SOCIAL STUDIES

Ch.7 Our Natural Resources: Forests and Wildlife

Std. 4
2025-26

I Fill in the blanks.

1. Trees and plants give us the oxygen we need to breathe.

2. Forests improve the quality of soil and make it more fertile.

3. Tidal forests are also called mangroves.

4. Coniferous forests have trees that are conical in shape.

5. We should make efforts to conserve forests by planting more trees.

II Answer the following.

1. What are natural resources?

A. Natural resources are substances or materials found in nature that are useful to humans.
These include things such as air, water, forests, soil, minerals and wildlife.

2. What are the two types of natural resources?

A. The two types of natural resources are-
i. Exhaustible resources
ii. Inexhaustible resources.

3. What is a forest?
A. A forest is a large area of land thickly covered with trees.

4. What are evergreen forests?

A. Evergreen forests are forests where trees remain green throughout the year. They do not
shed all their leaves at the same time.

5. Where are evergreen forests found in India?

A. Evergreen forests are found in areas with heavy rainfall, such as the western slopes of the
Western Ghats, the hills of Northeast India, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

1
6. Why are forests important to us?
A. Forests are a natural resource and are useful to us in the following ways:

Gives fresh
air to breathe
Improves
quality of Helps bring
soil rains

Importance
Provides Prevents
of forests
medicines soil erosion

Provides
Gives food and
timber to Provides shelter
fruits
make to birds and
furniture animals

7. Which are the different types of forests in India?

A. The different type of forests in India are:

Evergreen forests Deciduous forests

2
 Thorny and scrub forests Mountain forests

Tidal forests

8. Name two trees found in the Evergreen forests.

A. i. Rosewood
ii. Ebony

9. Why do trees in the deciduous forests shed their leaves?

A. Trees in the deciduous forests shed their leaves to save water during the dry season.

10. Where are deciduous forests found in India?

A. The deciduous forests are found in Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh,
Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Tamil Nadu.

11. What trees grow in the thorny and scrub forests?

A. Plants like Babul, Keekar, date palms and cactus grow in thorny and scrub forests.

12. How do plants in the thorny forests adapt to dry conditions?

A. The plants in thorny forests have thick stems to store water and spines instead of leaves to
reduce water loss.

13. What is deforestation?

A. Deforestation is the cutting down of trees on a large scale, which harms the environment.

14. If a large area of forest is cut down for farming, what effects might this have on wildlife
and soil?
A. When a large area of forest is cut down, it leads to soil getting washed away, to floods
and to landslides. There will be less rainfall and also less oxygen in the air for us to
breathe.

3
 15. Name two programmes launched by the Indian government to plant trees.
A. Two programmes launched by the Indian government to plant trees are:
i) Social Forestry programme
ii) Van Mahotsav.

16. Your class is planning a ‘Forest Awareness Day’. Suggest two slogans and two simple
activities to spread awareness about protecting forests.

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

17. Why is the government trying to protect wildlife and forests? How will this help us?
A. The government tries to protect wildlife and forests
i. To keep nature healthy and help people.
ii. Forests are like the Earth's lungs, absorbing bad air and giving us good air.
iii. Protecting animals and plants helps keep nature balanced, which is good for
everyone.
iv. By conserving the wildlife and forest we are ensuring that all diverse species in an
area survive, breed and flourish.
v. Conservation of wildlife and forests is vital for ecological stability.
vi. Forests are the habitat for wildlife and they are an important constituent of the various
food chains and food webs.

III Give reasons.

1. We should conserve forests.

A. We should conserve forests because forests give us clean air, food, wood, medicine, and
are home to many animals. They also help bring rain and protect the soil.

2. Cutting down too many trees is harmful to the environment.

A. Cutting of trees causes deforestation, which leads to soil erosion, less rainfall, loss of
animal homes, and global warming.

3. Plants in the thorny and scrub forests have small leaves.

A. Plants in the thorny and scrub forests have small leaves as this helps them to conserve
water in the dry environment where water is scarce. The plants here have thick and small
leaves to minimize water loss due to transpiration.

4. Tidal forests are important to the environment.

A. Tidal forests, also known as mangrove forests, are very important for the environment
because they help protect coastlines, keep the water clean, and provide homes for many
animals. They act like a natural shield against storms and erosion, and they help keep the
ocean healthy.

4
IV. Choose and tick the correct answer for each statement.

i. Forests that have trees that shed their leaves in summer.

a) Deciduous forests b) Evergreen forests c) Mountain forests d) Tidal forests

ii. Tree found in the Evergreen forests.

a) Babul b) Date palms c) Bamboo d) Pine

iii. A tree which grows in the Sundarbans.

a) Palm tree b) Sundari tree c) Ebony d) Rosewood

iv. National park in India famous for the most number of one-horned rhinoceroses.

a) Sundarbans b) Corbett c) Kaziranga National Park d) Gir

v. Name the type of forest shown in the image below.

a) Coniferous b) Deciduous c) Thorny and Scrub d) Tidal

vi) If forests are cut down, what will happen?

a) More animals will come b) Soil will become stronger c) Animals will lose their

homes d) There will be more oxygen

5
V. Look at the image given below and complete the passage with the appropriate answers.

Kaziranga National Park in Assam has lots of trees and its famous for having the most

number of Indian one-horned rhinoceroses in the world. It became a UNESCO World

Heritage site because of its special nature and conservation efforts. The Assam government

also hosts an Annual Elephant Festival to celebrate and protect elephants.

******************************************************************************