A forest is much more than the timber it holds. A forest provides habitat for wildlife, recreational opportunities and removes carbon dioxide from the air, therefore forests are a critical "hedge" against global warming.
When we take into account all the ecological benefits, or services, a forest provides, we have to re-evaluate the way the way we make decisions about how we manage them.
Clear-cutting an old-growth forest may provide temporary jobs and profits, as well as wood to build furniture and houses, but it also results in the release of carbon stored in the trees and soil, thus contributing to global warming, or if it wipes out the habitat of animals that is crucial to the natural order, then the short-term gains may not be worthwile.
All this does not mean that we should stop logging, it just means finding better ways to manage all our activities in the ecosystems-and it means putting a value on the very real services they provide. If we don't address the serious problems of global warming and biodiversity loss, as well as issues such as access to clean air and water, we may well join the other endangered species on the Earth.


From an article by David Suzuki
and Dr. Faisal Moola.

Thank you Vicky, I agree with you.



I made an earlier post about saving the trees:

Forests harbor much of the world's biodiversity. They soak up water and seed rainclouds; they inhale carbon dioxide; they exhale oxygen for us to breathe. They are essential to life, but sadly, despite the growing consciousness about the importance of forests, we continue to lose around 13-million hectares per year.

This is a very big amount and ultimately will cause a lot of damage to our world.

Thank you for the post Vicky.

Let us hope that humans will become serious about the ecosystem of the earth and the damage we are doing.

Trees are of continued importance to the environment. Tropical rain forests have of particular significance; although they now occupy less than 6 per cent of the land surface of the earth they probable sustain more than half of the biological species on the planet.

Thank you Inda and Sue.

This passage is from your other post Inda,
and it is so appropriate

If we are to resolve the environmental problems that now beset us, we must examine the connection between our environment and our way of life.

I read in "The Globe and Mail" newspaper today that there are black clouds on the horizon for birds of the world. Some of the most common species of birds are declining.
Among the threats to bird populations are the replacing of natural forests with plantations of only one or two tree species, the biofuel mania that is leading to forests being converted for palm-oil production, logging, industrial agriculture and fishing, and the spread of invasive predators such as rats...

Birds have evolved to thrive in some of the world's most forbidding environments, but they're facing a hige challenge coping with humans. One in eight species around the world is at risk of extinction, with habitat loss and degradation the main reason. In North America, many common species have experienced population declines of 50 per cent since the 1960's.

From: The Globe and Mail,
Tuesday, September 23, 2008

The plants in a woodland will all host a variety of animal life. Oak trees alone, will support an amazing 400+ different invertebrate species, although not of course, necessarily all on one tree!
.
A tree's value for animal life does not end with the death of the tree. Even such a seemingly mundane habitat as rotting wood, hosts about 1,700 different kinds of invertebrates in Britain.


Fungi and bacteria are an often overlooked component of woodlands. They are vital for recycling dead material into reusable nutrients to fuel new plant growth.

http://www.countrysideinfo.co.uk/woodland_manage/intro.htm

Managing Woodlands for Biodiversity

Animal diversity is to a great degree controlled by plant diversity. This is because the plants generally provide the architecture and structure of a habitat, as well as being the basis of food chains.

Plant diversity in woodlands can be encouraged by making sure there are a variety of light levels within a woodland from deep shade to open glades. Planting a variety of native trees will also enhance animal diversity because native trees support many more invertebrate species.

quote:

Originally posted by dear Sue 1:
Thank you for the post Vicky.

Let us hope that humans will become serious about the ecosystem of the earth and the damage we are doing.

Amen and Awomen!


Treeappeal.com

Some great woodlands stuff in TreeAppeal, and here, thanks all!

Love and LIGHT BEING, Teom

Thank you for this very important topic.

Trees benefit us not only our physical environment, but also attract birds and other wildlife, making our urban centers a more pleasant place to live. Picture the eerie silence that would befall a city were the song of birds entirely absent.



Love,
yoko

Imagine no trees. Who could imagine?

Thank you for the post.

Im cannot imagine a world without trees.
Those thoughts even scare me; but then again, humans are capable of all sorts of things.

Sincerely,
Gisele

Thank you everyone for your replies.

It is very sad to see so much woodland destroyed along with the habitat for wildlife and birds. Let us enjoy the trees while we still have them. I cannot imagine a world without trees.

Love,
Vicky