Here's a list of benefits:

1. They support life and are an essential component of Earth's water, nutrient, and energy cycles
   
   
2. They provide nutrients, water, and habitat for people, livestock, wildlife, and fish
   
   
3. They play a vital role in producing healthy food, natural fiber, and valuable by-products for human consumption
   
   
4. Through the photosynthesis process, they take environmentally polluting carbon dioxide out of the air and put life-essential oxygen in the air
   
   
5. They serve as a natural sink for storing carbon, thus they help offset the negative effects of man-induced "carbon emissions" on the environment
   
   
6. They replenish below and above-ground water aquifers
   
   
7. They filter and purify water going into aquifers, creeks, rivers, and oceans
   
   
8. They are home to a multitude of beneficial insects and microorganisms
   
   
9. They provide natural detoxification and degradation of waste materials and pollution
   
   
10. They also provide natural flood control, therefore minimize loss of life and property on the lower end of local and regional watersheds
    
    
11. They are a primary builder of soil and water fertility
    
    
12. They protect top soil from water and wind erosion
    
    
13. They provide hunting, fishing, and other types of recreational opportunities
    
    
14. They provide a natural setting for cultural, social, and spiritual enrichment
    
    
15. They provide natural beauty, and therefore nourish the human spirit
    
    

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