Ecology project. Forest and consequences of its destruction

The phenomenon of “death of forests” in international circles has recently been understood in the narrow sense as a disease and subsequent death of woody vegetation as a result of environmental pollution.

Forest diseases associated with the development of large-scale industry have been noted in Europe since the mid-twentieth century.

The main reasons for this phenomenon are considered to be acid precipitation (due to emissions of sulfur and nitrogen oxides), and exposure to ozone.

This process can only be stopped by reducing emissions of pollutants harmful to plants and soil.

However, there are many reasons leading to the death of forest plantations.

Russian statistics take into account the following:

damage by harmful insects;
damage by wild animals;
forest diseases;
exposure to adverse weather conditions;
Forest fires;
anthropogenic factors, including the impact of industrial emissions.

For these reasons, hundreds of thousands of hectares of forest are dying (drying out) in Russia.

The main cause of death of forest plantations is forest fires.

The influence of this factor is especially noticeable in the forests of Siberia and Far East. In 2000, this factor caused the death of 709.7 thousand hectares of forest, or 91.3% of all dead stands (with an average contribution of this factor of 78%).

Significant damage is caused to forests by insect pests, the most common of which are needle- and leaf-boring insects. Most dangerous look pine-eating insects - Siberian silkworm; leaf-eating - gypsy moth.

Their mass reproduction leads to the death of trees over vast areas. In 1996, 194.9 thousand hectares of forest died from insect pests, or 37.1% of all dead stands (with an average contribution of this factor of 12%).

Other causes of forest death are unfavorable weather conditions: storm and hurricane winds, tornadoes, hail, drought, etc.
Significant damage to forests is caused by wild animals (mainly moose) and mouse-like rodents (water rat, common vole, etc.).

This factor is maximally manifested in forest crops and young trees of natural origin.

Widespread diseases also lead to the drying out and death of the tree stand, among which the most dangerous are root sponge, tar cancer, stem and butt rot, and wilt.

The accumulating impact of industrial emissions is both a direct cause of forest death, taken into account by official statistics (on average, only 0.07% of the area of dead forests), and a much more significant indirect cause, since it leads to the weakening of the forest stand and contributes to the development of forest diseases and the spread of insects. pests.

Death of forests from unfavorable factors Wikipedia
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Introduction

1. The fate of forests

2.The problem of forest loss

2.1. Radiation exposure is a consequence of the death of forests

2.2.Death and deforestation

2.3.Forest and tourism

2.4.Forest fires

3. Global solution to the problem of forest loss

Conclusion

List of sources used

Annex 1

Introduction

Today, the problem of forest destruction is one of the first places among the global problems of mankind.

Scientific, technical and information cooperation on issues of interaction between forests and climate is of significant interest to Russia. Phenomenon mass death forests are distributed throughout the European territory of Russia and Siberia. It is in the context of the decline of forests throughout the northern hemisphere. In our country, these issues are monitored in detail by the Russian Forest Protection Center with an extensive network of 41 regional branches.

The biotic causes of this process have been reliably identified. However, a number of problems remain unresolved:

— there is no forecast for the development of massive forest decline and no assessment of the consequences of this phenomenon.

— the connection between forest drying and climate change. Although this hypothesis remains practically uncontested.

— the full range of reasons for the drying out of spruce forests has not been fully identified.

From preliminary assessments of the current situation it follows that the growing dynamics of mass drying out cannot be changed using the available methods and means.

In a number of regions the problem is beginning to become extremely acute economically, socially and environmentally. Only in the Arkhangelsk region in North-West Russia, the zone of active drying has covered valuable forest areas with a total reserve of coniferous wood of about 400 million cubic meters. A huge “powder keg” is forming in the heart of one of the key forest regions of Northern Europe, which, if a number of factors come together, could become the source of a powerful salvo of CO2 emissions into the global atmosphere.

Urgent comprehensive research is required, the result of which may be the adoption of fundamental decisions. The above points are very sensitive for the economy and ecology of the European Community. Probably, a consolidated opinion needs to be developed here. It is obvious to us that the massive drying out of forests is not a purely Russian problem.

The scale of this phenomenon is pan-Eurasian and pan-boreal in nature. That's why the international cooperation research, evaluation and coordination of efforts to minimize its negative impacts are urgently needed.

Here we consider not only anthropogenic factors affecting the abundance and quality of forests, but also natural ones. For example: various harmful fungi and insects, fires (fire of peat). Methods of combating anthropogenic and natural factors that negatively affect forests are also noted.

The fate of forests

A forest is a multi-level biosocial system where countless elements exist together and influence each other.

These elements are trees, shrubs, herbaceous plants and other flora, birds, animals, microorganisms, soil with its organic and inorganic constituents, water and microclimate.

Death of forests from unfavorable factors

The planet's forests are a powerful source of atmospheric oxygen (1 hectare of forest releases 5 tons of oxygen per year into the atmosphere). We should not think that only tropical rainforests are important on a global scale. On the territory of Russia there is a unique forest area - the Siberian taiga, which supplies oxygen not only to its region, but also North America(where about 95% of its own forests were destroyed).

The oxygen produced by forests and other components of the Earth's vegetation is important not only in itself, but also in connection with the need to preserve the ozone shield in the Earth's stratosphere.

Ozone is formed from oxygen under the influence of solar radiation. Its concentration in the stratosphere is steadily decreasing under the influence of chlorofluorocarbon derivatives (refrigerants, plastic components, etc.). Despite the restrictive and prohibitive measures currently adopted internationally (for example, the Montreal Protocol on chlorofluorinated organic compounds), which, moreover, are not carried out everywhere, ozone will be further destroyed over a number of years by compounds already released into the atmosphere, slowly rising into the stratosphere.

This contributes to the growth of the “ozone hole”, which, spreading from the South Pole, reached the latitude of Tierra del Fuego and “covered” the settlement of Punta Arrenas (Chile) in 2000.

Industry releases significant amounts of this gas, one of the main culprits of the “greenhouse effect,” which threatens global warming (which has already begun), a shift in the planet’s agricultural zones to the poles, swamping of land areas with permafrost, melting glaciers, flooding of coastal cities, and increasingly frequent disasters. (hurricanes, tornadoes, etc.). Forests also absorb noise, soften seasonal temperature fluctuations, slow down strong winds, and promote precipitation. atmospheric precipitation.

Felling tropical forests The Amazon has already reduced the length of the rainy season, which threatens to have catastrophic consequences for Agriculture. We could go on and on about the reasons why the planet's forests are vital to us.

However, of course, we should be encouraged to preserve forests not only by pragmatic considerations. Forest conservation is part of a broader biocentric program for the conservation of bio-diversity. The tropical rain forests of the Amazon, Congo Basin, and Southeast Asia alone contain about 1.7 million.

species of plants and animals.

Moreover, planted forests (often park-type) artificially planted on the site of clearings, despite all the efforts of their creators, are often a semblance of natural, virgin forests that are entirely dependent on human care.

Thus, during the period 1955-1995, about 40% of tropical forests were cut down. If the current rate of destruction continues (about 15 million hectares per year), tropical rain forests will be completely destroyed between 2030 and 2050.

A similar fate will befall the Siberian taiga even sooner if its rampant exploitation by foreign companies (for example, CFMG from the USA, as well as Chinese enterprises) is not stopped. In Russia as a whole, areas are decreasing coniferous forests, which are replaced by less valuable small-leaved forests.

