Chapter 16Management of Natural Resources

A resource is anything which can be used for the benefit of mankind.

Pencil, eraser, toothbrush, notebook, bus, chair, blackboard, trees, sun, computer, train, aeroplane, water,……

The list of resources goes on and on.In fact we ourselves are resources.

Nature + resources = Natural ResourcesNatural resources include total natural environment, that is the entire surface of the earth .

MANAGEMENT OF

NATURALRESOURCES

Natural resource management ==== management of natural resources such as land, water, soil, plants and animals,Focus:- 1. how management affects the quality of life for both present and future generations (stewardship).

Natural resource management deals with managing the way in which people and natural landscapes interact. It brings together land use planning, water management,biodiversity conservation, and the future sustainability of industries like agriculture, mining, tourism, fisheries and forestry. It recognises that people and their livelihoods rely on the health and productivity of our landscapes, and their actions as stewards of the land play a critical role in maintaining this health and productivity.

Natural resource management is also congruent with the concept of sustainable development, a scientific principle that forms a basis for sustainable global land management and environmental governance to conserve and preserve natural resources.

Natural resource management specifically focuses on a scientific and technical understanding of resources and ecology and the life-supporting capacity of those resources.[2] Environmental management is also similar to natural resource management. In academic contexts, the sociology of natural resources is closely related to, but distinct from, natural resource management.

NATURAL RESOURCES :-

Natural resources are the resources

available in a nature like air, water, sunlight, soil,

minerals, forests, wild life etc.

Natural resources are of two main types. They are

renewable and non renewable natural

resources.

Renewable natural resources :Are the

resources which can be replenished in a short period of time

like air, water, sunlight, forests etc.

Non renewable natural resources:- Are the resources which cannot be replenished in a

short period of time like minerals (coal, petroleum, natural

gas, metals etc.) because they take millions of years to

be formed.

Human activities produce a lot of waste materials

which are thrown away into the

environment. These wastes cause

pollution of natural resources like air, water and soil.

i) Reduce :- means using less of natural resources and avoiding wastage of natural resources.

ii) Recycle :- means the materials like paper, plastic, glass, metals etc. used for making things can again be used for making new

things instead of synthesising or extracting new paper, plastic,

glass or metals.

iii) Reuse :- means using things again and again like the plastic bottles in which we buy jams,

pickles etc can be again used for storing things in the kitchen.

All the things we use and consume are

obtained from natural resources. Due to

increase in population,

industrialization and urbanization the

demand for natural resources is increasing and their availability is limited . So there is

a need for proper management of

natural resources. The proper management of natural resources

consists of :-

i) Judicious use of natural resources and avoiding wastage of natural resources.

ii) Long term planning for the use of natural resources so that it last not only for the present but also for future generations.

iii) The exploitation of natural resources

should not be for the benefit of a few

people but should be distributed equally for

all.

iv) While extracting and using natural

resources we should also plan for the safe disposal of wastes so

that no damage is caused to the environment.

NEED FOR MANAGEMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES :-

MELTING OF POLAR ICE RISE IN SEA LEVELS

• Forests are natural habitats of plants and animals.

• Forests help to preserve biodiversity

• Forests provide wood, fuel, medicines, fodder, etc.

• Forests help to maintain the stability of oxygen and carbon dioxide.

• Forests help to prevent soil erosion and control floods.

Importance of forests

FORESTS ARE ‘BIODIVERSITY HOT SPOTS’

Nature and wild

life organizat

ionswho want

to conserve

and preserve

forests.

4

The Forest

Department of the Governm

ent which owns the

forests and

controls the

resources from the forests.

3

Industrialists who use the

raw materials

from forests

for manufact

uring certain goods.

2

People living in

or around forests

who depend

on forests

for their livelihood

.

1

STAKEHOLDERS

Aff

ore

stati

on -

pla

nti

ng o

f m

ore

trees.

Preve

nting o

ver

grazi

ng by

catt

le.

Preventing or

reducing

deforestation.

Undertaking social forestry programs on a

large scale.

Preventing

over grazing by cattle.

By setting up

wildlife

sanctuaries,

national parks,

biosphere

reserves etc.

WILDLIFE

Wildlife helps to preserve biodiversity.

Wild life helps to

maintain food chains and food web.

We get useful products

from wild life.

We get food, bones, honey,

leather etc.

Conservation of WildlifePreserving the

natural habitats of animals.

Protecting endangered species of animals.

Setting up of wildlife sanctuaries, national

parks, biosphere reserves etc.

Banning poaching of

animals.

Sustainable management-Utilizing resources in such a way that resources are not fully exhausted in the present but also left outfor the future generations.

COAL AND PETROLEUMCOAL AND PETROLEUM ARE NATURAL RESOURCES.

THEY ARE ALSO CALLED FOSSIL FUELS.

THESE ARE FORMED DUE TO DEGRADATION OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS BUIRED UNDER THE EARTH MILLINS OF YEARS AGO.

