1. Management of Forest Resources
Forests are 'biodiversity hot spots'. They are the dominant terrestrial ecosystem of the Earth and are distributed across the globe. They account for 75% of the gross primary productivity ( the rate at which organic matter is synthesised by primary producers) of the Earth's biosphere and contain 80% of the Earth's plant biomass.
Forests provide a diversity of ecosystem services including converting carbon dioxide into oxygen and biomass, acting as a carbon sink, aiding in the regulation of climate, purifying water, mitigating natural hazards such as floods, and serving as a genetic reserve.
Destruction of forests is disastrous to the ecological environment and to mankind. The loss of biodiversity can lead to ecological imbalance and therefore, is a problem that must be dealt with immediately.
Management of Forest Resources:
The three R’s are the foundations of environmental management.
The 3R's in conserving resources are Reduce, Recycle and Reuse.
- Reducing means producing less waste, consuming less and consciously avoiding products with unnecessary packaging.
- Reusing materials more than once in their original form instead of disposing of after each use. Reuse keeps new resources from being used for a while longer, and old resources from entering the waste stream.
- Recycling is the process of collecting and processing those materials, which would otherwise be discarded as trash, and turning them into new products.
Biodiversity or Biological diversity is the existence of different kinds of flora and fauna in an environment.
Conservation of resources:
Conservation of forests:
- Forests cover a third of all land on Earth, providing vital organic infrastructure for some of the planet's densest, most diverse collections of life.
- Number and range of species present inside forest contribute to its stability.
- Conservation of forests and wildlife is necessary to protect the biodiversity. This is important because the loss of biodiversity leads to ecological imbalance. But any conservation effort for forest and wildlife must keep the interests of all stakeholders in mind.
Stakeholders of forests include:
- People inhabiting and depending on forests for livelihood (firewood, timber, bamboo for huts, implements and sites for fishing and hunting, cattle grazers, collecting fruits and nuts, medicinal herbs).
- Forest Department which owns forest land and controls forests resources (Over-exploitation and mismanagement may lead to several problems).
- Industrialists who require raw material from forests are responsible for deforestation and also for clearing forest land to make tourist spots, roads, and dams.
- Conservationists and wild life lovers who strive to preserve nature.
- Amrita Devi Bishnoi with others who sacrificed her life to protect kejri trees in Khejrali village near Jodhpur, Rajasthan.
- The Chipko Andolan ('Hug the Trees Movement') originated in the 1970's, in a village called Reni in Garhwal high up in the Himalayas. It was to save trees from being cut down.
- The government which takes measures for conservation which include owning of forest land, controlling industries and illegal activities and framing rules to ensure that local people benefit.
Management of Water and Coal Resources
Water and coal are exhaustible natural resources. The water–energy nexus is becoming one of the great challenges of our generation. Coal continues to be a dominant force in the global energy market. However, it is depleting at a fast rate. Hence, finding a right balance between the amount of resources available and their judicious use is an important step in the sustainability of the natural environment.
Water Conservation:
Water Conservation is the preservation, control, and management of water resources.
Lack of water availability even after good monsoon is due to:
- Loss of vegetation cover.
- Diversion of water for high water-demanding crops.
- Pollution from industrial effluents and urban wastes.
Advantages of dams and hydroelectric projects:
- Dams ensure storage of water for irrigation.
- Reservoirs of dams prevent floods by checking the flow of water.
- Provide water for human consumption, industrial use, aquaculture, and navigability etc.
- Generate electricity.
- They prevent flood by checking the flow of water.
- The water from the dams is used through a system of canals to irrigate far-flung areas.
- Increase green cover.
Disadvantages of dams and hydroelectric projects:
- When a river is dammed, water is displaced and surrounding dry areas are flooded.
- Results in the displacement local populations often without proper rehabilitation measures.
- When vegetation is engulfed in water, the dead vegetation releases methane into the atmosphere, increasing the production of greenhouse gases. The loss of forest land slows the uptake of carbon dioxide, another greenhouse gas.
- Flooding of surrounding areas during construction displaces existing wildlife and can disrupt whole ecosystems.
- Marine life that relies on the unobstructed flow of the river, can be adversely affected.
- High cost, low return.
Water Harvesting:
Water harvesting is the activity of direct collection of rainwater. The rainwater collected can be stored for direct use or can be recharged into the groundwater. Rain is the first form of water that we know in the hydrological cycle, hence is a primary source of water for us.
Traditional methods of water harvesting:
Following are some of the ancient water harvesting systems used in different regions of India:
- Khadins, tanks, and Nadis in Rajasthan.
- Bandharas and Tals in Maharashtra.
- Bundhis in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
- Ahars and Pynes in Bihar.
- Kulhs in Himachal Pradesh.
- Ponds in the Kandi belt of Jammu region.
- Eris (tanks) in Tamil Nadu.
- Surangams in Kerala.
- Kattas in Karnataka.
Advantages of groundwater:
- Does not evaporate, recharges wells and supplies moisture to vegetation for a wide area.
- Does not provide the breeding ground for mosquitoes unlike stagnant water in ponds or artificial lakes.
- Rocks act as natural filters No loss of water through evaporation.
- No requirement for expensive and environmentally damaging dams.
- Pumping costs low.
- Protection from contamination by human and animal waste.
Coal and petroleum conservation:
Fossil fuels contain C, H, N and S, Oxides of all these are released when they burn, CO is formed when coal is burnt in a limited amount of air. This can cause pollution and related respiratory problems. CO₂ also causes green house effect and global warming.
Fossil fuel consumption can be cut down by:
- Using public transport or by car-pooling.
- Using fluorescent tubes at home.
- Limiting the use of heaters.
- Using alternative sources of energy like solar power or wind energy.
Advantages of ground water:
Use of ground water for drinking purpose has various advantages: Ground water generally does not get polluted, if it is away (at least 20 metres) from the sanitary works.
- The water gets filtered while percolating through sand & stones. Therefore, groundwater remains pure and clean.
- No loss of water through evaporation.
- No requirement for expensive and environmentally damaging dams.
- Low pumping costs.