In many areas, timber is harvested in excess of its growth; Mountain forests are especially affected, as they are difficult to renew and grow slowly.

2. The problem of forest loss

As for the forests of the planet, in most cases they are destroyed not on a whim, but in order to survive and not die of hunger. The world is divided into developed countries of the West, where less than 1 billion people live in conditions of economic prosperity (the “golden billion”) and all the rest, developing countries (“third world”), a haven for the rest, more than 5 billion.

of people. Approximately 1.3 billion people in these countries live in poverty; 840 million people, including 240 million children, are hungry or undernourished (2). Making up approximately 20% of the planet's population, the “golden billion” controls about 85% of humanity's goods and resources.

But specifically, the destruction of forests is directly carried out on the territory of the “third world” countries; rich Western countries, which previously destroyed most of their forests, are now busy restoring them, “reclamating them”, carefully protecting the remains of virgin forests and newly created plantings from pollution (for example, in Germany a real campaign was launched against “forest extinction” - Waldsterben).

However, residents of developing countries have no time for environmental considerations, when they, with a colossal population increase, must provide themselves with food using archaic means (up to the method known to us from history textbooks of sowing cultivated plants in clearings fertilized with the ash of burnt trees).

Let us add that this method is unproductive in tropical rain forests, because the layer of nutritious humus in their soils is very thin; After 2-3 harvests, the soil is depleted and it is necessary to destroy a new area of forest.

Rampant exploitation natural resources, including forests, is facilitated by the significant financial debt of the “third world” countries in relation to creditors from the countries of the “golden billion”, so that the “golden billion” turns out to be indirectly responsible for the fate of the forests of the “third world”, on which its own depends survival. Measures were proposed to remove or defer part of the debt from developing countries, subject to their mandatory compliance with standards for the protection of forests and the bio-environment in general.

Deforestation- This is one of the most serious problems of our time. This is true, since the importance of forests in our world is very great. This means that the destruction of these ecosystems can lead to the most serious consequences.

And yet, more and more more territories are subject to deforestation.

The impact of deforestation on the global environment and measures to save them

What is the reason for this? And what will this lead to in the future?

Causes of forest destruction

— Wood is an excellent building material. They especially like to use it in the construction of buildings and the production of furniture. Also often used in shipbuilding.
— Using wood for heating.
— Paper production.
— The chemical industry is also in demand for wood.
Many chemicals are produced from it.
— Making a huge number of things: wooden toys, musical instruments, decorative items, tools and much more.

In addition, forests are often cut down to clear areas for construction or to create agricultural land.

Trees are also cut down to “beautify” areas.

Consequences of deforestation

— Increase in carbon dioxide content in the air. This, by the way, is one of the causes of global warming.
— The disappearance of many species of living organisms (this applies to both animals and plants - the destruction of an ecosystem leads to the death of almost all living things).
— Formation of swamps (trees prevent excessive soil moisture).
— Desertification.
Occurs due to the lowering of the groundwater level, which is very critical for natural areas with little rainfall. And in the presence of a large amount of precipitation, the fertile layer is washed out, which was previously prevented by trees. So deforestation in any case leads to desertification.
— A decrease in the amount of oxygen produced by forests and a deterioration in the quality of air purification (than more forests- the better the air is purified).
— Violation of climate stability in the region where deforestation is observed.
This happens because forests maintain the climate and make it milder.
— Lack of additional filtration of water produced by forests.
— Deterioration in people’s quality of life. We are talking about both the impossibility of obtaining food and the deterioration of the psychological state.

Conclusion

Deforestation is a serious environmental problem because it leads to a huge number of negative consequences.

Among them, we can highlight an increase in the content of carbon dioxide in the air, the disappearance of living organisms, desertification and the formation of swamps. All this is very serious, and therefore there is a need to reconsider our attitude towards nature in general, and forests in particular.

IN modern world The question of environmental catastrophe, problems that are associated with disruption of the natural functioning of the ecological system, is increasingly being raised. One of them is rapid deforestation and, as a result, deforestation of our planet. Thousands of years ago, the Earth was densely covered with forests. These are the territories of North and South America, Western Europe, Asia, Africa. But with the increase in population on the green planet, forest cover has decreased, under the influence of human activity. Today, forests cover about 30 percent of the world's land mass. Canada, Finland, Russia, USA, Brazil, Congo are countries rich in forest resources. More than half of all forests are tropical forests. Another type of forest plantation, no less important in the ecosystem, is the coniferous forest.

Under the influence of man There are no more than 20 percent of untouched forests left on earth. These are the so-called virgin forests, which have not been touched by human hands. Forest areas have preserved their natural ecosystem and are the habitat of many animals and plants. Deforestation of these forests will lead to the extinction of many species and their displacement by other species.

It is time for humanity to think about the preservation of natural forest resources, as well as to ensure their expansion and reasonable use.

What is a forest for an ecosystem?

The main function of forest cover is to provide oxygen to the planet. Ever since school, everyone remembers photosynthesis, which occurs in all plants. They absorb carbon dioxide, which is necessary to ensure the process of oxygen production. However, given the fast pace scientific progress and active deforestation of the earth, serious problems arise in the functioning of the ecosystem.

The forest is also a kind of drainage system of the planet. It protects the soil from leaching, erosion, waterlogging, sand encroachment, and prevents floods and landslides. The forest also filters groundwater, provides a hydrological regime, ensures the filling of reservoirs, and prevents their drainage.

Forests provide a diversity of biological species because they have special conditions for existence, without which many species of animals, birds, and insects will not be able to survive in the conditions of a developed forest. This is approximately 80 percent of all terrestrial species.

Forest and humanity

For man, since its inception, the forest has been the main source of his life support. Shelter over his head, food, medicinal plants - man found all this in the forest.

In the modern world, the role of forest plantations in human life has become not only an extreme necessity of life, but also a means of income and comfort. Humanity, as before, uses wood for construction and as fuel; the use of forest resources has been brought to an industrial scale. Wood serves as a raw material in the production of building materials, furniture, paper, as well as in the railway and chemical industries. Wood is used to make many things that are consumed by humans.
The needs of humanity are growing, but the planet's resources are not limitless; their unreasonable use will lead to a violation of the ecological balance in nature. Deforestation around the world is rapidly reducing its area, which affects both climate change and the number and diversity of biological species.

Causes of deforestation

The first reason was the increase in population. People cost the city a place to live by cutting down green spaces for them. On January 1, 2016, the population was more than 7 billion people and this figure is growing every year.
For the development of agriculture, pastures and lands for cultivation were needed, which entailed the destruction of half of the forest that once existed. Nowadays, these needs are growing and the remaining plantings are under threat.
Today, wood remains a very valuable material in many industries. Deforestation has become a profitable business. The problem is that this often happens illegally, uncontrollably, without taking into account the damage caused to forests and the environment.
Another reason for the destruction of forest plantations is the increasing frequency of forest fires. This leads to a decrease in forest area, and as a result, emissions of carbon dioxide into the Earth’s atmosphere, creating a greenhouse effect.

Ways to combat deforestation
The solution to the problem of destruction of forest cover must be carried out at the international, state and regional levels. Also, every person should take care of protecting the environment.

Key measures to combat deforestation:

Improvement legislative framework in the field of forest resource management at the state level. Development of international conventions on the protection and conservation of forest cover.
Introduction of accounting and control systems for deforestation, toughening of penalties for illegal destruction of forests.
Conducting social programs among the population on caring for forest resources, their protection and eliminating damage caused by humanity.
Increase the area of new forest plantations, expand existing ones, create forest reserves, and protect undeveloped forests.
Use effective measures to prevent forest fires.
Development of measures to reduce the use of wood in industrial areas, introduction of secondary wood processing.

