Currently, a very active pace of development of economic activity on a global scale has led to a significant reduction in natural resources. The world's land and forest resources are under severe exploitation due to the ever-increasing population of the planet.
The vegetation of the Earth can be divided into two broad categories: wild and cultivated flora. At present, out of the six thousand species counted, emphasis should be placed on widespread varieties. In total, there are 15-20 such crops, such as rice, wheat, corn, soybeans and others. The forest resources of the world represent a significant part of the wild-growing category of the Earth's flora. Like many other types of natural funds, these are exhaustible sources that can nevertheless be restored. This type of natural resource is used for many different purposes and to fulfill all kinds of tasks.
The world's forest resources are traditionally characterized by three main indicators, among whichforest cover, the size of the occupied area, as well as stocks of standing timber. However, despite the fact that every year there is an increase in each of the indicators, several problems should be noted.
Forest resources of the world have been used since ancient times for the construction and arrangement of dwellings of both ancient and modern people. Currently, almost half of the harvested wood goes to the above-described purposes. At the same time, technological progress does not detract from the attractiveness of natural textures. Designers and architects around the world successfully use such materials in their projects. However, despite the implementation of various measures to preserve natural resources, consumption far exceeds supply, and this leads to the fact that the world's forest resources are gradually declining.
In addition, since ancient times, there has been an active development of agriculture. In turn, this has also led to the deforestation of the planet. It is estimated that forest area is decreasing by about 0.5 percent annually. This means that even the existing increase in forest cover and other indicators described above cannot cover all the needs of mankind.
But it is the forest mass, as well as swamps, that are the "lungs" of the planet. This means that they are responsible for replenishing oxygen in the atmosphere. It should be noted that the reduction of forests also leads to the destruction and erosion of soil cover, which worsens agriculture.
Forest resources of the world. Forest area distribution table
| Region | Area, million ha |
| World | 4170 |
| Europe | 200 |
| Asia | 530 |
| North America | 850 |
| South America | 850 |
| Africa | 740 |
| Australia and Oceania | 200 |
Analyzing this table, it can be noted that the forest resources of the world form two main regions, called belts: southern and northern. At the same time, wood reserves are distributed approximately equally. The southern zone is located in the tropical and equatorial climate, while the northern one covers the temperate and subtropical climatic zone.
