With the spread of CIVILIZATION and the growing demands for forest produce, the world’s forest cover is steadily DIMINISHING by burning, clearing and felling trees for fuel, or to make space for settlements, AGRICULTURE and industry.

Finally, we have realised that forests should not only be preserved for maintaining timber supplies, but also for checking soil erosion, flood, safeguarding WATER supplies, and for providing recreational facilities.

We have made a list of ways in which the problems can be overcome:

Afforestation:

Forests felled for timber supply must essentially be replanted with seedling trees. The new trees may not always be the same as those removed. MANY areas which were not forested previously may also be planted in order to check soil erosion.

Selective Cutting Practices:

With the aim of better regeneration and survival, the cutting practices should be selective. The weak or diseased species, or the mature species, that are occupying space uselessly, must be removed. By this method, sufficient trees will remain to prevent soil erosion and the species can regenerate at the same time.

Clear-cutting Practices:

This is an alternative to selective cutting. By this method, all the trees are removed, irrespective of age or type. Initially, this may seem to be wasteful. But, if the area is replanted, erosion can be checked. This method is also cheaper and easier.

Protection of Forests:

• Forests should be efficiently protected from natural hazards such as fires and pests.
• In order to protect forests from fires, there should be close system of lookout towers and air patrol that can give an earliest possible warning. This system is very popular in the USA and Canada.
• Forests should be inspected regularly and sprayed with insecticides in order to fight insects and pests. Insects or animals that prey on the unwanted insect can also introduce into the forest.

Re-use of Waste Paper:

By recycling newsprint and other inferior paper products, timber consumption can be reduced.

With the spread of civilization and the growing demands for forest produce, the world’s forest cover is steadily diminishing by burning, clearing and felling trees for fuel, or to make space for settlements, agriculture and industry.

Finally, we have realised that forests should not only be preserved for maintaining timber supplies, but also for checking soil erosion, flood, safeguarding water supplies, and for providing recreational facilities.

We have made a list of ways in which the problems can be overcome:

Afforestation:

Forests felled for timber supply must essentially be replanted with seedling trees. The new trees may not always be the same as those removed. Many areas which were not forested previously may also be planted in order to check soil erosion.

Selective Cutting Practices:

With the aim of better regeneration and survival, the cutting practices should be selective. The weak or diseased species, or the mature species, that are occupying space uselessly, must be removed. By this method, sufficient trees will remain to prevent soil erosion and the species can regenerate at the same time.

Clear-cutting Practices:

This is an alternative to selective cutting. By this method, all the trees are removed, irrespective of age or type. Initially, this may seem to be wasteful. But, if the area is replanted, erosion can be checked. This method is also cheaper and easier.

Protection of Forests:

Re-use of Waste Paper:

By recycling newsprint and other inferior paper products, timber consumption can be reduced.