explain the role of forest in maintaining the quality of air and water

Dear Student

Forests influence the quality of our air, soil, and water resources in various ways. Some of them are: 

(i) Forests balance the percentages of carbon dioxide and oxygen in the atmosphere. The increasing amount of carbon dioxide caused by human activities is balanced by a larger intake of carbon dioxide by plants during the process of photosynthesis. Simultaneously, a large amount of oxygen is released. 

(ii) Forests prevent soil erosion. Roots of plants bind the soil tightly in a way that the surface of the soil cannot be eroded away by wind, water, etc. 

(iii) Forests help in the replenishment of water resources. During the process of transpiration, a huge amount of water vapour goes into the air and condenses to form clouds. These clouds cause rainfall that recharge water bodies.
Forests act as a natural absorber of rain water. The roots of the trees make soil porous and increase absorbing and water holding capacity of soil. When water seeps through the pores of soil, it gets free from the impurities. Thus, water reaching down the soil to water table gets purified. When plants absorb this water, they again release it in the atmosphere through transpiration in pure form to help in forming rain.

Regards