Conservation of Natural Resources-BCV755B| 7th Sem

Course Name: Conservation of Natural Resources

Course Code: BCV755B
Open Elective
MODULE: 01
Land: Land as a resource, types of lands, conservation of land forms,
deforestation, effect of land use changes. Soil health, ecological and economic
importance of soil, impact of soil degradation on agriculture and food security,
need for soil conservation, sustainable land use planning.

Consumption of natural resources is increasing with growing population. With the increasing
industrialisation and urbanisation, we need to conserve natural resources for thier destruction
will also upset the ecological balance.

Conservation is the proper management of a natural resource to prevent its exploitation,

destruction or degradation. Conservation is the sum total of activities, which can derive benefits
from natural resources but at the same time prevent excessive use leading to destruction or
degradation.

NATURAL RESOURCES
Earth’s biosphere is endowed with extremely diverse kinds of environments which provide
countless goods and services to human kind. Any component of the natural environment that
can be utilized by man to promote his welfare is considered as a natural resource. The natural
resource can be a substance, an energy unit or a natural process or phenomenon. Land, soil,
water, forests, grasslands, etc. are examples of important natural resources.

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Based on the availability are two types of natural resources:

Renewable:
Renewable resources are the ones that are consistently available regardless of their use. They
can be fairly recovered or replaced after utilization. Examples include vegetation, water, and
air. Animals can also be categorized as renewable resources because they can be reared and
bred to reproduce offspring to substitute the older animals.

The renewable raw materials that come from living things namely animals and trees are termed
as organic renewable resources while those that come from non-living things such as sun, water
and wind are termed as inorganic renewable resources.

Non-Renewable:
Non-renewable resources are the ones that cannot simply be substituted or recovered once they
have been utilized or destroyed. Examples of such natural resources include fossil fuels and
minerals. Minerals are categorized as non-renewable because, even though they take shape
naturally through the rock cycle, their formation periods take thousands of years.

The non-renewable materials that come from living things such as fossil fuels are known as
organic non-renewable resources while those that come from non-living things such as rocks
and soil are referred to as inorganic non-renewable resources.

MAIN TYPES OF NATURAL RESOURCES

 Land resources: Minerals, soil, agricultural

crops, natural forest products, medicinal plants,
and forest-based industries and livelihoods;
Land cover, land use change, land degradation,
soil erosion, and desertification; Causes of
deforestation; Impacts of mining and dam
building on environment, forests, biodiversity,
and tribal communities

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 Water resources: Natural and man-made sources; Uses of water; Over exploitation of
surface and ground water resources; Floods, droughts, and international &inter- state
conflicts over water
 Energy resources: Renewable and non-renewable energy sources; Use of alternate
energy sources; Growing energy needs; Energy contents of coal, petroleum, natural gas
and bio gas; Agro-residues as a biomass energy source.
 Mineral resources: A Mineral Resource is a concentration or occurrence of solid
material of economic interest in or on the Earth's crust in such form, grade or quality
and quantity that there are reasonable prospects for eventual economic extraction.
 Forest resources: Includes direct products such as timber, firewood, fruits, nuts,
medicinal plants, and fibers, as well as indirect benefits like climate regulation, water
cycle maintenance, soil protection, wildlife habitat, and cultural or recreational
opportunities. These resources are essential for economic development, providing raw
materials for industries, fuel for communities, and supporting livelihoods.

Need for Conservation of Natural Resources

We know that nature provides us with all our basic needs but we tend to over exploit. If we go
on exploiting nature, there will be no more resources available in future. Hence there is an
urgent need to conserve nature for the following reasons. Some of the needs are :
 To maintain ecological balance for supporting life.
 To preserve different kinds of species (biodiversity).
 To make the resources available for present and future generations.
 To ensure survival of human race.

LAND RESOURCES
Land resources are the natural features and components found on the Earth's surface and within
the soil, including land itself, soil, forests, water bodies, minerals, and the flora and fauna that
inhabit them. These resources are essential for human survival and economic activities,
providing food, clothing, shelter, and raw materials for industries, but they are also subject to
degradation and require sustainable management.

Components of Land Resources

 Soil: The uppermost layer of the Earth's crust, crucial for agriculture and plant growth.
 Water: Surface and groundwater reserves, including rivers, lakes, and aquifers.
 Minerals: Non-renewable resources like gold, coal, iron, and diamonds found beneath
the surface.
 Forests and Vegetation: Providing wood, food, medicines, and supporting
biodiversity.
 Flora and Fauna: The diverse plant and animal life that depend on land for habitat and
sustenance.
 Terrain and Climate: The physical shape of the land and local weather patterns
influence its use and development.

