Page 36 - SST Class 04

India : Forests

9
and Wildlife

Wildlife and I

Animals and birds make the world a
colourful and lively place; they may look not
so important to us, but they are in fact very
necessary for our survival. We must conserve
them. Without them, this world would

become dull, colourless and meaningless.

Forests and wildlife are very important to us in many ways.

Forests

We can see around us different types of trees, plants,
shrubs, creepers, bushes and grasses. If they grow
naturally, they are called natural vegetation . If they are

grown by a farmer, they are called crops . A forest is a large
area of land covered with natural vegetation. Forests cover
about one-third land area of the earth.
Forest
Types of Forests in India

India possesses different types of climates and landforms, so a large variety of trees is
found here. The important types of forests in India are as follows :

1. Evergreen Forests : A plant or tree that ever remains green is called an evergreen
plant or tree. It remains green throughout the year. Most trees shed all their leaves
once a year. An evergreen tree does not shed all its leaves at any one time of the year.

New leaves keep growing while the old ones keep falling. The trees in evergreen
forests are tall and have a broad canopy at the top. They give us hard wood which is
very useful for many purposes. The important varieties of evergreen trees are
rosewood, mahogany, ebony etc. These are found where rainfall is heavy and dry
season is short, such as in north-eastern hilly region, Western Ghats etc.

36 Contemporary Social Science-4