Forest and Forest Resources

BACKGROUND TO NATURAL RESOURCES

A Natural resource is a thing, people can use which comes from

Nature: people do not make it themselves.

Examples of natural resources are air, water, wood, oil, solar

energy, wind energy, hydro-electric energy, coal ,water,

minerals.

Two sorts of natural resource:

› Renewable resources

› Non-renewable resources.

A renewable resource grows again or comes back again after

we use it. For example, forest, sun, water, trees, fish.

A non-renewable resource is a resource that does not grow or

come back, or a resource that would take a very long time to

come back or grow. For example, coal is a non-renewable

resource.

Forest - a living, complexly interrelated community of trees

and associated plants and animals

Forest canopy - a barrier to direct sunlight and shades the

forest floor, influencing the air temperature, soil temperature

and soil moisture

Pulpwood - wood cut or prepared for manufacture into pulp,

which can be made into paper products

Reserved forest land - forest land restricted from harvesting

Timberland - forest land capable of producing wood in

excess of 20 cubic feet per acre per year and not restricted

from being harvested

Total forest land - the sum of timberland, reserved forest land,

and other forest land

Urban forestry - the cultivation and management of trees for

its benefit to society

Forests cover about 30% of the Earth’s surface.

Most of the world’s remaining forest are tropical rain forest.

Temperate forests cover a much smaller area because most have been cleared to make way for homes, agriculture, etc.

The management of forests is called forestry.

The overall goal of forestry is to balance our need for forests as an economic resources vs. our need for them as an ecological resource.

Forest Resources

The total forest area of the world amounts to 3.6 billion hectares, down from 6 billion hectares 8000 years ago.

56 countries have lost between 90 and 100% of their forests.

15 million hectares of forest were lost annually in the last two decades, largely in the tropics.

12.5% of plants and 75% of animal species are threatened by decline of forests

In the developing countries alone, some US$ 45 billion is lost through poor forest management.

About 14 million hectares of forestland are lost annually, due to conversion of forests into cropland.

Hot & humid region Annual rainfall- 2000 to

4500 mm. Found in south and

central America, Western & Central Africa, South East Asia, and some islands of Indian & Pacific Oceans.

Tropical forests are considered important because it helps in recycling water.

Tropical rainforests-

Cold in winter and warm & humid in summer.

Annual rainfall is 750-2000 mm

Soil is rich

Found in western and Central Europe, eastern Asia and eastern North America.

Many coniferous trees are found in this region like spruce, fir, pine etc.

Found in northern parts of Northern America, Europe and Asia.

The soil in these forests is acidic and humus-rich.

As per report of Forest survey of India, Dehradun the forest cover in the country is 678,333 sq.km & constitutes 20.63% of its geographical area.

Dense forest contributes 390,564sq.km(11.88%) & open forest 287,769(8.75%).

In India M.P with 76429 sq.km of forest cover has the maximum forest among all States/UT’s followed by AP & Chandigarh.

80% of Indian forest

is of three types.

Forest

type

Area in

India

Place

Tropical

moist deci.

37% MP,GUJRA

T,MAHA.

TROPICAL

DRY DECI.

28% HIMALAYA

TO

KANYAKU

MARI

SUBTROPI

CAL PINE

7% HIMALAYA

S

INDIAN FOREST SURVEY

www.mapsofindia.com

Area – 53483 sq.km

Forest area – 34662 sq.km › 64.8%

› 4.5% of India’s forests

Forest Cover – 23938 sq.km› 44.8%

› Dense – 19023 sq.km

› Open -- 4915 sq.km

Threat Category (IUCN ) Number of species Extinct 19

Extinct/Endangered 43

Endangered 149

Endangered/Vulnerable 2 Vulnerable 108

Rare 256

Indeterminate 719

Insufficiently Known 9

No information 1441 Not threatened 374

TOTAL 3120

For the next 5 years following seven plants require concentrated attention:

Aloe vera (Ghrita Kumari)

Bacopa monnieri (Brahmi)

Centella asiatica (Mandookparni, Gotu Kola)

Rauwolfia serpentina (Sarpagandha)

Catharanthus roseus (Periwinkle)

Taxus baccata / Taxus wallichiana (Himalayan Yew)

Artemisia annua

Trees provide food, medicines, fuel, shelter, protection, shade, tools and other needs.

Wood is the raw material from which forest industries manufacture countless products for home, factory and office.

The social values of forests are the benefits they provide for outdoor recreation activities such as: hunting, fishing, bird watching, nature study, camping, picnicking, hiking and scenic or aesthetic value.

