Natural Resources and

Associated Problems

Natural Resources

Resource – Any material that can be transformed into valuable and useful product or service.

Air, Water, Soil, Minerals, Wind, Solar Energy – non living or Abiotic resources.

Plants, Animals and other organisms – Living or Biotic Resources.

Based on availability and utility, natural resources classified as:

1. Renewable Resources:

2. Non Renewable Resources:

Renewable Resources

Resources which can be renewed even after use.

Can be easily replaced.

Also known as Non exhaustible Resources

Example: Forest, Solar Energy, hydro electricity

Non Renewable Resources

Some Resource take thousands of year and favorable climatic condition to form.

Resources that take too long to form and cannot be easily replaced are known as Nonrenewable resources.

If exploited they will be exhausted. Thus also known as exhaustible Resources.

Example: Fossil Fuels, Coal, Petroleum

Natural Resources & Associated Problems

Increase in population resulted in increase in demand for natural resources.

Also scientific progress and technological advancement increases utilization of natural

resources particularly non renewable resources.

Developed countries are utilizing 50% more natural resources than developing countries.

Over exploitation of resources leads to economic and ecological imbalances.

Forest Resources

Forest Resources

Important Renewable Natural Resource

Approximately 1/3rd of the earth’s total area is covered by forests

Wood is a source of fuel for one third of the population

Houses, Furniture, Paper, Clothes, Dyes, Gums are largely made from wood

and other forest products.

What are Forest ?

The term “forest ”is derived from the Latin word “foris” meaning outside.

Originally ,it is uncultivated and uninhabited village boundary consisting of

natural plants, i.e., trees and grasses .

In the words of Allen and Shorpe, “Forest is a community of trees and

associated organism covering a considerable area, utilizing air, water and

minerals to attain maturity and to reproduce and capable of furnishing

mankind with indispensable products and services”

USES OF FOREST RESCOURCES

Hydrological flow modulator

Habitats for organisms

Soil conservers

Building material

Energy

Medicinal purposes

In paper industries

Function and benefits

Sr.No. Functions Benefits

01 Centre of Biodiversity • Provides home to unique plants, animals, wild life

02 Water shed Protection • Stop Soil erosion and prevent flash floods.

• Reduce surface runoff of water & encourages percolation

03 Clean Water • The root system filters water and clears toxins &

impurities

• Facilitate storing of clean water & maintain the

availability during summer

04 Land Erosion • Hold Soil by Preventing direct washing of soil

05 Clean Air • Absorb Solar Energy and refresh the air we breathe

• Maintain local climatic conditions

• Absorb CO2 & harmful pollutants & release O2.

Function and benefits

Sr. No. Functions Benefits

06 Economic Benefits • Supply wood for fuel

• Supply fodder for cattle

• Provides Fiber for baskets, ropes, Strings

• Sericulture for silk, Medicinal Plant for

medicines

• Facilities ecotourism

07 Environment Benefits • Provides clean water, air

• Prevent global climate change

• Help in controlling soil erosion

• Absorb noise and reduce stress

It means reckless or large-scale felling or cutting of trees by man for commercial and other purposes.

The FAO(Food and Agriculture Organization) of the UN defines ”change of forest with depletion of tree crown cover more than 90%.”

Deforestration

Causes of Deforestation:

1. Fuel Wood consumption

2. Agriculture

3. Industrial Development

4. Overgrazing

5. Developmental Projects

Control of Deforestation

Prevention of human settlement in forest areas.

Check on expansion of agriculture into forest lands.

Prohibition of setting up of agriculture into forest lands

Check on reckless cutting of trees.

Controlled mining in forest areas.

Check on construction of large dams in forest areas.

Control on over grazing in forest areas.

Timber Extraction

Harms valuable species of trees, birds and animals

Timber extraction classified as:

i) Clear felling

ii)Selective logging

iii) Mechanized logging

iv) Handlogging

v) Reduced impact logging

Dam

A dam is an artificial barrier usually constructed across a stream channel

to impound water.

Timber, rock, concrete, earth, steel or a combination of these materials

may be used to build the dam.

Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other

structures such as floodgates are used to manage water flow into specific

land regions.

Dams provide a means of regulating downstream surface water flows over

space and time by altering the natural spatial and temporal distributions of

stream flows .

DAM and their Effect

As farmers displaced by the dams had to clear forests in other areas in order

to grow their crops and build their homes.

Chipko Movement:

Ist movement in 1731 led by Amrita Bai

In Uttar Pradesh 1972 led by Bachnoi Devi

Water Resources

Hydrosphere: As a source of water

It includes all sources of water such as oceans, lakes, rivers and underground

water.

97% of earth’s total water supply lies in ocean,2% is polar ice caps which are

frozen. Remaining 1% available as fresh water suitable for human

consumption.

Ground water is the most suitable domestic source of water.

Use and Over exploitation of surface

and ground water

Need for water has increased enormously with the increase in population.

Demand for more water has forced human beings to over use the natural

water storage systems.

This has resulted in destruction of nature’s ecosystem.

Water is over used in household chores.

Also over used in agriculture fields and industries.

Floods

Floods

A river overflowing its bank.