It is easy to imagine oneself in a big forest, surrounded by tall trees and the sound of falling leaves. Isn’t it a really wonderful place to be? However, the forest, with its breathtaking beauty, has much more to offer than just a pretty view. The things we get from forest have huge benefits that have an important effect on our lives. The list is broad.
These forests, defined by their dense trees and natural expanse, give us a variety of essential resources, important for our survival and for promoting our well-being. There are incredible amounts of things we get from forest as listed below.
Things We Get From Forest
To name 10 things we get from forest are –
- Oxygen
- Medicinal Plants
- Timber and Wood Products
- Paper
- Gum
- Food
- Spices
- Rubber
- Fuel And Energy Products
- Dyes and Tannins
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Oxygen
One of the extremely important things we get from forest is Oxygen. Forests play an important role in producing oxygen. Due to their vast vegetation cover, they are significant contributors to the global production of oxygen which is about 28% of the Earth’s oxygen.
The Amazon rainforest, with about 390 billion trees in 16,000 different species of trees, is known as the “lungs of the Earth” as they contribute 20% of the total oxygen.
Medicinal Plants
Medicinal plants have been used by different cultures to address many health problems eg : Indian bael tree, rich in Vitamin C is an effective immune booster. It helps in blood detoxification and fighting infections.
In Ayurvedic medicine, the bark of the Arjuna tree is highly valued and is used to prepare herbal formulas that are believed to support cardiovascular health. Quinine, in modern medicines, used for the treatment of malaria and reducing fever is derived from the bark of Cinchona trees.
Timber and Wood Products
A wide variety of timber and wood products are obtained from forests, like Plywood, for its strength, and resistance to warping and cracking is used in construction, and furniture making.
Sandalwood, found in southern Indian forests is known for its fragrance and valuable properties and is used in various cultural, and religious, applications, including perfumes, and medicines. Lumber is a processed wood which is a primary material in building structures, and furniture.
Paper
Paper is one of the most necessary things we get from forest. Its importance is beyond cultures, industries, and generations. Generally, Coniferous trees are chosen because their cellulose fibers are longer and produce stronger paper.
Spruce, pine, fir, and hemlock are a few of the softwood and hardwood trees such as birch, aspen, and eucalyptus used for making paper.
Gum
Trees, like pine, fir, and spruce, produce a sticky substance called resin, gum or sap, as a protective response to wounds or injuries. However, gum has been used by humans for centuries for many purposes.
It has medicinal uses for its healing properties. Gum is also used for making adhesives, chewing gums, paints, perfumes and fragrances.
Food
One of the essential things we get from forest is food. Fruits and Berries such as Mango, Guava, Jackfruit, etc. are grown commonly in forests. Blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries are also flavorful fruits found in forests rich in vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber.
Edible mushrooms, like chanterelles, and morels can also be found in forests. They offer unique flavors and are used in different types of food. The forest of Washington, Idaho and Oregon are big producers of mushrooms.
Nuts like chestnuts, walnuts, and cashews are collected from forest. In addition to being nourishing they are used in cooking as well. Honey, obtained from Acacia trees, and Eucalyptus trees is widely used as a natural sweetener. It is also well known for its health benefits.
Spices
Forests produce a variety of plants that give aromatic and flavorful spices. Cinnamon comes from Cinnamomum species, used for its warm and sweet flavor. Cardamom seeds are known for their strong, aromatic flavor.
Cloves are dried flower buds from a tree called Syzygium aromaticum. They have a strong and pungent flavor, often used as seasoning. Other spices are black pepper, allspice, wild ginger, vanilla, etc.
Rubber
Natural rubber is among the versatile things we get from forest, with its many applications due to its elasticity, durability, and water resistance properties. It is used for making Tires, boots, footwear, gloves, elastics and bands.
Rubber is extracted from the latex of rubber trees (Hevea brasiliensis) or others. The method of “tapping” method involves cutting slits in the bark and extracting out the latex, a sticky, milky, and white colloid. The latex is then turned into rubber that is ready for industrial use.
Fuel And Energy Products
Forests can provide many fuel and energy products. The most traditional form of energy from forests is wood fuel. Wood is burned for heating, cooking, etc. Forest biomass can be processed to produce biofuels such as bioethanol and biodiesel for vehicles.
Charcoal is created by burning the woods in the absence of oxygen. It is used as a fuel for cooking, heating, and industrial processes. Other fuel and energy related things we get from forest are biogas, wood gas, and thermal energy.
Dyes and Tannins
One of the many things we get from forest are Dyes and Tannins. Indigo plants, found in tropical and subtropical forests, are known for their blue dye. Madder roots, yield red and orange dyes and have been used for dyeing textiles.
Tannins are complex organic compounds found in various plant tissues, including bark, leaves, and fruits used for tanning leather. Acacia species and Oak bark are rich in tannins and have been a traditional source for tanning leather.
These are a few major things we get from forest. But there are still plenty of other essential things we get from forest.
For eg – Cork (used for wine stoppers, flooring, and fashion accessories), plant extracts (used in cosmetics, perfumes, and herbal remedies), and Pitch and Tar (used for waterproofing, sealing, and preserving wood).
Other than these, some other abstract things we get from forest are Biodiversity, cultural values, and entertaining activities like hiking and camping. Forests also attract tourists and hence, enhance tourism as well.
Conclusion
The things we get from forest are important to humanity, from timber, medicine, and food to biodiversity to rubber, gum and dyes, forests offer a wide range of things. To reduce climate change, and to promote a healthy relationship between people and the natural world, it is crucial to understand and value the essential things we get from forest.
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