Humanity already now needs to think about the safety of the world around us, about the health of the ecosystem in which it lives. Every person is capable of caring for nature, planting a tree and economically using the earth's resources.

The phenomenon of “death of forests” in international circles has recently been understood in a narrow sense as the disease and subsequent death of trees as a result of environmental pollution.

Forest diseases associated with the development of large-scale industry have been noted in Europe since the mid-twentieth century. The main reasons for this phenomenon are considered to be acid precipitation (due to emissions of sulfur and nitrogen oxides), and exposure to ozone. This process can only be stopped by reducing emissions of pollutants harmful to plants and soil.

However, there are many reasons leading to death. Russian statistics take into account the following:

damage by harmful insects;
damage by wild animals;
forest diseases;
exposure to adverse conditions;
anthropogenic factors, including the impact of industrial emissions.

For these reasons, hundreds of thousands of hectares of forest are dying (drying out) in Russia.

The main cause of death of forest plantations is forest fires. The influence of this factor is especially noticeable in the forests of Siberia and the Far East. In 2000, this factor caused the death of 709.7 thousand hectares of forest, or 91.3% of all dead stands (with an average contribution of this factor of 78%).

Significant damage is caused to forests by insect pests, the most common of which are needle- and leaf-boring insects. The most dangerous type of pine-eating insects is the Siberian silkworm; leaf-eating - gypsy moth. Their mass reproduction leads to the death of trees over vast areas. In 1996, 194.9 thousand hectares of forest died from insect pests, or 37.1% of all dead stands (with an average contribution of this factor of 12%).

Other causes of forest death are unfavorable weather conditions: storms, hail, drought, etc.
Noticeable damage to forests is caused by wild animals (mainly moose) and mouse-like animals (water rat, common vole, etc.). This factor is maximally manifested in forest crops and young trees of natural origin.

Widespread diseases also lead to the drying out and death of the tree stand, among which the most dangerous are root sponge, tar cancer, stem and butt rot, and wilt.

Introduction

1. The fate of forests

2.The problem of forest loss

2.1. Radiation exposure is a consequence of the death of forests

2.2.Death and deforestation

2.3.Forest and tourism

2.4.Forest fires

3. Global solution to the problem of forest loss

Conclusion

List of sources used

Annex 1

Introduction

Today, the problem of forest destruction is one of the first places among the global problems of mankind. Scientific, technical and information cooperation on issues of interaction between forests and climate is of significant interest to Russia. The phenomenon of mass destruction of forests is widespread throughout the European territory of Russia and Siberia. It is in the context of the decline of forests throughout the northern hemisphere. In our country, these issues are monitored in detail by the Russian Forest Protection Center with an extensive network of 41 regional branches. The biotic causes of this process have been reliably identified. However, a number of problems remain unresolved:

There is no forecast for the development of massive forest decline and no assessment of the consequences of this phenomenon.

The connection between forest decline and climate change has not been reliably established. Although this hypothesis remains practically uncontested.

The full range of reasons for the drying out of spruce forests has not been fully identified.

From preliminary assessments of the current situation it follows that the growing dynamics of mass drying out cannot be changed using the available methods and means. In a number of regions the problem is beginning to become extremely acute economically, socially and environmentally. Only in the Arkhangelsk region in North-West Russia, the zone of active drying has covered valuable forest areas with a total reserve of coniferous wood of about 400 million cubic meters. A huge “powder keg” is forming in the heart of one of the key forest regions of Northern Europe, which, if a number of factors come together, could become the source of a powerful salvo of CO2 emissions into the global atmosphere. Urgent comprehensive research is required, the result of which may be the adoption of fundamental decisions. The above points are very sensitive for the economy and ecology of the European Community. Probably, a consolidated opinion needs to be developed here. It is obvious to us that the massive drying out of forests is not a purely Russian problem. The scale of this phenomenon is pan-Eurasian and pan-boreal in nature. Therefore, international cooperation in research, assessment and coordination of efforts to minimize its negative consequences is essential.

The problem of forest destruction is not new. A lot has already been said about it, books and articles have been written, but mostly it is considered together with other environmental problems. Therefore, I would like to combine all the available material on this issue in one abstract, due to the significance of this problem for humanity. Here we consider not only anthropogenic factors affecting the abundance and quality of forests, but also natural ones. For example: various harmful fungi and insects, fires (fire of peat). Methods of combating anthropogenic and natural factors that negatively affect forests are also noted.

1. The fate of forests

A forest is a multi-level biosocial system where countless elements exist together and influence each other. These elements are trees, shrubs, herbaceous plants and other flora, birds, animals, microorganisms, soil with its organic and inorganic components, water and microclimate. The planet's forests are a powerful source of atmospheric oxygen (1 hectare of forest releases 5 tons of oxygen per year into the atmosphere). We should not think that only tropical rainforests are important on a global scale. On the territory of Russia there is a unique forest area - the Siberian taiga, which supplies oxygen not only to its region, but also to North America (where about 95% of its own forests were destroyed). The oxygen produced by forests and other components of the Earth's vegetation is important not only in itself, but also in connection with the need to preserve the ozone shield in the Earth's stratosphere. Ozone is formed from oxygen under the influence of solar radiation. Its concentration in the stratosphere is steadily decreasing under the influence of chlorofluorocarbon derivatives (refrigerants, plastic components, etc.). Despite the restrictive and prohibitive measures currently adopted on an international scale (for example, the Montreal Protocol on chlorofluorinated organic compounds), which, moreover, are not implemented everywhere, ozone will continue to be destroyed over the course of a number of years by compounds already released into the atmosphere, slowly rising into the stratosphere . This contributes to the growth of the “ozone hole”, which, spreading from the South Pole, reached the latitude of Tierra del Fuego and “covered” the settlement of Punta Arrenas (Chile) in 2000.

Providing life-giving oxygen that counteracts the formation of the “ozone hole,” forests also absorb carbon dioxide, converting it into biomass through the process of photosynthesis (100 m2 of forests absorb 400 kg of CO2 per year). Industry releases significant amounts of this gas, one of the main culprits of the “greenhouse effect,” which threatens global warming (which has already begun), a shift in the planet’s agricultural zones to the poles, swamping of land areas with permafrost, melting glaciers, flooding of coastal cities, and increasingly frequent disasters. (hurricanes, tornadoes, etc.). Forests also absorb noise, soften seasonal temperature fluctuations, slow down strong winds, and contribute to precipitation. Deforestation of the Amazon rainforest has already shortened the length of the rainy season, threatening catastrophic consequences for agriculture. We could go on and on about the reasons why the planet's forests are vital to us.

The forest takes us into the world of beauty (it has a bio-aesthetic value), in it we are imbued with the greatness of living nature, enjoying at least a landscape relatively unpolluted by civilization. Moreover, planted forests (often park-type) artificially planted on the site of clearings, despite all the efforts of their creators, are often a semblance of natural, virgin forests that are entirely dependent on human care.

