We are all familiar with the present disturbances of nature and the environment. Poisonous air, natural calamities, irregularity in climate, abnormalities in weather, fertile land turning into desert, and many other reasons are giving us the indication that poison is continuously being poured into the environment and that human life is also affected by it. A simple solution to this grave problem is to increase the greenery in nature to absorb the toxins. Therefore, planting trees is the best way to conserve nature and protect the environment.
Nature created plants to nurture the humans on this earth. The creator’s aim was that both of them become companions and allies in the earth’s preservation and mutual blossoming. Due to this symbiotic relationship, the world grew green and happy; but over time, human greed took over, and people started destroying greenery to gain profit from it. This relationship deteriorated further when the industrial era emerged, due to which the plants that used to absorb toxic human emissions began to dwindle, and the direct and indirect benefits from the plants diminished.
Before the industrial revolution, all the countries of the world met most of their needs from the forests. Even now, forests contribute 0.1 percent to India’s GDP. 12.8 crore tons of wood is obtained annually for fuel through them. Every year, 4.1 crore tons of timber is made available from them. Mahua (Bassia latifolia), Teak (Indian oak), Palash (The flame of the forest), Peepal (Sacred Fig), Banyan tree, Neem (Azadirachta indica), Shisham (Dalbergia sissoo), Sandalwood, etc., and several medicinal plants are still available in our forests. However, their density has gone down considerably. We can derive many benefits by increasing the population of these plants and trees.
Today, eight crore hectares of land are undergoing soil erosion due to wind and water, and due to this, about 50 percent of the land is suffering severe damage. Owing to this, the productive capacity of the land is also decreasing. The severe problem of erosion of this land can be easily saved by growing more plants and trees. Plants absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and give oxygen in exchange for it. Trees planted in an acre can absorb as much carbon as a car emits to run 24,000 miles. Besides, it also captures the harmful gases reaching the atmosphere.
Apart from this, the trees and plants reduce the effect of the sun’s ultraviolet rays up to 50%. These rays are responsible for skin cancer. In such a situation, people are always protected from the harmful rays of sunlight by planting gardens and trees. If trees are planted around the house, it reduces the house’s air-conditioning requirement by 50% during summer. Also, the water’s evaporation from the garden is very low, and the moisture is retained in the land and the environment.
If we look closely, every part of the plants and trees contributes to nature’s balance and coordination. For example, the leaves of the plants, trees, twigs, and branches absorb the unnecessary noise (i.e., noise pollution) present in the environment. It also prevents erosion of the soil by slowing the velocity of heavy rain. The roots, leaves, branches, etc., of trees and plants provide shelter to birds, reptiles, amphibians, and animals. The roots also hold the soil in place, preventing its erosion. The leaves can filter the harmful elements of the air. It also helps keep the atmosphere moist and emits oxygen into the atmosphere through photosynthesis.
In India, out of about 6.4 lakh villages, 2 lakh villages are in or around forests. The nearly 40-crore population of our country is directly or indirectly dependent on forests for their livelihood. Forest products contribute 40% to 60% of their income. Our country’s forests provide 74.1 crore tons of fodder to about 24 crore cattle. However, this is causing damage to about 78% of the woods, and about 18% of the forests are badly affected.
Our ancestors were fully aware of the significance of plants and trees. Therefore, they proposed and implemented the concept of sacred groves (preserved forest area). Such groves used to be maintained and protected by the residents living near the area. Any movement and exploitation of natural resources were prohibited in such areas. Not only that, but some communities also started worshipping various trees and plants like Peepal, Banyan, Mango, Palash, Mandar (Calotropis gigantea), etc., to make people realize their importance and make sure that they are not harmed in any way. In some regions, this practice is still followed.
Planting local multi-purpose trees supports the livelihood of the forest dependent residents and has a favorable effect on the environment. Besides, local plants grow spontaneously according to that region’s climate and do not inhibit other plant species’ growth that grows near them. This results in a constant promotion of local biodiversity. Cultivating these plants fulfills people’s day-to-day needs (e.g., seasonal fruits, fodder for animals, firewood, medicines, oils, etc.) Renowned environmentalists and the sources of inspiration of Chipko Movement, Chandi Prasad Bhatt and Sundarlal Bahuguna, who are the recipients of the Padma Vibhushan award, also inspire people to plant local trees and explain their importance. According to them, the trees of Burans (Rhododendron arboretum), Walnut, Chestnut, Apricot, Pear, Pangar (horsechestnut), Fig, etc., should be planted maximally in hill stations.Plantation in our country is done mainly during the south-west monsoon times, i.e., June to September. Of course, it is necessary to choose plants according to the local climate and the residents’ needs so that they get direct benefits from the trees, which will motivate them to protect these plants. India has diversity in its climate ranging from tropical in the south to temperate in the north. People must identify and plant local indigenous plants that thrive in that area’s unique environment. Native plants are those that occur naturally in a region in which they evolved. For example, great varieties of apples are produced in the coldest northern part of India in Himachal Pradesh, and from here, it is distributed all over the country. Apples can never be grown in hot regions like Rajasthan. Even if it is grown somehow, its fruit will not have the taste of the apple grown in the Himalayas’ foothills.Similarly, tamarind and coconut have the highest yield in South India. Maharashtra is famous for grapes and oranges. Calcutta is popular for bananas. In this way, according to the climate of every region, nature has given a unique gift of specific fruit and flowers throughout India. That is why, while planting saplings, it should be kept in mind to plant native indigenous plants and trees. Similarly, in Central India, according to the usefulness of the local people. Chironji (Buchanania lanzan), Tendu leaves (Diospyros melanoxylon), Sal (Shorea robusta), Teak, Neem, Tamarind, Amla (Indian gooseberry), Lasora (Cordia myxa), Jujube, Bamboo plant, etc., can be planted in this region. These plants are also extremely useful in maintaining the livelihood of people.
We should realize that trees have played an essential role in the evolution, sustenance, and development of life on earth. Since the beginning of this world, they have furnished us with life’s essentials like food, oxygen, shelter, medicine, furniture, and so on. But the ever-increasing population has led to the deforestation of the earth at almost the same rate. This, coupled with pollution and modernization, has produced an ecological imbalance. If this grave problem is not tackled in time, it may lead to the destruction of life on earth.
Therefore, we should support the preservation of trees and play an important role in saving them. At an individual level, we should plant a few trees in our yards where possible, plant native species that grow tall and provide shade on the sides of the road and nurture them.Any attempt to solve the ecological crisis within a bourgeois framework must be dismissed as chimerical. Capitalism is inherently anti-ecological. Competition and accumulation constitute its very law of life, a law … summarized in the phrase, ‘production for the sake of production.’ Anything, however hallowed or rare, ‘has its price’ and is fair game for the marketplace. In a society of this kind, nature is necessarily treated as a mere resource to be plundered and exploited. The destruction of the natural world, far being the result of mere hubristic blunders, follows inexorably from the very logic of capitalist production.
– Murray Bookchin
“Someone’s sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.– Warren Buffett”
Source:Akhand Jyoti Magazine Jan-Feb 2021