Our Earth is made up of air,

land, water, soil, plants, animals

and micro-organisms. The living
and non-living things in an
environment together form an
ecosystem:

1. Plants, animals and human

beings are the living part of the ecosystem. They are called biotic components.
2. The land, air, water and soil are non-living part of the ecosystem. They are
called abiotic components of the environment.

Forests are very important to us as they serve as the green lungs of the world.
Trees grow in forests. They are very important to us as they take in carbon-
dioxide released by us and give oxygen taken in by us. That is why forests are
called green lungs of the world. Forests are renewable natural resource. They are
precious for environment, living organisms and for country's economy.

People have has started cutting down trees to meet their needs of housing and
agriculture. As a result, many wild animals like lions, zebras, elephants, etc., have
lost their shelters. Cutting of trees cause soil erosion, floods, droughts and
many climatic changes.

Smoke from factories and mills pollutes air and water which is harmful for all
living beings.

People hunt wild animals for pleasure, as a result many species of animals and
birds have become extinct and some have become endangered.
How to Maintain Balance of Nature to make this Earth a better place to
live in

We must take some steps to maintain a balance of nature.

The cutting of trees should be banned.

More and more trees should be planted.
Programmes like vanmahotsav and social forestry should be started which
Encourage schoolchildren and village people to grow more and more trees.
The factories and vehicles releasing smoke should be penalised.
National parks and wildlife sanctuaries should be established.

Given below are the names of some National Parks of our

country:

1 Periyar National Park Kerala

2 Kaziranga National Park Assam
3 Corbett National Park Uttarakhand
4 Dudhwa National Park Uttar Pradesh
5 Gir National Park Gujarat
6 Ghana National Park Rajasthan
7 Kanha National Park Madhya Pradesh
8 Bandipur National Park Karnataka
There are many wildlife reserves in our country; some
of them are given here
 JIM CORBETT NATIONAL PARK
Introduction

Jim Corbett National Park is the oldest national park in India and was
established in 1936 as Hailey National Park to protect
the endangered Bengal tiger. It is located in Nainital
district of Uttarakhand and was named after Jim Corbett who played a key
role in its establishment. The park was the first to come under the Project
Tiger initiative.
The park has sub-Himalayan belt geographical and ecological
characteristics.[3] An ecotourism destination, it contains 488 different
species of plants and a diverse variety of fauna. The increase in tourist
activities, among other problems, continues to present a serious challenge to
the park's ecological balance.
Corbett has been a haunt for tourists and wildlife lovers for a long time.
Tourism activity is only allowed in selected areas of Corbett Tiger Reserve so
that people get an opportunity to see its splendid landscape and the diverse
wildlife. In recent years the number of people coming here has increased
dramatically. Presently, every season more than 70,000 visitors come to the
park.
Corbett National Park comprises 520.8 km2 (201.1 sq mi) area of hills,
riverine belts, marshy depressions, grasslands and a large lake. The
elevation ranges from 1,300 to 4,000 ft (400 to 1,220 m). Winter nights are
cold but the days are bright and sunny. It rains from July to September.
Dense moist deciduous forest mainly consists of sal, haldu, peepal, rohini
and mango trees. Forest covers almost 73% of the park, 10% of the area
consists of grasslands. It houses around 110 tree species, 50 species of
mammals, 580 bird species and 25 reptile species.

Fauna

More than 586 species of resident and migratory birds have been categorised,
including the crested serpent eagle, blossom-headed parakeet and the red
junglefowl ancestor of all domestic fowl.[6] 33 species of reptiles, seven
species of amphibians, seven species of fish and 36 species
of dragonflies have also been recorded.[8]
Bengal tigers, although plentiful, are not easily spotted due to the abundance
of foliage - camouflage - in the reserve.[2] Thick jungle, theRamganga
river and plentiful prey make this reserve an ideal habitat for tigers who are
opportunistic feeders and prey upon a range of animals.[18] The tigers in the
park have been known to kill much larger animals such as buffalo and even
elephant for food.[6] The tigers prey upon the larger animals in rare cases of
food shortage.[6] There have been incidents of tigers attacking domestic
animals in times of shortage of prey.[6]
The Bengal tiger, also called the royal Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris),
is the most numerous tiger subspecies. It is the national animal of
both India and Bangladesh.[2] By 2011, the total population was estimated at
fewer than 2,500 individuals with a decreasing trend. None of the Tiger
Conservation Landscapes within the Bengal tiger's range is considered large
enough to support an effective population size of 250 adult individuals.
Since 2010, it has been classified as endangered by the IUCN.[1]
As of 2010, Bengal tiger populations in India have been estimated at 1,706
1,909.[3] As of 2014, they had reputedly increased to an estimated 2,226
individuals,[4] but the method used in the census may not be accurate.[5][6]
Bengal tigers number around 440 in Bangladesh and 163253
in Nepal.[7][8][9] There were previously 6781 individuals in Bhutan.
However, the latest census estimated that 103 wild Bengal tigers are living
in the country.
In the summer, Indian elephants can be seen in herds of several
hundred.[6] The Indian python found in the reserve is a dangerous species,
capable of killing a chital deer.[6]Local crocodiles and gharials were saved
from extinction by captive breeding programs that subsequently released
crocodiles into the Ramganga river
 Kaziranga National Park
Introduction