Sadly, forests have been destroyed in recent decades at a rate of approximately 1 hectare per day, and restoration of forest on each hectare requires 15-20 years. During the existence of civilization, more than 42% of the entire original forest area on the planet has been destroyed, and, of course, forests are being destroyed at an increasing pace. Thus, during the period 1955-1995, about 40% of tropical forests were cut down. If the current rate of destruction continues (about 15 million hectares per year), tropical rain forests will be completely destroyed between 2030 and 2050. A similar fate will befall the Siberian taiga even sooner if its rampant exploitation by foreign companies (for example, CFMG from the USA, as well as Chinese enterprises) is not stopped. In general, throughout Russia the areas of coniferous forests are decreasing, which are being replaced by less valuable small-leaved forests. In many areas, timber is harvested in excess of its growth; Mountain forests are especially affected, as they are difficult to renew and grow slowly.

2. The problem of forest loss

The problem of forest loss, like environmental issues in general, is closely related to the global political problems of our time. This connection is two-way: along with the undoubted influence of the environmental situation on political decisions, on politics in general, there is also a reverse impact of the political situation in the world on the environment in certain regions of the world. As for the forests of the planet, in most cases they are destroyed not on a whim, but in order to survive and not die of hunger. The world is divided into developed countries of the West, where less than 1 billion people live in conditions of economic prosperity (the “golden billion”) and all the rest, developing countries (the “third world”), a haven for the rest, more than 5 billion people. Approximately 1.3 billion people in these countries live in poverty; 840 million people, including 240 million children, are hungry or undernourished (2). Making up approximately 20% of the planet's population, the “golden billion” controls about 85% of humanity's goods and resources.

Both categories of countries contribute to bios destruction (albeit for different reasons). But specifically, the destruction of forests is directly carried out on the territory of the “third world” countries; rich Western countries, which previously destroyed most of their forests, are now busy restoring them, “reclamating them”, carefully protecting the remains of virgin forests and newly created plantings from pollution (for example, in Germany a real campaign was launched against “forest extinction” - Waldsterben). However, residents of developing countries have no time for environmental considerations, when they, with a colossal population increase, must provide themselves with food using archaic means (up to the method known to us from history textbooks of sowing cultivated plants in clearings fertilized with the ash of burnt trees). Let us add that this method is unproductive in tropical rain forests, because the layer of nutritious humus in their soils is very thin; After 2-3 harvests, the soil is depleted and it is necessary to destroy a new area of forest. The unbridled exploitation of natural resources, including forests, is facilitated by the significant financial debt of the “third world” countries in relation to creditors from the countries of the “golden billion”, so that the “golden billion” turns out to be indirectly responsible for the fate of the forests of the “third world”, from which His own survival also depends. Measures were proposed to remove or defer part of the debt from developing countries, subject to their mandatory compliance with standards for the protection of forests and the bio-environment in general.

Acting in accordance with the Club of Rome, the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) and several others international organizations– including non-governmental ones - B.I.O. under the leadership of A. Vlavianos-Arvanitis, he proposes to take action on the problems of developing countries more generally, since these problems have acquired global significance these days. Whether such measures will have real force or will remain mainly “good wishes” in the face of the omnipotence of transnational corporations, as “ecological pessimists” fear, depends largely on the victory or defeat of biopolitics (and similar socio-ecological, “green” and other trends ) on the ethical front. It is those who have real political power and/or economic power, it is necessary to develop a new ethics based on a sense of responsibility for all forms of bios, an understanding of the fragility and interconnectedness of all life on Earth. Vlavianos-Arvanitis refers to efforts in this direction as bio-diplomacy.

2.1. Radiation exposure is a consequence of forest death

The death of forests due to strong radiation throughout history since the beginning of the atomic era (about 50 years) was noted in the traces of radioactive fallout from the Kyshtym and Chernobyl radiation accidents and occurred from exposure to high levels exposure in the first 1-2 years after the accident.

In total, the area of completely destroyed forest plantations was no more than 10 km2. The share of forests that died from radiation damage in the entire history of the nuclear industry is 0.3-0.4% of the annual loss of forests in the country (2-3 thousand km2).

2.2. Death and deforestation

One of the reasons for the death of forests in many regions of the world is acid rain, the main culprits of which are power plants. Emissions of sulfur dioxide and their transport over long distances lead to such rain falling far from the sources of emissions. In Austria, eastern Canada, the Netherlands and Sweden, more than 60% of the sulfur falling on their territory comes from external sources, and in Norway even 75%.

Other examples of long-range transport of acids include precipitation acid rain on remote Atlantic islands such as Bermuda, and acid snow in the Arctic.

Over the past 20 years (1970 - 1990), the world has lost almost 200 million hectares of forestland, which is equal to the area of the United States east of the Mississippi.

A particularly great environmental threat is posed by the depletion of tropical forests, the “lungs of the planet” and the main source of the planet’s biological diversity. There, approximately 200 thousand square kilometers are cut down or burned annually, which means 100 thousand species of plants and animals disappear. This process is especially fast in the regions richest in tropical forests - the Amazon and Indonesia.

British ecologist N. Meyers concluded that ten small areas in the tropics contain at least 27% of the total species composition of this class of plant formations, later this list was expanded to 15 tropical forest “hot spots” that should be preserved in come what may.

In developed countries, acid rain caused damage to a significant part of the forest: in Czechoslovakia - 71%, in Greece and Great Britain - 64%, in Germany - 52%.

The current situation with forests varies greatly across continents. While in Europe and Asia forested areas increased slightly between 1974 and 1989, in Australia they decreased by 2.6% in one year. Even greater forest degradation is taking place in certain countries: in Côte d'Et and Ivoire, forest areas decreased by 5.4% over the year, in Thailand - by 4.3%, in Paraguay by 3.4%.

2.3. Forest and tourism

Since ancient times, the forest has always attracted a large number of hunters, berry and mushroom pickers and those simply wanting to relax. With the development of mass tourism in our country, the number of forest visitors has increased so much that it has become a factor that cannot be taken into account when protecting the forest. Millions of people in summer time, especially on Saturdays and Sundays, go to suburban forests to spend their weekends or vacations in the lap of nature. Thousands of tourists hike along the same routes. In suburban forests you can often find entire tent cities with a large population. Visitors to the forest make major changes in his life. To install tents, they cut down undergrowth, remove, break and destroy young growth. Young trees die not only under fires, but also under axes, and even simply under the feet of numerous visitors. Forests often visited by tourists are so thoroughly littered with cans, bottles, rags, paper, etc., and bear traces of large and small wounds, that this negatively affects natural reforestation. They carry and transport bouquets of flowers, branches of greenery, trees, and shrubs. The question is, what will happen if each of those who come to the forest picks only one branch, one flower? And it is no coincidence that after a number of years of poaching of nature in our, especially suburban, forests, many once abundant plants, shrubs and trees have disappeared. In the spring, tens of thousands of townspeople flock to the forests for bird cherry and lilac. Not satisfied with modest bouquets. Armfuls, brooms, often on the roofs of cars. How can one not envy the delicate taste of the Japanese, who believe that a bouquet is spoiled if it contains more than three flowers.

Not last place in causing damage takes the custom of decoration Christmas trees. If we accept that there is one holiday tree per 10-15 residents, then it becomes clear to everyone that, for example, big city This cozy tradition costs several tens, or even hundreds of thousands of young trees every year. Low-forest areas are especially affected. The presence of even one person does not pass without a trace for the forest. Picking mushrooms, flowers and berries undermines the self-renewal of a number of plant species. A fire completely disables the piece of land on which it was laid out for 5-7 years. The noise scares away various birds and mammals and prevents them from raising their offspring normally. Breaking branches, nicks on trunks and other mechanical damage to trees contribute to their infestation by insect pests.

