NATURAL RESOURCES: PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS

Renewable and Non-renewable Natural Resources

Department of Applied Sciences, BVCOE, New Delhi

 NATURAL RESOURCES
 Natural resources are useful raw materials that we get from the
Earth. Everything available in our environment which can be
used to satisfy our needs provided it is technologically
accessible, economically feasible and culturally acceptable can
be termed as ‘RESOURCE’
 Classification

NATURAL RESOURCES

Non-renewable
Renewable resources 
resources

Biotic abiotic
FOREST RESOURCES
Forest is a complex ecosystem consisting mainly of
trees that support varied forms of life.
Forests provide an array of benefits to human societies
above and beyond their pivotal roles as habitat and
environmental regulators in natural ecosystems.
The trees are the most important component that helps
to create a unique environment which, in turn, supports
various kinds of animals and plants.
 IMPORTANCE OF FORESTS
1. Ecological importance
 Reduction of Global Warming Gas – During photosynthesis, plants
synthesise their nutrients from carbon dioxide and water. Therefore,
forests act as a sink for this gas and thereby reducing green house effect
due to Carbon Dioxide.
 Production of Oxygen – During photosynthesis process, trees produce
oxygen gas which is very important for human survival.
 Habitat to Wild Life – Forests act as a refuge for wild animals and
provide protection to them.
 Control of Water Flow –forests slow down runoff, absorbing and
holding water that recharges springs, streams and ground water. 
 Conservation of Soil – They prevent soil erosion by binding the soil
particles tightly in their roots. They also reduce the velocity of wind and
rain which chief agents are causing erosion.
2. Economic importance
 Role of Forests in Economic Development of a Country -
They provide several goods which serve as raw materials for
many industries. Wood grown in forests serves as a source of
energy for rural households.
 Paper Industry - Most of the world’s paper is made from wood
and one rather reliable index to the degree of economic
development of a country is its per capita consumption of paper.
As an economy develops economically, paper is used as
packaging material, in communications and in scores of other
uses.
 Timber- Given the immense economic benefit of forests, the
demand for commercial timber and other product is ever
increasing.
 Fuel and Fodder- Even more important is fuel wood and fodder,
especially in developing nations, where people depend on wood
almost entirely for their household energy
 Recreation - Forests serve people directly for recreation.
Biosphere reserves are multipurpose protected areas created to
deal with conservation of bio-diversity and its sustainable use.
Tourism in parks, sanctuaries and biosphere reserves brings
revenue to the authorities that manage them.
 Non-timber products- In addition to providing wood fiber for
many uses, the non-wood outputs of forests are coming
increasingly to be recognized and valued everywhere in the
world. Non-timber products like rubber, cotton, medicinal
products, and food represent economic value.
 DEFORESTATION
It can be defined as the removal or damage of vegetation in
a forest to the extent that it no longer supports its natural
flora and fauna.

In the beginning of 20th century about 7.0 billion hectares

of forests were present over the land of our planet and by
1950 forest covers was reduced to about 4.8 billion. In a
FAQ/UNEP study it was found that about 7.3 million
hectares of rich tropical forests every year and about 14
hectare of closed forest every minute are lost.
Causes of deforestation
 EFFECTS OF DEFORESTATION
1. Loss of Habitat: deforestation leads to the loss of animal and plant
species due to their loss of habitat. The trees of the rainforest that
provide shelter for some species also provide the canopy that
regulates the temperature, a necessity for many others. Its removal
through deforestation would allow a more drastic temperature
variation from day to night, much like a desert, which could prove
fatal for current inhabitants.
2. Increased Greenhouse Gases: the lack of trees also allows a greater
amount of greenhouse gases to be released into the atmosphere.
3. Water in the Atmosphere : The trees also help control the level of
water in the atmosphere by helping to regulate the water cycle. With
fewer trees left, due to deforestation, there is less water in the air to
be returned to the soil. In turn, this causes dryer soil and the inability
to grow crops.
4. Soil Erosion: trees also function to retain water and topsoil,
which provides the rich nutrients to sustain additional forest life.
Without them, the soil erodes and washes away, causing farmers
to move on and perpetuate the cycle. The barren land which is left
behind in the wake of these unsustainable agricultural practices is
then more susceptible to flooding, specifically in coastal regions.
 
5.Destruction of Homelands: As large amounts of forests are
cleared away, allowing exposed earth to wither and die and the
habitats of innumerable species to be destroyed, the indigenous
tribes who depend on them to sustain their way of life are also
irreparably damaged.
6. The loss of forests has an immediate and direct effect on their
lifestyle that we in the modern world, despite our own
Some more effects of deforestation are
 Loss of cultural and biodiversity
 Increase in pollution due to burning of wood and due to
reduction in carbon dioxide fixing by plants
 Decrease in availability of forest products.
 Local and Global climate changes: The rainfall pattern is
affected as the forest is cut down.
 More floods and droughts: Because of deforestation, there is no
regulation of the flow into rivers. As a result, floods and
droughts alternate in the affected areas.
 Harm to fisheries: As the soil is eroded, it accelerates siltation in
dams, rivers, and the coastal zone. The increased sedimentation
harms downstream fisheries.
 TIMBER EXTRACTION
 Wood used for engineering purposes like building houses,
making furniture etc. is called as timber. The products derived
from Timber have been important to many civilizations, and
thus it has acquired value within these civilizations.

