International Day of Forests: 5 reasons why we must protect forests
March 21 marks the International Day of Forests, a day to remind every individual about the importance of forests. To call for the better protection of forests is to make us realize that we humans are the biggest beneficiaries. Below are the reasons why.
1. They are the main source of clean air
Trees absorb carbon dioxide that we exhale and release oxygen for animals and humans to breathe. It is estimated the amount of oxygen pumped out each day by a mature tree is enough for approximately 10 people to live on. As forests cover a third of all land on Earth, they serve as lungs that guarantee the health of this planet.
2. They stop floods and wind
Tree leaves consume carbon dioxide in the air, while tree roots help absorb floodwater underneath the ground. The more flash floods they take, the less the soil will be flushed away, which means the chances of landslides happening will decrease. Dense forests erect a natural wall to weaken strong winds or even sandstorms, keeping wind-sensitive crops or cities from dust storms.
3. They cool off the environment
Too much carbon dioxide emissions in the air results in global warming. As forests are the primary consumer of carbon dioxide, maintaining them will help ease global warming, and the temperature in our environment will be maintained at a reasonable level.
4. They make rain possible
Tree roots suck up a great deal of water and release water into the air through photosynthesis. So a large area of forests will affect the atmospheric conditions above the area nearby and cause it to rain more often than the area without large forests.
5. They provide foodfeed
Forests provide leaves, fruits, flowers and seeds to animals that feed on them so that predators are free to roam without worrying about not having enough vegetarians to eat.
(Cover image designed by CGTN's Liu Shaozhen)
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