It should be recalled once again: the forest is our friend, selfless and powerful. But he, like a person whose soul is wide open, demands both attention and care from a careless, thoughtless attitude towards him. Life without a forest is unthinkable, and we are all responsible for its well-being, responsible today, always responsible. Recreational loads are divided into safe, including both low and maximum permissible loads, dangerous and critical and catastrophic. A load can be considered safe when no irreversible changes occur in the natural complex. The impact of such loads leads the natural complex to stage II or III of digression. The load corresponding to stage II is conventionally called “low”, since the natural complex is able to withstand a large load without losing its restorative power. The maximum permissible recreational load leads the natural complex to stage III of digression. If a natural complex moves from stage III to stage IV of digression, i.e., “steps over” the stability limit, recreational loads are considered dangerous. Critical loads correspond to the IV stage of phytocenosis digression. Catastrophic loads lead the natural complex to the V stage of digression, in which connections are disrupted, both between natural ingredients, and between their component parts.
Different types of natural complexes, having different structures and the nature of relationships between morphological units, react differently to any external influences, including recreational loads. Therefore the load is safe for one type natural complex, can become dangerous or even critical for another type. The main task of forestry in green areas is to preserve and improve the health-promoting and protective properties of forests, and to create favorable recreational conditions for mass recreation of the population.

2.4. Forest fires

Fires are among the important abiotic factors influencing the nature of communities formed in an ecosystem. The fact is that some areas are regularly and periodically exposed to fires. In coniferous forests growing in the southeastern United States, and treeless savannas, as well as in steppe zone Fires are a very common phenomenon. In forests where fires occur regularly, trees usually have thick bark, which makes them more resistant to fire. The cones of some pine trees, such as the Banks pine, release seeds best when heated to a certain temperature. Thus, the seeds are sown at a time when other plants con. Number of forest fires in one of the regions of Siberia over two centuries: In some cases, the soil after fires is enriched with biogenic elements, such as phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium. As a result, animals grazing in areas exposed to periodic fires receive more nutritious nutrition. By preventing natural fires, humans thereby cause changes in ecosystems, the maintenance of which requires periodic burning of vegetation. Fires have now become a very common means of controlling forest development, although public consciousness finds it difficult to come to terms with this thought. Protecting forests from fires. The Earth's forests suffer severely from fires. Forest fires destroy 2 million tons of organic matter annually. They cause great harm to forestry: tree growth decreases, forest composition deteriorates, windbreaks increase, soil conditions and windbreaks deteriorate, soil conditions deteriorate. Forest fires contribute to the spread of harmful insects and wood-destroying fungi. World statistics claim that 97% of forest fires occur due to human fault and only 3% due to lightning, mainly ball. The flames of forest fires destroy both flora and fauna in their path. In Russia, great attention is paid to protecting forests from fires. As a result of those taken for last years measures to strengthen preventive fire-fighting measures and implement a set of works for the timely detection and extinguishing of forest fires by aviation and ground forest fire units, the area of forests covered by fire, especially in the European part of Russia, has decreased significantly.

However, the number of forest fires is still high. Fires occur due to careless handling of fire, due to a profound violation of fire safety rules during agricultural work. An increased risk of fires is created by clutter in forest areas.(4)

3. Global solutions to the problem of forest loss

From the above, we can conclude that many things influence the massive destruction of forests in the world. At global problem There must be a global solution to this issue.

Looking at how the forest, and therefore humanity, is dying, we often do not notice that we ourselves are to blame for this. Radiation exposure, deforestation, its contamination and destruction by industrial waste, numerous fires - all this is the human factor of destruction. What is the solution to all this?

At present, the rights of forestry state protection to combat violators of fire safety regulations in forests and to bring to justice officials and citizens who violate fire safety requirements have been significantly expanded. In populated areas with intensive forestry, the protection of forests from fires is ensured by forestry enterprises and their specialized units - fire-fighting chemical stations. In total, there are about 2,700 such stations in the country. To increase the fire resistance of forests, work is carried out on a large scale on the fire protection of the forest fund, systems of fire breaks and barriers, a network of roads and reservoirs are created, and forests are cleared of clutter. Fires occurring in the forest are detected mainly with the help of fire observation stationary points, as well as forest guards during ground patrols. Forest fire units are armed with tank trucks, all-terrain vehicles, soil meters and foam generators. Cord charges of explosives, as well as artificially induced precipitation, are widely used. Television equipment is being introduced to make the work of observers easier. It is planned to use infrared aircraft detectors to detect fires from the air in conditions of heavy smoke. Information obtained from artificial satellites Earth. Increased efficiency in detecting and extinguishing forest fires will be facilitated by the introduction of computer-based optimal modes work of air forest protection units. In sparsely populated areas of the North, Siberia and the Far East, helicopters and airplanes with teams of paratroopers and paratroopers-firefighters are used to protect forests. A solution timely applied to the soil at the border of the burning area can be a barrier to the path of a forest fire. For example, a solution of bischofite, which is cheap and harmless. An important section of fire prevention is well-organized fire prevention propaganda using radio, print, television and other means mass media. Forestry workers familiarize the population, forest workers and expeditions, and vacationing tourists with the basic requirements of fire safety rules in the forest, as well as with the measures that must be applied in accordance with current legislation to persons who violate these rules. Protecting the forest from harmful insects and diseases. To protect forest plantations from damage, preventive measures are used aimed at preventing the appearance and mass reproduction of forest pests and identifying diseases. Extermination measures are used to destroy pests and diseases. Prevention and extermination control provide effective protection of plantings, provided that they are applied in a timely and correct manner. Protective measures are preceded by a forest entomological survey, identifying the places of distribution of harmful insects and diseases. Based on the data obtained, the question of the advisability of using certain protective measures is decided.

Forest protection measures. The main objectives of forest protection are its rational use and restoration. Measures to protect forests in sparsely forested areas are becoming increasingly important due to their water protection, soil protection, sanitary and health-improving roles. Particular attention should be paid to the protection of mountain forests, as they perform important water-regulating and soil-protecting functions. With proper forestry management, repeated felling in a particular area should be carried out no earlier than after 80 - 100 years, upon reaching full ripeness. An important measure for the rational use of forests is the fight against wood loss. Significant losses often occur during timber harvesting. In the felling areas, branches and needles remain, which are valuable materials for preparing pine flour - vitamin-rich feed for livestock. Forest cutting waste is promising for obtaining essential oils.

The forest is very difficult to restore. But still, forest is restored in deforested areas, sown in areas not covered by forest, and low-value plantings are reconstructed.

Along with artificial forest growing, work on natural forest regeneration (leaving seed crops, caring for self-seeding of economically valuable species, etc.) is widespread. Much attention is paid to preserving undergrowth during forest cutting. New technological schemes for logging operations have been developed and introduced into production, which ensure the preservation of undergrowth and young growth during forest exploitation. A significant factor in increasing forest productivity and enriching their composition is the breeding of new valuable forms, hybrids, varieties and introduced species. The study of form diversity and selection of economically valuable forms is carried out on a new theoretical basis, based on the analysis of pheno- and genotypic structures of natural populations and selection based on comparative analysis biotypes with certain valuable traits. When selecting valuable forms in nature and evaluating hybrids, attention is paid to plants that have not only high productivity at the age of quantitative or technological ripeness, but also plants that are characterized by high growth intensity in the initial period of ontogenesis. They are necessary for high-intensity plantations with short cutting rotations. Plantations are a special independent form of crop production in forestry to obtain a certain type of product (wood, rods, chemical substances, medicinal raw materials, etc.). Intensive agrotechnical measures are used on plantations. They serve as a powerful lever for the intensification and specialization of forestry production.

