THE ROLE OF TREES IN ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION: A REVIEW

Abstract

Trees outside of forests are increasingly disappearing to make way for housing construction, road expansion, dam building, and intensive agriculture. Meanwhile, forest fires, exacerbated by climate change, have the potential to devastate forest ecosystems. Ecological restoration of forests involves reintroducing trees to their former forested lands and improving the condition of degraded forests. Restoration efforts may encompass, alongside planting native tree species, the preservation of native plants and wildlife, soil protection, and safeguarding water sources that constitute integral components of forest ecosystems. Lands cleared for agriculture and subsequently abandoned can serve as ideal areas for forest restoration. Additionally, planting native plant species in existing forests can contribute to the revival of tree cover.