Carol Greene - I Love Our Forests

OUR EARTH, OUR FORESTS

Do you know why forests are important? They provide shelter and food to all sorts of animals, and trees are made into things like paper and wood for houses. Learn why forests are so important to everyone, and what they are used for. Also, discover ways to save our forests every day!

"THESE EASY BOOKS SHOW YOUNG PEOPLE HOW TO CARE FOR OUR EARTH"

About the Author

Carol Greene is the author of over 100 books for children. She has worked as a children's book editor and a teacher of writing for children.

Forests are home to many living things.

It gives you air. It is home to many plants and animals. The paper you are looking at comes from it.

What is it? A forest.

A forest is a large piece of land covered with trees and other plants. Many kinds of birds, insects, and other animals live in forests.

Different kinds of forests grow in different places. Forests in very cold places have mostly evergreen trees, such as pines and spruces. Bears, moose, snowshoe hares, and other animals live in these forests.

Forests in places with cold winters and warm summers often have trees that drop their leaves in the fall, such as maples and oaks. Deer, mice, birds, and many other animals live there.

Forests that grow in places that are warm and wet all year are called tropical rain forests. More kinds of trees and plants grow in tropical rain forests than anywhere else on earth. About half of all the different kinds of animals in the world live in tropical rain forests. Monkeys, parrots, beetles, and butterflies all live there.

This forest of pine trees is on top of a mountain.

These parrots use the oxygen that comes from trees and plants of the rain forest.

Forests help people and other animals breathe. That is because different living things use different gases from the air. People and animals use oxygen and give out carbon dioxide. Trees and green plants use carbon dioxide and give out oxygen. This works well. It keeps the air right for all living things.

Sometimes people put too much carbon dioxide in the air by burning things. Forests use some of that carbon dioxide and make the air better.

The roots of trees and other forest plants soak up rainwater. Without these roots, water would rush along and cause a flood.

Forest roots also hold the soil in place so it does not blow or wash away.

We use wood from forests for houses and other things. The paper in this book is made from wood. Forests give us food, rubber, and medicines, too.

Forests are important to the plants and animals that live there. Without their forest home, many of them would die.

Many people like to camp or hike in forests. Some people like just to be still. Stand under forest trees, listen to the birds, and breathe fresh air. The earth is a beautiful place!

The roots of trees and plants take in water from the soil.

Many trees are being cut down all over the world.

Once forests covered more than half the land on the earth. Now many of them are gone. People have cut them down.

Sometimes people cut down forests to use or sell the wood. Sometimes they want to plant crops on the land or build buildings.

There is nothing wrong with doing these things carefully. But if we cut down too many trees and dont take care of the land, some bad things will happen.

Plants and animals lose their homes and die. Floods and wind carry the soil away. Soon a beautiful place is gone. Only bare ground is left.

This is happening to many tropical rain forests. People cut or burn them to use the land for crops.

They soon learn that some soils arent good for crops. They are just good for tropical rain forests. But by then, its too late.

In other forests, people cut down all the trees instead of just the ones they want. It is easier for the people. But its bad for the forests.

Pollutants that people put into the air and water can also harm forests. Pollutants are harmful things left over after burning or making something.

Sometimes careless people destroy forests by starting forest fires.

Forest fires destroy millions of trees every year.

Planting a new tree is one way we can help save our forests.

People can make sure that the earth keeps plenty of healthy forests.

They can use better ways of cutting down trees. They can plant new trees to take the place of the ones they cut down.

People can stay away from forests where rare trees and plants grow or rare animals live. They can set aside some forests and just let them grow.

They can use wood and things made from wood more carefully. They can recycle used paper and make it into new paper. Then they wont have to cut down so many trees.

People can stop putting pollutants into the air and water. They can be very, very careful with fire.

People can care about forests and things that live there. They can care about their children and their childrens children, who will need forests, too.

Recycle at school.

You can help the earths forests. Here are some things that you can do.

• Write or draw on both sides of your paper. Use it all up before you ask for more. This will help save trees.
• Take your lunch in a lunchbox, not a paper bag. Take a cloth bag to the store and put the things you buy in it. This will save more trees.
• Talk to your family about recycling paper if you are not doing it now. Find out if your school recycles its paper. Save those trees!
• Plant a tree. You could ask for one for your birthday. If you cant plant it around your home, see if you can in another place, such as a nearby park.