Conclusion

A forest appears only under certain conditions - sufficient density of the tree stand, appropriate flora and fauna, formed communities, interconnected organisms living in a given area.

Forest is one of the main types of vegetation cover on the earth, a source of the oldest material on earth - wood, a source of useful plant products, and a habitat for animals. We must take care of it, because without forests and plants there will be no life on Earth, since, first of all, the forest is the source of the oxygen we need. But for some reason, few people remember this when cutting down forest for sale and trying to make money from it. Everything that was stated above is just lofty words that we care about the forest, protect it, and so on. Any person who has traveled outside the city at least several times will simply laugh at these words, because we see how our forests are being cut down. For example, near Vyborg, forests are being cut down for sale to Finland, you need to see the state in which the felling remains: bark, branches, rotten trunks are lying everywhere, everything is covered with cars; It is unlikely that anything will grow in this clearing in the future. I believe that in our country they talk a lot about this problem, but nothing is actually done, since the government is busy with “more important” issues, and the forest can wait. In the meantime, other countries that are more attentive to their forest resources are buying up our forests at bargain prices, the new Russians will build themselves dachas in nature reserves, and go hunting in jeeps to the same reserves and reserves. And by the time our government has time to resolve this issue, it will be too late.

Humanity needs to realize that the death of forests is a deterioration of the environment. It is a greater threat to our future than military aggression, that over the next few decades humanity is capable of eliminating poverty and hunger, getting rid of social vices, reviving culture and restoring architectural monuments, as long as there is money, but it is impossible to revive the destroyed nature with money. It will take centuries to stop its further destruction and delay the approach of an environmental catastrophe in the world. (5)

We can only invite everyone to take care of the forest and its surrounding nature:

do not litter forests with household and industrial waste and natural landfills;

stop numerous constructions of dachas, cottages, roads in forest areas, including spontaneous and uncontrolled ones;

do not damage or destroy forests as a result industrial pollution;

do not cut down trees without control and without permission for economic needs;

protect from forest fires;

work more intensively to restore forests after logging;

increased control over tourists, hunters, mushroom pickers, and berry pickers;

remove rotting wood more often;

try to stop the natural death of old forests, etc.

List of sources used

1. A.V. Oleskin Biopolitics, Political potential of owls. biology // Athens BIO 1993

2. M.I. Lebedeva, I.M. Ankudimova Ecology // Tambov State Publishing House. Technical University (TSTU) 2002

3. Fellenberg G. Pollution natural environment. Introduction to environmental chemistry//translated from German. – M. Mir 1997

Annex 1

About the forests of the Moscow region

The outstanding Russian forestry scientist Mikhail Mikhailovich Orlov wrote at the end of the 19th century: “Forestry, like any other, appears only when the object of the economy, in this case the forest, loses the property of unlimited and completely accessible utility and becomes a value. Such a moment occurs with a certain population density and a more or less high degree of cultural development in general.” Now, more than a century later, there is a lot of talk about the need to transition forestry to a multi-purpose basis, taking into account the recreational, ecological and other functions of the forest. It is reasonable to assume that in real life such a transition is also primarily possible where the ecological and recreational functions of the forest lose their properties of unlimited usefulness and become valuable for a large part of the population. First of all, this concerns the most densely populated regions of Russia, for example, the Moscow region (Moscow and the Moscow region), which is superior to all others in terms of population density and industrial development. Of course, for the vast majority of residents of this region, it is not the timber, but the ecological and recreational resources of the forest that are important. And forestry - if it is focused on meeting the needs of the inhabitants of the region - will involuntarily be forced to take into account the special value of these “non-timber” resources of the forests near Moscow. In short, forestry will be forced to “turn its face to the people.”

However, in order to do this, you must at least know what specific problems related to forests and forest management in the Moscow region are of most concern to its residents, whether they are satisfied with the modern system of use and protection of forests near Moscow, and what they themselves are ready to do to preserve them.

For this purpose, Greenpeace Russia conducted a corresponding survey of residents of Moscow and the Moscow region in August-September 1999. A total of 709 people were interviewed on the streets and in other in public places; Such a sample, of course, cannot be considered representative for a full-fledged sociological study, however, in general it gives a picture of the attitude of residents of the Moscow region to the problems of forests and forest management. Below are some of the questions asked and the results (percentage of appropriate responses).

How often do you visit the forests of the Moscow region? This question was asked primarily to assess the significance of the answers to the remaining questions. The answers were distributed as follows: constantly (on average several times a week) - 18%; on average once a week throughout the year - 13%; on average once a week during the summer, the rest of the time less often - 23%; constantly during the holiday period, the rest of the time much less often - 10%; several times a year - 15%; I visit occasionally - 14%; I don’t go there at all - 4%; other answer options - 3%.

Thus, for 54% of respondents (who chose the first three answer options), forests near Moscow play a very significant role in life and, obviously, are one of the main places of recreation (and for some, work). Based on the survey results, the number of residents of Moscow and the Moscow region who visit forests near Moscow at least in the summer at least once a week can be estimated at no less than 9 million people. This is hundreds of times more than the total number of workers in the forestry and woodworking industries of the region, which serves as clear evidence of the importance of the “non-timber” functions of forests near Moscow for residents of the capital region.

In your opinion, is clear-cutting of forests acceptable in the Moscow region? This question was asked due to the fact that the overwhelming majority of calls and letters received by Greenpeace Russia from residents of Moscow and the Moscow region related to “forestry” issues relate specifically to clear-cutting of forests. That is why it was important for us to assess to what extent residents of the capital region generally consider it acceptable to carry out such logging in forests near Moscow. Answers to this question were distributed as follows: not acceptable under any circumstances - 29.6%; permissible only in exceptional cases when eliminating the consequences of fires, mass reproduction of pests or diseases - 60.1%; acceptable in certain cases, including as commercial events - 3.0%; acceptable far from roads, populated areas and places of public recreation - 2.1%; acceptable without special restrictions - 0.6%; other answer options - 0.4%. 4.2% of respondents found it difficult to answer. Thus, 89.7% of respondents believe that clear cutting of forests in the Moscow region is acceptable in exceptional cases or is unacceptable at all.

In this regard, a question arises for the management and staff of the Central and Moscow forest management enterprises, which are currently carrying out regular forest management in most forestry enterprises of the Moscow region and planning, as before, the absolute dominance of clear-cutting for final use - do they want to take into account the opinion of the majority of residents of the region and plan, at least where the state of the forests allows it, gradual and selective felling instead of clear cutting?

What environmental problems of forests in the Moscow region do you consider the most important? There were multiple possible answers to this question, so the total percentages given below significantly exceed 100%. Among the most important environmental problems of forests in the Moscow region, respondents identified the following: contamination of forests with household and industrial waste, spontaneous landfills (78% of respondents); construction of dachas, cottages, roads in forests, including spontaneous and uncontrolled (55%); damage and death of forests as a result of industrial pollution (41%); uncontrolled unauthorized cutting of trees for economic needs (34%); forest fires (33%); too intensive logging (32%); unsatisfactory work on forest restoration after logging (30%); too intense uncontrolled influence of tourists, hunters, mushroom pickers, berry pickers (26%); littering forests with rotting wood (19%); logging along the banks of rivers, streams and lakes and in water protection zones (19%); a large number of dachas on drained peatlands and in other places of increased fire danger (14%); natural death of old forests (6%). Other problems were indicated as the most important by three percent of respondents, and another 2% of respondents found it difficult to answer this question.

