Forest resources provide not only wood but also what?

Soil protection and biodiversity

Forests are valuable because they provide many goods and ecological services, not only timber. Tree roots hold soil and reduce erosion caused by water and wind. Forests also provide habitats for plants, animals and microorganisms, thereby supporting biodiversity. They influence the water cycle, help store carbon and supply products such as fruits, fibres, medicines and fuel in many regions. These functions make forests important for both people and the natural environment.

Option A is correct because soil protection and biodiversity are major benefits of forest resources. Petroleum mines, sea salt and iron rails are not ordinary ecological services provided by forests. A forest may support livelihoods through several products, but its environmental value is equally important. Sustainable use and conservation are therefore necessary so that forests continue to protect land, shelter species and support human communities over time.

This is a Class 10 Geography question. Chapter: Resources and Development. Topic: resource interdependence.