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Key aspects of land as a resource:

 Habitat: Land provides a place for humans, animals, and plants to live and thrive.
 Agriculture: It is the foundation for food production, supporting crops and livestock.
 Forestry: Forests on land provide timber, other forest products, and essential ecosystem
services.
 Minerals and Resources: Land contains valuable mineral deposits and other resources
that are extracted for various industries.
 Infrastructure: Land is used for building homes, roads, industries, and other
infrastructure necessary for human development.
 Recreation and Tourism: Land areas are used for recreational activities, tourism, and
conservation of natural habitats.

TYPES OF LANDS
 Agricultural Land: Used for farming and food production.
 Residential Land: Land used for housing and living purposes.
 Commercial Land: Land used for business and commercial activities, such as retail,
offices, etc.
 Industrial Land: Land used for manufacturing, processing, and industrial activities.
 Recreational Land: Land used for recreational activities like parks, sports fields, and
camping areas.
 Transportation Land: Land used for roads, railways, airports, and other transportation
infrastructure.
 Conservation Land: Land designated for the protection of natural resources and
ecosystems.

Land degradation:

Land degradation: It is a process of deterioration of soil or loss of fertility. Due to increasing

population, the demands for arable land for producing food, fibre and fuel wood is also
increasing. Hence there is more and more pressure on the limited land resources which are
getting degraded due to over-exploitation. Nearly 56% of total geographical area of the country
is suffering due to land resource degradation. Out of 17-million-hectare canal irrigated area,
3.4 million hectares is suffering from water logging and salinity.

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Effects of land degradation:

 Soil texture and soil structure are destructed.
 Loss of soil fertility.
 Loss of valuable nutrients.
 Increase in water logging, salinity, alkalinity and acidity problem.
 Loss of economic social and biodiversity.

Causes of land degradation:

 Population: More land is needed for producing food, fibre and fuel wood. So land is
degraded due to over exploitation.
 Urbanisation: Urbanisation reduces the agricultural land. Urbanisation leads to
deforestation, which inturn affects millions of plants and animals.
 Fertilizers and pesticides: It affects fertility of the soil and causes land pollution.
 Damage of top soil: Increase in food production generally leads to damage of top soil
through nutrient depletion.
 Water logging, soil erosion, salination and contamination of the soil with industrial
wastes and cause land degradation.

LANDFORMS

Landforms are the natural physical

features that form Earth's surface, such as
mountains, plains, valleys, and hills, and
can also include coastal, underwater, and
large-scale features like islands and
continents. These shapes are created over
vast periods by geological processes like
tectonic plate movement and erosion
from wind, water, and ice. Landforms
define a landscape's topography and
provide habitats for various plants and
animals.

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FORESTS
Approximately one-third of the earth’s total land area is covered by tree species dominated
communities called forests. The forests are storehouse of biodiversity and provide important
environmental services to mankind. These services originate from the following key functions
of forests.
 Productive functions, include production of wood, fruits and a wide variety of
compounds, such as resins, alkaloids, essential oils, latex, pharmaceuticals, etc.
 Protective functions, include conservation of soil and water; preventing drought,
sheltering against wind, cold, radiation, noise, sights and smells, etc.
 Regulative functions, involve absorption, storage and release of gases (CO2, O2),
water, mineral elements and radiant energy. Such regulative functions improve
atmospheric and temperature conditions, and enhance the economic and environmental
value of the landscape. Forests effectively regulate floods and drought, and the global
biogeochemical cycles, particularly of carbon.

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DEFORESTATION

World’s forest cover has been

shrinking rapidly, especially in the
developing countries located in
tropics. While the temperate forests
have lost only 1% or less of its area,
the tropics have lost more than 40% of
the forest cover due to deforestation.

In India, at the beginning of the 20th

century about 30% of land in was
covered with forests. But by the end of
the 20th century the forest cover was
reduced to 19.4%. This is considerably
less than the optimum 33% forest area
recommended by the National Forest Policy (1988) for the plains and at least 67% for the hills.

The main causes of deforestation are expansion of agriculture, urbanization, industrialization,

excessive commercial use of timber, fuel wood, other forest products and cattle grazing. More
than half of the trees cut down in the world today are used for cooking and heating; in fact, fuel
wood accounts for about 90% of all wood used in India. Cattle grazing has expanded open
forest areas, and excessive grazing has caused land deterioration due to erosion and suppression
of regeneration of useful tree species.

The current deforestation rate in tropics is estimated to be more than 10 million ha per year. If
this rate of deforestation continues it is feared that remaining tropical forests may disappear
within a century.