FOSSIL FUELS

WHEN THESE FOSSIL FUELS ARE BURNT THE PRODUCTS OF COMBUSTION ARE

CO2 , H2O , SO2 , NO2 .

IF COMBUSTION TAKES PLACE IN AN INSUFFICIENT SUPPLY OF AIR THEN CARBON MONOXIDE IS PRODUCED.

THE ENVIROMENT IS BEING POLLUTED BY THE FOLLOWING-• 1. SULPHER DIOXIDES CAUSE

BRONCHITIS.• 2.NITROFEN OXIDES CAUSE ACID

RAIN. • 3.CARBONMONOXIDE CAUSES

SUFFOCATION AND IT IS A GREEN HOUSE GAS.

Coal Power Plant Operation

Coal Power

CheapCheaper per unit energy than oil or natural gasWill continue to be an important global resource

AbundanceCoal is the world’s most abundant fossil fuelSufficient reserves for the next 250 years.

Coal Power

ElectricitySupplying approximately 50% of electricity to the INDIA

EconomyCoal-mining stimulates over one million jobs .Coal contributes over $80 billion annually to the economy

Effects on the environment and Human health

SO2 o Sulfur dioxide combined with nitrogen

oxide react with water and oxygen in the atmosphere to form acidic compounds, which can mix with natural precipitation and fall to the earth as acid rain.

o Sulfur dioxide can also combine with nitrogen oxide and other particles to form particulate matter.

o trigger heart attacks and strokeso lead to cardiac arrhythmia (irregular

heartbeat)o respiratory irritation, and worsen

asthma. o premature death (Both short-term

and long-term exposure)

Effects on the environment and Human health

Mercury One of the most dangerous pollutants released into the air

through the exhaust system when coal is burned.

WATER FOR ALLTHE VARIOUS SOURCES OF WATER WHICH ARE

AVAILABLE TO US ARE –RAINS ,RIVER ,LAKES ,PONDS etc.

RAIN IS VERY IMPORTANT SOURCE OF WATER. RAIN WATER IS STORED IN WATER BODIES .

RIVERS ARE IMPORTANT SOURCE OF WATER . THE MANAGEMENT OF RIVER WATER IS DONE BY

CONSTRUCTION OF DAMS

DAMS

DAMS

• THE LARGE RESERVIOR OF DAM STORES A HUGE AMOUNT OF WATER . WATER FROM DAMS ARE USED FOR IRRIGATION IN FIELDS. CONSTRUCTION OF DAMS ENSURE CONTINUES WATER SUPPLY TO TOWN AND CITIES. THE WATER SUPPLY FROM DAMS IS USED TO GENARATE ELECTRICITY.

THE PUBLIC OPPOSITION TO CONSTRUCTION OF LARGE DAM ON RIVER IS DUE TO FOLLOWING PROBLEMS

• 1. SOCIAL PROBLEMSDUE TO CONSTRUCTION OF DAMS ,A LAREGE NUMBER OF VILLAGERS

ARE SUBMERGED IN THE WATER AND MANY PEOPLE ARE RENDERED HOMELESS . THIS CREATES SOCIAL

PROBLEMS .

2. ENVIROMENTAL PROBLEMS

• THE CONSTRUCTION OF DAMS CAUSE DEFORESTRATION AND LOSS OF BIODIVERSITY.

• IT DISTURBS THE ECOLOGICAL BALANCE.

3. ECONOMIC PROBLEMS

• CONSTRUCTION OF DAMS INVOLVES THE SPENDING OF HUGE AMOUNT OF PUBLIC MONEY WITH OUT GENERATIONS OF

PROPOTIONAL BENEFITS.

WATER HARVESTING

THE MAIN PURPOSE OF WATER HARVESTING IS NOT TO HOLD RAIN WATER ON THE SURFACE BUT TO MAKE RAIN WATER PERCOLATE UNDER THE GROUND SO AS TO RECHARGE GROUND WATER .

THE VARIOUS ADVANTAGE OF WATER STORED IN GROUND ARE-

1. IT DOES NOT EVAPORATE. 2. IT IS PROTECTED FROM CONTAMINATION.

3. IT DOES NOT PROMOTE BREEDING OF MOSQUITOES.

4. IT PROVIDE MOISTURE TO CROP FIELDS.

SOME ACIENT WATER HARVESTING STRUCTURES

REGION STRUCTURE

1. RAJASTAN KHADINS , NADINS 2. MAHARASHTRA TALS , BANDARAS 3. MP AND UP BUNDHINS 4. BIHAR AHARS , PYNES5. JAMMU PONDS6. TAMIL NADU ERIS7. KERALA SURANGAMS8. KARNATAKA KATTAS

THREE RS TO SAVE INVIROMENT•WE SHOULD USE LESS OF THE NATRUAL RESOURCE WHEN POSSIBLE.

REDUCE

•WE SHOULD COLLECT THE USED DISCHARGED PARTICLES

RECYCLE

•WE SHOULD REUSE SAME THING AGAIN .REUSE