Kaziranga National Park (is a national park in theGolaghat and Nagaon

districts of the state of Assam, India. The sanctuary, which hosts two-thirds
of the world's great one-horned rhinoceroses is a World Heritage
Site.[1] According to the census held in March 2015, which was jointly
conducted by the Forest Department of the Government of Assam and some
recognized wildlife NGOs, the rhino population in Kaziranga National Park
is 2,401. It comprises 1,651 adult rhinos (663 male, 802 are females, 186
unsexed); 294 sub-adults (90 males, 114 females, 90 unsexed); 251
juveniles and 205 cubs.[2] Kaziranga is home to the highest density
of tigers among protected areasin the world, and was declared a Tiger
Reserve in 2006. The park is home to large breeding populations
of elephants, wild water buffalo, and swamp deer.[3] Kaziranga is recognized
as an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International for conservation of
avifaunal species. When compared with other protected areas in India,
Kaziranga has achieved notable success in wildlife conservation. Located on
the edge of the Eastern Himalaya biodiversity hotspot, the park combines
high species diversity and visibility.
Kaziranga is a vast expanse of tall elephant grass, marshland, and
dense tropical moist broadleaf forests, crisscrossed by four major rivers,
including the Brahmaputra, and the park includes numerous small bodies of
water. Kaziranga has been the theme of several books, songs, and
documentaries. The park celebrated its centennial in 2005 after its
establishment in 1905 as a reserve.
Kaziranga contains significant breeding populations of 35 mammalian
species,[20] of which 15 are threatened as per the IUCN Red List.[citation
needed] The park has the distinction of being home to the world's largest

population of the Greater One-Horned Rhinoceros(1,855),[21][22] wild Asiatic

water buffalo (1,666)[23] and eastern swamp deer (468).[24] Significant
populations of large herbivores include elephants (1,940),[25] gaur (30)
and sambar (58). Small herbivores include the Indian muntjac, wild boar,
and hog deer.[18][26] Kaziranga has the largest population of the Wild water
buffalo anywhere accounting for about 57% of the world population.[27]
Fauna
This park has a large biodiversity. The density of the tiger population at
Bandhavgarh is one of the highest known in India. The park has a large
breeding population of leopards, and various species of deer. Maharaja
Martand Singh of Rewa captured the first white tiger in this region in 1951.
This white tiger, Mohan, is now stuffed and on display in the palace of
the Maharajas ofRewa. Historically villagers and their cattle have been a
threat to the tiger. Rising mining activities around the park are putting the
tigers at risk.

The Bengal tiger, also called the royal Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris),
is the most numerous tiger subspecies. It is the national animal of
both India and Bangladesh.[2] By 2011, the total population was estimated at
fewer than 2,500 individuals with a decreasing trend. None of the Tiger
Conservation Landscapes within the Bengal tiger's range is considered large
enough to support an effective population size of 250 adult individuals.
Since 2010, it has been classified as endangered by the IUCN.[1]
As of 2010, Bengal tiger populations in India have been estimated at 1,706
1,909.[3] As of 2014, they had reputedly increased to an estimated 2,226
individuals,[4] but the method used in the census may not be accurate.[5][6]
Bengal tigers number around 440 in Bangladesh and 163253
in Nepal.[7][8][9] There were previously 6781 individuals in Bhutan.
However, the latest census estimated that 103 wild Bengal tigers are living
in the country.

Bandhavgarh National Park (Devanagari: ) is one of

the popular national parks in India located in theUmaria district of Madhya
Pradesh. Bandhavgarh was declared a national park in 1968, with an area of
105 km2. The buffer is spread over the forest divisions of Umaria and Katni
and totals 437 km2. The park derives its name from the most
prominenthillock of the area, which was said to be given
by Hindu Lord Rama to his brother Lakshmana to keep a watch
on Lanka(Ceylon). Hence the name Bandhavgarh (Sanskrit: Brother's
Fort).