Forests influence temperature, humidity, and wind velocity.

The leaves and branches of trees break the impact of rain causing it to drip rather than to reach the earth with force.

Upon reaching the forest floor, rain is absorbed by the ground litter and humus, reducing surface runoff

The litter and humus keep the soil mellow, porous and permeable

The forest soil tends to not freeze as deep

Forest vegetation shades water courses

Aid in flood control

Wildlife obtain food and shelter

Forests help to reduce wind erosion

Forest resources have economic value when they yield an income

Timber, grazing, recreation, water, minerals, fish, and wildlife are all examples of income-producing values of forests

Greatest economic contribution of forests is the products derived from trees

Trees from forests are made into lumber, pulpwood, veneer, poles, railroad ties, and piling.

The same income producing resources have certain social values that may not be income producing but still have worth in terms of public good or interest

Social values are generally values related to aesthetic considerations, such as scenic qualities of a forest area.

Other social values are concerned with biological aspects, such as the uniqueness of the plants and animals found in the forest.

INDUSTRIAL WOOD AND FUELWOOD

NON-WOOD PRODUCTS

ECOSYSTEM SERVICES

OTHER CONTRIBUTIONS

Timber Tendu leaves

Bamboo

Sal seed

Honey

Medicinal plants

Rubber

Pickle

Biodiesel

Ply wood

Urban forestry also considers the present and potential contribution of the trees to thephysiological, sociological, and economic well-being of an urban society

Trees are established along streets and avenues

These benefits include economic, environmental, wildlife, and aesthetic and social values

Major benefit of trees is their shade (reduce energy consumed for air conditioning)

Deciduous trees lose their leaves in the autumn, which allows more sunlight in the winter

Urban trees may also function as windbreaks

Because trees shade the ground, soil temperature is cooler during the summer, resulting in a better retention of soil moisture

Urban forests provide watershed protection

Urban trees and forests produce oxygen and utilize carbon dioxide

Maintaining a diversity of trees, shrubs, and understory plants stimulates a diversity of wildlife species

The beauty of trees and shrubs softens the rigid lines of man-made structures and enhances pleasing environments

The beauty of the season is another important aesthetic value when establishing trees in the urban landscape

When properly considered, established and cared for, trees can greatly improve living conditions in urban environments

CONDITION THAT PREVAILED BEFORE:

One of the finest tropical evergreen

forests

Rich biodiversity

Low population, tribals living in harmony

with nature.

Forest degradation due to legal and illegal logging.

Degradation of soil, soil erosion.

Heavy flow of sediments into coastal waters killing substantial amount of corals.

Threat to the biodiversity (saltwater crocodile and Andaman wild pig have become endangered species).

Threat to tribes.

Population pressure is high.

Extraction of timber : from 1883.

Govt. supported migration of people

from other parts of the country.

The 340-km long Andanman trunk road.

Increased interference of man.

Natural

Forest fire

Climatic change

Human made

Commercial logging

Commercial

harvesting

Construction

Intentional fire

Mining

Deforestation

Forest are exploited since early times for

humans to meet human demand

The permanent destruction of forest is

called deforestation

Erosion of topsoil

Floods

Extinction of plants and animals

Local climatic change

Global warming

Loss of livelihood of local communities

Foresters and local people are working

together to conserve forests.

Extractive Reserves-Protected forest in

which local people are allowed to harvest

products like fruits, fibre , medicine etc.

Main objective is to improve the life of the

people while conserving biodiversity.

Afforestation

The conservation measure against the

deforestation is afforestation. The development

of forest by planting trees on waste land is called

afforestation

The main objective of afforestation

• To control the deforestation

• To prevent soil erosion

• To regulate rainfall and maintain temperature

etc.

Joint Forest Management

Concept introduced in 1980’s.

In JFM local communities are involved in planinng the conservation programme. ` `eg.-The Tamilnadu Afforestation Project(TAP)

SOCIAL FORESTRY

Used in India in 1976.

Plantation of eucalyptus tree

Paper made from natural fibres and

agricultural residues.

China plans to make 60 % of its paper

from tree free pulp.

In India Navneet publications use eco

friendly papers to make copybooks.

CHIPKO MOVEMENT –Gaura Devi

The Green Belt Movement— Wangari

Maathai

Struggle in Amazonia—Chico Mendes

Red wood trees California—Julia Butterfly

Stop destructions of forest

Use of sustainaible forest management

approach

Research and training programme.

Proper planning for the whole landscape

and not the forest in isolation