild life. Jawaharlal Nehru said, “There should be a strong feeling among our people against cutting down trees carelessly
If cutting down trees is unavoidable we should develop a convention that for every tree that is cut down two new ores should be planted.
