Why should we conserve forests and wildlife?

Explanation

(i) We should conserve forests because they provide raw materials for a number of industries like timber industry, paper industry, lac industry and sports equipment industry. Forests prevent floods and soil erosion. Forests help in bringing sufficient rainfall by maintaining a perfect water cycle in nature. Forests also provide natural habitat to wild animals and birds, and help in their conservation. Forests are essential for maintaining the ecological balance by preserving the biodiversity (large number of species of plants and animals).
The wild animals and birds which live in a forest are called 'wildlife'. We should conserve wildlife to maintain ecological balance in nature. For example, it is necessary to conserve wild animals like lions and tigers to maintain the forest ecosystem because they keep the population of herbivorous animals (like deer) under control and save the vegetation from overgrazing and its ill effects on environment. This is because overgrazing destroys the green plants and reduces the rainfall in that area. Due to less rainfall, the lush green forest environment can turn into a desert over a period of time. Wildlife should also be conserved to prevent the extinction of rare varieties of animals and birds from this earth.