The answers to this question are very revealing. Residents of the capital region consider the three most important environmental problems to be those that state forest management bodies (formally an environmental agency) pay virtually no attention to or that arise largely due to the activities of these bodies (for example, the allocation of forest lands for various constructions occurs with the approval of the authorities forestry management). Forest fires - despite the fact that the survey was conducted immediately after the end of one of the most “fire” summer seasons in recent decades - were ranked only fifth in importance. The same “environmental problems” that the forest service traditionally considers as the most important (cluttering forests with rotting wood and the natural death of old forests as a consequence of “lack of logging”) are at the bottom of the list and are considered important by only a small part of respondents. Of course, such a discrepancy can be attributed to the “lack of professionalism of ordinary citizens.” But is there a need for a forest service in the Moscow region that does not consider it necessary to solve environmental problems of forests that are important for the majority of the population?

Do you think it is necessary to create new specially protected places in the Moscow region? natural areas(SPNA) completely excluded from commercial forest management? This question also allowed multiple answer options (not mutually exclusive).

The answers were distributed as follows: yes, it is necessary to create new protected areas with a reserved protection regime - 52%; yes, with a ban on all types of logging and any construction - 45%; yes, with a ban only on final felling and construction - 20%; no, there is no need to create new protected areas - 3%. Other answer options were offered by 1% of respondents, another 6% found it difficult to answer this question.

The answers to this question do not require special comments. The official position of the Moscow region forest service, which over the past ten years has successfully opposed the creation of new reserves, natural monuments and natural parks in the Moscow region, shared by only 3% of surveyed residents of Moscow and the region. And in this area, the activities of regional forest management do not correspond to the interests of the majority of citizens.

What do you think public participation should be like in forest management in the Moscow region? The answers were distributed as follows: members of the public should not interfere in any way with forest management - 8%; representatives of the public should assist state forestry authorities in fulfilling their tasks of forest protection and reforestation - 41%; the public should have access to all non-commercial information about the condition and use of forests and be able to independently monitor the activities of state forestry management bodies - 48%. 3% of respondents found it difficult to choose one of these answer options.

Special comments are again unnecessary: the overwhelming majority of respondents want the activities of state forest management bodies to be controlled by representatives of the public.

How often have you met with state forest protection workers (not involved in logging) in the forests of the Moscow region over the past two years? Answers to this question (questionnaires from those who do not visit forests were not taken into account) were distributed as follows: very often (almost every visit to the forest) - 0.8%; often - 1.8%; several times - 6.6%; once - 8.3%; never met - 76.6%. 1.4% offered other answer options (for example, “I met him, but he was completely drunk” or “I know a forester, but I don’t know how often he is in the forest”). 4.1% of respondents found it difficult to answer this question.

The answers to this question are extremely important. They allow us to assert that state forest protection in the Moscow region, if not yet ceased to exist, is closer than ever to this. Reorientation of the Russian forest service to independent commercial activities timber harvesting under the guise of intermediate felling led to the fact that foresters simply did not have the time (and desire) to attend their rounds and protect the forests in any way. By the way, the author of this review has already heard from employees of forestry enterprises near Moscow about direct prohibitions (so far verbally) on the part of forestry directors or forest rangers to engage in forest protection and attend their rounds in work time, avoiding work on the “income cuttings”. To be fair, it remains to add that in most other regions the situation with forest protection is hardly better.

How do you feel about the introduction in Moscow and the Moscow region of a special tax on citizens and legal entities to improve funding for the activities of forestry authorities to protect forests in the Moscow region, including forest parks? The answers to this question were distributed in the following (it must be said, somewhat unexpected) way: the introduction of a 1 percent tax is supported by 14.7% of respondents; 0.5 percent - 9.3%; 0.25 percent - 10.9%; 0.1 percent - 14.8%. 24.1% of respondents do not agree with the introduction of such a tax. 9.9% offered other answers (mainly, they agree with the introduction of such a tax if a system is created to prevent the theft of collected money); 15.9% of respondents found it difficult to answer this question.

In general, it is obvious that the majority of residents of the capital region are ready to financially support the protection of forests near Moscow to one degree or another. Thus, in principle, solving many financial problems of forest protection is quite possible - all that remains is to determine possible forms of implementation of such financial support (in addition to taxes, this can also be such forms as concluding lease agreements for forest plots with dacha cooperatives or with municipal authorities for organizing recreational use forests). Having resolved these issues, we can find a real way to force forest protection everywhere to engage in forest protection itself.

Simultaneously with this survey, a study was carried out of the possibility of holding a regional referendum with the aim of adopting a Law of the Moscow Region, including the following wording:

All types of clear-cutting of forests are prohibited on the territory of the Moscow Region, with the exception of cutting down dead stands, clearing burnt areas and areas damaged as a result of natural disasters.

State forestry management authorities are obliged to ensure the protection of the forests of the Moscow region from pollution by industrial and household waste and their clearing of litter no later than within 1 month from the date of discovery of the fact of littering. If the culprit of the littering is unknown, the state forest fund is cleared of litter at the expense of the state forestry management authorities.

The transfer of forest lands to non-forest lands for purposes not related to forestry and construction on the territory of the forest fund of the Moscow region can be carried out only after the Moscow regional referendum on each case of such transfer.

Of course, from a legal point of view, these formulations are not flawless (considering that forests are federal property, and most issues relating to their use cannot be resolved at the regional level). However, it was important for us to evaluate the very possibility of holding a regional referendum in the Moscow region to resolve those forest management issues that most concern its residents.

Greenpeace Russia already has experience in holding regional referendums in a number of regions Russian Federation on various issues and is now considering the possibility of using this experience to solve pressing problems of forest management in the Moscow region.

The answers of the surveyed residents of the Moscow region regarding their attitude towards the referendum were distributed as follows:

ready to officially put your signature on subscription sheet initiative group for holding such a referendum 40% of respondents;

38% of respondents do not agree to sign in support of holding a referendum, but are ready to take part in it if it is held;

22% of respondents do not agree to either sign in support of the referendum or take part in it.

These survey results show that in the Moscow region it is quite possible to fixed time collect the number of signatures required by current legislation to organize a regional referendum in order to adopt the Moscow Region Law on Forests.

Key provisions that can be adopted at a regional referendum (taking into account the existing distribution of forest management functions between federal and regional authorities) are currently being worked out. However, we would like to hope that we will not have to resort to this extreme and very expensive method for the region to turn the forest service towards the people - after all, now, after the end of the election campaign and the self-liquidation of the Kedr movement, in which some leaders of the Moscow Forest Department took an active part, Foresters near Moscow should have more time for real work and solving pressing problems.

Every state has a forest zone. Not a single corner of the planet can exist without forests. The forest zone is where it is warm and humid. The environment is very important for preserving natural resources.

Forest zones are varied. There are deciduous, coniferous and mixed forests. Russia is rich in all of these species, but along with its heritage, each country also receives associated problems.

Ecology is the science of the interactions of living organisms with each other and with the surrounding world. Environmental changes also affect the development of forests. The changing environment is directly related to human activity.

