The importance of the forest
Forests are considered an essential basis for life. This is because they are of great importance for nature – i.e. for animal and plant species and their habitats – as well as for the environment, i.e. for climate, water and soil. A large part of biological diversity is found in forests. At the same time, they benefit humans in many ways. These functions and uses are also referred to as ecosystem benefits.
For nature, forests have a special function as a habitat. Compared to other areas, they are close to nature, and impairments are usually less – for example through pesticides or noise. Many plant and animal species depend on the forest habitat, some of them even on undisturbed forests or large-scale wilderness areas.
Importance – 8 reasons
Above all, the following functions and uses of the forest are important from the human point of view:
Improving air quality & climate
Forests filter dust and pollutants from the air, produce oxygen and have a balancing effect on the climate;
Habitat
Habitat for plants and animals: Without the diversity in the forest, most of the functions listed below could not be fulfilled;
Protection from erosion
The plants of the forest and their roots protect against rockfall and landslides, and they prevent soil from being washed away;
Noise protection
Vegetation can keep noise away from urban areas;
Raw material supplier
Forests provide wood that is very widely usable;
Recovery
Forests are places for recovery, education and natural experiences.
Climate regulation
Forests influence the climate on a small and large scale, mainly by influencing the water cycle as well as the reflection of solar energy, the wind and the carbon cycle - forests are important carbon stores;
Water reservoir and filter
Trees and forest soil retain precipitation and filter water. In this way, they contribute to flood protection and the formation of clean groundwater;
(According to: Federal Environment Agency, Environmental Protection, Forests and Sustainable Wood Use in Germany)
The economic importance becomes clear when one considers that many people’s jobs and income depend on the forest. The forestry and timber sector in Germany alone (population: 84.1 million people – 30 June 2022 – Federal Statistical Office) employs over 1.2 million people.
In the course of efforts to protect the climate, there has been a greater awareness of the importance of forests as carbon reservoirs. Through the growth of trees and in forest soils, carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere and carbon is bound (“carbon sink”). Carbon is also stored in the wood of the trees (” storage”).
(According to: Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection – Umwelt im Unterricht)