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
 Deforestration
 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%.”
 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.