Progress in various directions science and technology developments have revealed previously unknown obstacles. Humanity has encountered them before, but has not yet fully learned to solve them. Large-scale environmental difficulties have led to global problems.

A person’s attitude towards the world around him is the key to the solution, but often people only make the situation worse. They themselves have become the main unfavorable factor that influences the increase in complications of the already difficult situation with ecology in the world.

The importance of forests is enormous. The forest, like vegetation, provides oxygen to humanity. It is rightly said that forests are the lungs of the planet. It produces oxygen and naturally utilizes chemical pollution, purifying the air.

A properly organized ecosystem collects carbon that is essential for the existence of life on Earth. The accumulation prevents the greenhouse effect that threatens nature.

The forest protects the environment from dramatic temperature changes and seasonal frosts, which has a positive effect on the state of agriculture. Experts have found that the climate is milder in areas overgrown with vegetation.

The sowing benefit is due to the protection of the soil from leaching, winds, landslides and mudflows. Forests stop the advance of sands. Forests participate in the water cycle. The forest acts as a filter and retains water in the soil, preventing waterlogging of the area. Forests maintain normal groundwater levels and guard against floods. Absorption of moisture from the ground by the roots and intensive evaporation by the leaves helps to avoid drought.

Problems with forest ecology

Problems of the ecological nature of forests are associated with several reasons:

Weather changes
Uncontrolled hunting and poaching
More frequent forest fires
Garbage in the forest
Deforestation

Let's take a closer look at each problem.

The influence of weather on forest areas

There are over seventeen million kilometers of forest land in the Russian Federation. A forest is a living ecological system. Most of this territory is tundra forest. Russia is recognized as a world leader in absorbing carbon dioxide. It accounts for forty percent.

Forest ecosystems feel an exorbitant burden of environmental problems of a different origin. For example, air pollution affects weather changes. The discrepancy between weather patterns and seasons is one of the main concerns of humanity. The scorching sun causes forest fires to become more frequent, and frosty air negatively affects the bark of trees, leading to their destruction.

Atmospheric air is a mixture of gases from the layer of the atmosphere closest to earth's surface. He has great importance in ensuring life on the planet. The composition of the atmosphere has developed as a result of the evolutionary process, but human activity is increasingly interfering with the natural foundations that have developed over centuries.

Atmospheric air is becoming increasingly polluted, which leads to an increase in cases of detection of lung cancer, diseases respiratory system of various origins, nervous disorders. A growing number of allergy sufferers and people with congenital malformations also consider excessive air saturation to be unhealthy. human body substances.

Atmospheric precipitation has a direct impact on the atmosphere and hydrosphere. They manifest themselves as rain, snow, hail, smog and fog. Recently, these manifestations have become negative: the irrepressible frequency and unnatural nature of the occurrence of precipitation affect forests in the worst possible way. Change chemical composition The atmosphere causes precipitation to dump all this chemistry to the surface.

The negative impact of polluted atmosphere on soil is associated with acid rain. These precipitations wash away the fertile soil layer and useful material contained in it. As a result, the process of photosynthesis is disrupted, which slows down plant growth and then completely causes its death. Forests are disappearing.

Disadvantages of hunting and poaching for the welfare of forests

Excessive hunting leads to the complete or almost complete extermination of some species of animals inhabiting the forest. Forest inhabitants contribute to the systematic development of trees. They exist peacefully in the forest. Without them, the cycle of substances and food chains will be disrupted.

Poaching is an extreme degree of non-compliance with forest protection standards. This is the same hunt, but carried out in a prohibited place or for animals that are prohibited from extermination. As a result of the uncontrolled activities of violators, entire species of living beings may disappear.

Hunting for predators leads to the proliferation of large-seeded plants; they begin to dominate the forest. The worst thing is that poaching can lead to the spread of zoonotic diseases, through the transmission of variable rotoviruses from animals to humans.

With such serious consequences, poaching is prohibited. Each state is developing a set of measures designed to effectively stop the extermination of animals in order to preserve their population, not disturb their habitat - the forest, and prevent the consequences of human environmental crimes from flaring up.

Forest fires

Fire is one of the most serious destroyers of forests. Forest fires are classified as unnatural harmful factors, since they mainly arise due to human fault. Yes, climate and weather conditions can also be one of the causes of forest fires, but they account for only four to five percent. The rest is the work of people.

The location of forests affects the regularity of fires. Coniferous forests, savannas and deserts without forest plantations, steppes are more prone to fire and are more often subject to fires.

Plants in such forests have adapted to the statistics; they have thicker bark, which prevents the spread of fire. Coniferous trees adapted even better: with high temperature their cones release seeds that sprout when there is no trace of nearby trees. This continues their lineage and serves as compensation.

About two million tons of organic matter suffer from forest fires every year. In forests, tree growth decreases, high-quality composition plants, the area of windbreaks expands, and the soil structure deteriorates. In the absence of a forest, species of insects and fungi harmful to humans spread and destroy the tree.

Every year, an increasing area of forests is subject to fire. Governments around the world are taking all possible measures to stop the destruction of flora and fauna. Preventive actions are aimed at detecting fire and extinguishing it with the help of fire crews on the ground and in the air. However, despite these measures, forest fires continue to occur.

Careless handling of matches, lighters, open flames, ignorance and non-compliance with fire safety rules contribute to a rapid fire, which in a matter of minutes can spread over kilometers of forested areas.

Forest litter

Who doesn't like to relax in nature? But not everyone cleans up after themselves after a pleasant pastime. People often throw garbage in the forest, thereby worsening the forest ecology.

It’s good when the waste is of an organic nature, such garbage will decompose after a while. It can even fertilize the soil. But what to do with plastic? What about metal products? They cannot be naturally recycled. Over time, the metal will begin to rust, and harmful plastic substances will enter the forest ecosystem, which can lead to negative consequences.

Litter in the forest poses a potential risk to human health, wildlife and the ecosystem as a whole. Considerable funds from the treasury of any country are spent on garbage collection. Volunteer work aimed at clearing debris from the forest should not be underestimated. However, every citizen must monitor the cleanliness of the forest.

Let's take care of nature, don't let the forests be filled with objects that have nothing to do with the world around us, wildlife, spoiling our rest and enjoyment of clean air.

Deforestation - the threat of disappearance of forest areas

Previously, forests were cut down in small quantities if necessary. The work was carried out using a simple ax. What are we seeing now? A lot of equipment leaves nothing after passing through the forests - a bare area with no plants, only stumps, black circles of fire pits and unsightly soil.

There is no chance that after the passage of tractors with logs, the seeds of those trees that have been cut down may sprout. The forest ecology is completely changed, the delicate balance is lost and after this the place remains deserted for many years.

Deforestation occurs everywhere, it is a mass phenomenon. The main problem is that not only trees are disappearing from the ecological system, but also shrubs and grass. This leads to the fact that insects and animals that previously lived in the forest move from this territory or even die, deprived of food and shelter. The ecosystem is collapsing.

The damage caused by deforestation is colossal. As trees disappear, less oxygen is produced through photosynthesis, but carbon dioxide accumulates. This leads to another global environmental problem - the greenhouse effect. The soil is destroyed, and a steppe or desert is formed in place of the forest. Deforestation even affects the melting of glaciers.

Ecology project. Forest and consequences of its destruction

Death of forests from unfavorable factors

The impact of deforestation on the global environment and measures to save them

Causes of forest destruction

Consequences of deforestation

Conclusion

What is a forest for an ecosystem?

Forest and humanity