Deforestation causes the extinction of plant, animal and microbial species. It also threatens
native people whose culture and physical survival depends upon the forests. Deforestation also
induces regional and global climate change. Generally, rainfall declines in deforested areas and
droughts become common. Deforestation contributes to global warming by releasing stored
carbon into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide, which is a greenhouse gas.

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Good soil health is crucial for food quality, nutritional

security, biodiversity, and climate change mitigation
through carbon sequestration. Practices such as
regenerative agriculture, cover cropping, and reducing
mechanical tillage can improve soil fertility, water
retention, and overall ecosystem resilience, while
improper management and erosion can lead to soil
degradation.

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Soil is critically important for ecological

health, providing essential services that
support life on Earth. It acts as a habitat for
a vast array of organisms, filters and
purifies water, regulates the climate through
carbon sequestration, and is fundamental
for food production.
Here's a more detailed look at the ecological
importance of soil:
1. Habitat and Biodiversity:
 Soil is a living ecosystem, teeming with
bacteria, fungi, insects, earthworms, and
other organisms that play crucial roles in nutrient cycling and maintaining soil structure.
 This biodiversity is essential for healthy plant growth and overall ecosystem stability.
 A healthy soil ecosystem supports above-ground biodiversity, including crops and
natural vegetation.
2. Nutrient Cycling and Water Filtration:
 Soil organisms decompose organic matter, releasing essential nutrients that plants need
to grow.
 Soil acts as a filter, purifying water as it passes through.
 It also plays a role in the carbon and nitrogen cycles, both vital for life.

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3. Climate Regulation:
 Healthy soil can act as a carbon sink, storing large amounts of carbon dioxide from the
atmosphere.
 This process, known as carbon sequestration, helps to mitigate climate change.
 Degraded soils, on the other hand, can release carbon into the atmosphere, contributing
to global warming.
4. Food Production and Security:
 Soil quality directly affects the quantity and quality of food produced.
 Healthy soil is essential for growing crops and supporting livestock.
 Maintaining soil health is crucial for ensuring food security for a growing global
population.

Soil is economically important because it is essential for food production, supporting crop
growth, livestock, and the development of medicines.
Economic Contributions of Soil:
 Food and Agriculture: Healthy, fertile soil is the foundation for agriculture, allowing for
the growth of crops, livestock feed, and timber, directly supporting the food industry and
providing returns on investment.
 Raw Materials: Soil is a source of various natural resources, including minerals that are
used in different industrial processes and products.
 Infrastructure Development: Soils provide the necessary physical support for buildings,
roads, and other infrastructure projects, making them vital for economic development in
urban and suburban areas.
 Medicinal Products: The rich biodiversity and chemical composition of healthy soil are
sources for discovering life-saving drugs, including antibiotics and cancer treatments.

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SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States
in 2015, provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now
and into the future. At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are
an urgent call for action by all countries - developed and developing - in a global partnership.

CONSERVATION OF SOIL

Soil conservation means checking soil erosion and improving soil fertility by adopting various
methods.
1. Maintenance of soil fertility: The fertility can be maintained by adding manure and
fertilizers regularly as well as by rotation of crop.
2. Control on grazing: Grazing should be allowed only on specified areas.
3. Reforestation: Planting of trees and vegetation reduces soil erosion.
4. Terracing: Dividing a slope into several flat fields to control rapid run of water. It is
practised mostly in hilly areas.
5. Contour ploughing: Ploughing at right angles to the slope allows the furrows to trap
water and check soil erosion by rain water.
6. Agroforestry: Planting crops in between rows of trees or shrubs,that can provide fruits
and fuel wood. After harvesting the crops the soil will not be eroded because trees and
shrubs will remain on the soil and hold the soil particles.
7. Wind break: Trees are planted in long rows along the boundary of cultivated lands,
which block the windand reduces soil erosion.
8. Mulching: Soil is covered with crop residues and other form of plant litters.
9. Conservational tillage: The process of mixing the residues from previous crops into the
soil by ploughing is called conservational tillage. It improves soil permeability
and increase organic matter, which in turnimprove soil moisture and nutrients.
10. Organic farming: Process of increasing organic input to the soil. E.g bio fertilizer.
11. Crop rotation: Process of growing different crops in successive year on the same land.
It prevents the loss of fertility of the soil.

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Key Principles
 Holistic Approach: It recognizes that land is a finite resource and considers the
interconnectedness of different land uses, human activities, and the natural environment.
 Long-Term Perspective: It aims to meet the needs of the present without compromising
the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
 Balanced Integration: It integrates environmental protection, economic development,
and social equity into a coherent framework.

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