FORESTS: NATURE AT YOUR SERVICE

WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY
FORESTS: NATURE AT YOUR SERVICE | 05 JUNE 2011
BY
Lasisi, Adedoyin, K. S. (MNES, MICCON)
Research and Development Dept.,
Lagos State Ministry of the Environment, Ikeja-Lagos, Nigeria.
Phone: 234-8028476147
e-mail:ladedoyin@yahoo.com

“ 36 million acres of natural forest are lost each year”
Just think of how forests have affected your life today: Have you had your breakfast? Read a newspaper? Switched on a light? Travelled to work in a bus or car? Signed a cheque? Blown your nose into a tissue?. Forest products are used in our daily lives. All the activities listed above directly or indirectly involve forests. Some are easy to figure out - fruits, paper and wood from trees, and so on. Others are less obvious - by-products that go into the manufacture of other everyday items like medicines, cosmetics and detergents.
If asked to define a forest, most of us will straightaway think of tree. While it is true that tree dominate-they are the biggest organism present there and there are many of them- a forest is in fact a community of not just plant and animals, but of micro-organisms. The important functions of the forest include regulation of hydrological systems, erosion control, control of desertification, improving air quality, and the provision of habitat to a myriad of life forms. The forestry sector plays a critical role in addressing both local and national environmental problems.
A forestation has emerged on the international agenda as a topic of concern. As we join the rest of the world to celebrate the World Environment Day with the theme, " Forest: Nature at your services”. It is important to educate ourselves on forest; its, importance, fragility and the role it plays in regulating environmental pollution. A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods and less often as a "wold" (or "weald"), "holt", or "frith" (or "firth"), is an area with a high density of trees. There are many definitions for forest, based on the various criteria. The word "forest" comes from Middle English forest, from Old French forest (also forès) "forest, vast expanse covered by trees", believed to be a borrowing (probably via Frankish or Old High German) of the Medieval Latin word foresta "open wood.
Forests can be found in all regions of the world capable of sustaining tree growth, at altitudes up to the tree line, except where natural fire frequency or other disturbance is too high, or where the environment has been altered by human activity. Forests can be classified in different ways and to different degrees of specificity. A number of global forest classification systems have been proposed, but none has gained universal acceptance. However, the UNEP-WCMC's forest category classification system is a simplification of other more complex systems (e.g. UNESCO's forest and woodland 'subformations'). This system divides the world's forests into 26 major types, which reflect climatic zones as well as the principal types of trees. These 26 major types can be reclassified into 6 broader categories: temperate needleleaf; temperate broadleaf and mixed; tropical moist; tropical dry; sparse trees and parkland; and forest plantations.
Forests are vital for life on earth. They are not just the green cover we need to make the earth look beautiful; they have many functions integral for our survival and sustenance. They function as a resource for many aspects of human life. As a resource, forests provide many important natural resources, such as timber, fuel, rubber, paper and medicinal plants. Forests also help sustain the quality and availability of freshwater supplies. More than three quarters of the world’s accessible freshwater comes from forested catchments. Water quality declines with decreases in forest condition and cover, and natural hazards such as floods, landslides, and soil erosion have larger impacts. Forest plays a very important role in environmental sustainability; the role of forest cannot be overstressed.
A more detailed look of at the functions that forests perform for us shows that: Forests reduce the rate of surface run-off of water; They prevent and check flash floods and soil erosion; They produce prolonged gradual run-off and hence are a safeguard agains; Forests help in absorption of solar heat during evaporation and transpiration; They help in maintaining carbon dioxide level and hence give a boost to plant growth; The help in maintaining the local climatic conditions and hence help fight climate change and draught; They control the erosion of soil. They hold soil by preventing rain from washing and taking it away directly; People residing in the villages around the forest areas depend on forests for their food; Villagers and tribes also take their cattle to forests to graze or collect their fodder for them; Minor forest produce such as wood, fruit, gum, fiber etc are collected for markets and this is the only source of livelihood for people who live in the forests; Timber from forest is extracted at a large scale for production of various consumer goods such as paper pulp for paper.
Despite the function and services provided by world forest, forest destruction is one of the major environmental challenges the world is facing now. Forest destruction, particularly in tropical forests, has increased rapidly in recent decades. Over the past 50 years, about half the world's original forest cover has been lost, the most significant cause for that being humans beings' unsystematic use of its resources. Incredibly, 36 million acres of natural forest are lost each year. When we take away the forest, it is not just the trees that go. The entire ecosystem begins to fall apart, with dire consequences for all of us.

Considering the fact that so much life depends on and lives in forests, it is very important that forest conservation and management should be a key policy thrust of most government. Government should develop and implement policies that encourage sustainable use of forests. They should consider cordoning off areas inhabited by endangered species and promote forest restoration. Urban forest regeneration in cities should be a new form of forest conservation. For example, in the metropolitan area of Lagos, urban forest such as those seen around Sheraton hotel, Magodo estate; Lekki Conservation Centre etc. should be protected. A bill should be initiated to help in ensuring that this urban forest are protected and preserved for coming generations.
Private companies have an opportunity to invest wisely into the new Green Economy whilst developing a socially responsible status with its consumers. They can develop procurement processes that buy only into sustainably managed forests. The Civil societies can also play a significant role by independently monitoring all parties involved, raising awareness on forests and supporting grassroots initiatives. Like private companies, individuals can make wise premeditated choices over what products they will buy and only purchasing forest products that originate from sustainable sources. Five basic steps to saving forest- "TREES" is a concept originally devised for an elementary school audience but serves well as set of principles for saving forests and, on a broader scale, ecosystems around the world.
• Teach others about the importance of the environment and how they can help save rainforests.
• Restore damaged ecosystems by planting trees on land where forests have been cut down.
• Encourage people to live in a way that doesn't hurt the environment.
• Establish parks to protect rainforests and wildlife.
• Support companies that operate in ways that minimize damage to the environment
In conclusion, it is estimated that about 6 percent of the world's remaining forests are protected, meaning that over 90 percent are still open for logging and other forest degrading activities. Thus, protecting the remaining forest is a task we must achieve. Reforestation and restoration projects should be encouraged. If humanity, hope to come out of this situation without serious, long-term consequences.