Forests provide many benefits to humans. Considering in particular the benefits they provide to reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations they are (i) a store of carbon, or carbon sink, through wood growth (ii) in addition woodland soils hold more carbon than other vegetation (Broadmeadow and Ray, Forest Commission Information Note June 2005). Considering now the benefits forests offer to those areas adapting to drought or flooding induced by anthropogenic climate change (iii) they invigorate the water cycle through evaporation from forests, preventing drought and desertification in some areas (iv) prevention of soil erosion. Other benefits include (v) fire wood (vi) building materials (vii) food eg brazil nuts (viii) create atmospheric oxygen (ix) a habitat for plants that could be medical treatments or cures of the future (x) recreation (xi) aesthetics (xii) the home of forest peoples. Taking an ecological view, forests provide habitats for many plant, animal and fungal species.
