Even under the USSR, there were slogans “Forest is our we alth” or “Protect the forest”. Indeed, it is a resource of wood that can be used for a variety of purposes. This includes fuel, building material, paper production, and other areas of human activity. And if you treat this resource carefully and economically, you can get considerable economic benefits and improve the ecology of the whole country.
What is a forest?
A forest from a geographical and biological point of view is a large area of land, overgrown with trees, shrubs between them and other vegetation. The forests of Russia occupy about 850 million hectares of the total territory (1712518700 hectares - the area of the state).
Forest is an ecosystem, which is a closely related living and non-living organisms. The former include all plants, microorganisms and wildlife. The second - air, water and soil. And the composition of the forest, its flora and fauna depends on the inanimate component (abiotic).
The role of the forest in nature
IfPreviously, forest plantations were treated simply as consumers, but today the situation is somewhat different. Many figures from various economic and political spheres began to understand that the forest is our we alth, and began to call for a more rational use of it. The environmental impact is as follows:
- Participate in the water cycle and maintain water balance.
- Formation of soil cover.
- The presence of forest contributes to the formation of weather and climate.
- Forests reduce the amount of carbon in the atmosphere, thereby reducing the greenhouse effect.
The role of the forest in the economy of the state
Even in the days of Kievan Rus, the forest was of great importance. Our we alth lay in many ways to use it. For example, this:
- source of animal and vegetable food;
- building material;
- fuel source (wood, charcoal, biofuel);
- raw materials for industries such as pulp and paper, chemicals, woodworking;
- food source for animals.
Green plantings of trees - both spontaneous and controlled - have a big impact on people's he alth. The forest is able to transform some of the pollution, especially atmospheric. Coniferous, birch and linden forests have these properties to the greatest extent. They absorb dust and industrial pollution very well, which is why cities are planting forests in the form of parks or groves. Phytoncides secreted by some breedstrees, promote healing. Therefore, one should always remember that the forest is our we alth, and use it carefully and rationally.
Harm of unsustainable felling of trees
Although the forest is a self-reproducing and self-healing ecosystem, it needs protection from various destructive factors. This is due to the long-term irrational use of wood and increased environmental pollution. It is difficult to overestimate the value of the forest. But the fact that his role was not defined for a long time caused irreparable harm to some regions of the Russian Federation.
Deforestation on the coast of the Aral Sea led to the greatest catastrophe. Due to the destruction of trees, the balance of the water cycle in the adjacent territories and on the lake itself was disturbed. As a result, evaporation increased and even uncontrolled water intake for irrigation of agricultural land. The Aral Sea became so shallow that it split into two lakes.
Destruction of trees along the Volga coast led to a similar situation. The river has become so shallow that ships with a deep draft cannot pass through the fairway. A mass planting of forests is needed so that in a few decades the level of ecological catastrophe will decrease. Perhaps then the water level could rise a little.
Forests of Russia and their protection
Because trees play a big role in nature and influence the ecological situation, they require careful treatment and protection. In Russia, for their protection,federal laws that regulate the use of forests, as well as measures for their protection and restoration.
According to the "Law on Environmental Protection", the Constitution of the Russian Federation, the Forest Code, the Civil Code, the UN Declaration and other regulations, the protection and protection of the forest is carried out by monitoring, creating and maintaining a forest cadastre, and developing forestry. All these measures and their proper organization make it possible to use natural resources more rationally. Forestry is gaining the most importance among them - with their help, many issues related to the protection of trees and other green spaces are solved.
Forests and forestry
Forests of Russia require protection and respect. The main body that deals with this is forestry. It has the following functions:
- protection of forest plantations from unauthorized logging;
- protection and prevention from pests;
- timely removal of dry wood to reduce the risk of fire;
- fire safety;
- protection of fauna from extermination;
- planting new seedlings to reforest.
Such measures allow to preserve quantitatively and qualitatively the forests of Russia. Forestry enterprises can control the number of trees of each variety by felling and planting seedlings, thereby preserving the forest in its original form. If such control were not carried out, some trees would replace others uncontrollably, in connection with which the rest of the animal andvegetable world. Only all comprehensive measures can save the forest. Our we alth should increase, not decrease every year.
Forests and their fire protection
Despite the fact that many understand that the forest is our we alth, and it must be protected, fire is still the biggest problem. Forest fires are especially frequent during the summer period, which is characterized by low air humidity, high temperatures and the absence of precipitation for a long period of time. Fire spreads especially fast in strong winds. Despite the adopted laws, the material base for the implementation of full-fledged measures for the prevention and fire fighting is very weak.
This lack is evidenced by the fires that have affected Russia's forests and even settlements. In 2014, fires became so frequent that in June a special resolution was issued to amend the rules for monitoring the reliability of fire safety information. This happened after the fires in Transbaikalia (April 2014), Amur (April 2014) and Irkutsk regions. In many regions, emergency regimes have been introduced and residents of the surrounding settlements are prohibited from entering the forest.
Perhaps in the future, equipment and technology will help prevent fires in forests, but today the area of forests engulfed by fire is increasing. When the entire population treats trees more carefully, a full-fledged material and technical base will be created, then protectionwill be more efficient.
