Importance of forests

Why are forests important?

• They create oxygen• Natural habitat of various types of animals• It effects the water cycle• Important source of raw material• It provides timber products like paper and

furniture• It provides non-timber products like medicines

or herbs

Water cycle and forest

• The rainforest mainly adds water to the atmosphere in their process of transpiration.

• The absorbed water will be released over the rainforests again.

• With the clearing of the forest we get less moisture which is released to the atmosphere and it can cause droughts.

Sustainable forestry

• It is a system where those trees that are cut down are replaced with seedlings that eventually grow into mature trees.

• The forest is a working environment and producing wood.

• Wood is used in the industry. e.g: They are making furniture from it.• Great care is taken to ensure the

safety of wildlife and to preserve the natural environment.

• A typical sustainable forest will contain trees of all ages and often different species of trees.

In addition

• Forests can provide jobs to people.• It can be a good place for hikers and walkers

as well.

Sustainable tourism in forests In HungaryHortobágy National Park

Opportunities:• Free exhibitions• Playground made of recycled

materials• Guides touring around the park• Horse riding performances• Taking part in handcraft activities

The most important thing is that you are not allowed to:• Bother the animals• Throw away your litter

• Australia:It has 2 million hektars of new tree plantations since 2008.

• Austria:They have a special law to protect forests for instance in mountain regions.

• Brazil: It has a plan to cut the deforestation by 80%.• China:The villagers collect branches of trees instead of cutting

down the whole trees for firewood.

Some countries where changes have started

Situation in AfricaIn Africa they cut down trees and they don´t plant new ones.Sometimes they burn an area down to use it for a field.

They use the soil until the mineral contain of it get lost and it won‘t be able to use it again.

The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) was founded in 1992 in response to public concern about deforestation and demand for a trustworthy wood-labeling scheme. There are national working groups in 28 countries. Its purpose is to improve forest management and to teach the society how they can maintain their forest and preserve balance between the environment and people.

How can we find out about sustainable forestry?

An example for some wood labels that prove sustainability in the production of the wood and the furniture is FSC. It is an independent, non-governmental, not-for-profit organization.

• The concept of sustainable forest management in Europe also embodies forest protection, reforestation and afforestation and degradation.

• The area of forests under sustainable management has further increased in the European region by almost 13 million hectares since 1992, reflecting the effectiveness of policies and practices for sustainable forest management.

Pros ConsTradition living trees are cut down by machines that

gives off dangerous gases

Make profit The mineral content of the soil is decreasing

Because of the big demand, people grow fir trees for Christmas

We cut down more trees than needed so they will become waste

Provides jobs in forestrySell it with the roots in a pot, trees can be planted afterwards in the garden etc. The trees will be cut anyway

Real Christmas tree

Real or plastic Christmas tree?

Pros Cons

Save Money Can‘t be recycled to make another plastic product

Can be used for years Break of tradition

Offers jobs in factories Foresters don‘t earn a lot of money

Forests don‘t have to be cut down Because of production air is polluted and energy is wasted

Plastic Christmas Tree

• http://www.forestry.gov.uk/fr/INFD-6XPFTC • http://www.technologystudent.com/prddes1/susenv1.html• http://www.outdoor-sport-leisure.net/images/hiking.jpg• http://

www.sustainabletourismonline.com/International-Year-of-Forests-2011.aspx

• http://www.hnp.hu/78-874.php