 Timber Extraction (LOGGING): The activity or business of

felling trees and cutting and preparing the timber.
 Illegal logging refers to what in forestry might be called timber
 theft by the timber mafia. It can also refer to the harvesting,
transportation, purchase, or sale of timber in violation of laws.
The harvesting procedure itself may be illegal, including using
corrupt means to gain access to forests; extraction without
permission or from a protected area; the cutting of protected
 Impacts of logging
Removal of forest covers directly leads to loss of animal
habitat. Decline in animal diversity.
Loss of watershed moderation.
Increased spring runoff
Summer droughts, soil destabilization.
Local microclimate attenuation.
Loss of biodiversity
Loss of cultural diversity
Loss of carbon storage capacity
 DAMS AND THEIR EFFECTS ON TRIBAL
LIFE
A dam is a huge and giant barrier constructed across a river
to obstruct its natural flow. Consequently, an enormously
large artificial lake is created to store water.
Reservoirs created by dams not only suppress floods but
also is utilized for multipurpose services such as –
POWER GENERATION
IRRIGATION
DROUGHT CONTROL etc.
 EFFECTS OF DAMS ON TRIBAL PEOPLE
1. No Home – Tribal people have been forced to leave their
ancestral homes and go elsewhere.
2. No Basic Amenties – They are forced to migrate to urban
slums in search of food, shelter, etc. They become landless
labourers in rural areas. A majority of tribal people end up with
less income before, fewer resources, inferior houses, etc. They
are forced live without proper sanitation, health care and other
basic amenities.
3. No Benefit Sharing – They hardly get to share the benefits of
development projects that cause their displacement. Moreover,
they do not get money for their land by the government.
4. No Cultural Identity – Tribal communities get dispersed, their
traditional support systems get broken and cultural identity gets
 EFFECTS OF DAMS ON FORESTS
1. Irrecoverable Loss To Ecosystems And Biodiversity – Forest
fragmentation causes serious irrecoverable loss of species and
ecosystems. because some species of plants and animals require large
continuous area of similar habitat to survive.
2. Forests Area –The forests area which is supposed to get submerged
is cleared off by the contractors and the forests land is used for
constructing dams.
3. The forests are also cleared for approach roads, offices, residential
quarters and for storage of construction materials.
4. With the reduction in the forests cover and the entry of people of
dam construction, the pressure on remaining forest increases.
5. As more and more workers occupy the dam sites, forests are
destroyed for getting fuel and timber.
 MINING AND ITS EFFECT

Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other

geological materials from the earth, usually from an ore
body.
Minerals recovered by mining include bauxite, coal,
diamond, iron, precious metals, lead, limestone, nickel,
phosphate, rock salt, tin, uranium and molybdenum.
HISTORY- The oldest known mine in the archaeological
record is the “lion cave” in Swaziland which is 43,000
years old.
 Mining and its effect on forests
Vast areas of forests are directly cleared to accommodate
mining sites, construction of roads, processing units and
townships of workers. Destruction is vast in case of open
cast mines.
Forest land is also used to store the waste materials that
remain after the extraction of usable ores.
Mining also facilitates soil erosion, thereby decreasing
the fertility of land leading to land degradation.
Pollution of both air and water is a common affect of
mining process.
 FOREST CONSERVATION
Forest conservation is the practice of planning and
maintaining forested areas for the benefit and
sustainability of future generations. Major Environmental
Movements in India include:-
BISHNOI MOVEMENT -- Leader: Amrita Devi
CHIPKO MOVEMENT -- Leader: Sundarlal Bahuguna
JUNGLE BACHAO ANDOLAN -- Leaders: The tribals
of Singhbhum
 Measures to conserve forests
 Afforestation: It is a proactive method used to improve forests.
Afforestation is the planting of trees for commercial purposes.  
 Reforestation: Reforestation is a method of planting trees in an
existing forested area. This method is used in reaction to deforestation.
 Selective Logging: Selective logging is another method used to meet
the needs of both the forests and humans seeking economical resources.
Selective logging is the removal of trees within a stand based on size
limitations
 Controlled Burn: Although it can be threatening if it is not controlled,
fire is a successful way to conserve forest resources. Controlled burn is
a technique that is used to manage forests. Fire can be highly beneficial
to the ecosystems within a forest
 Proper utilization of forests and forest products

 JOINT FOREST MANAGAMENT (JFM)
 Joint Forest Management often abbreviated as JFM is the official
and popular term in India for partnerships
in forest movement involving both the state forest departments and
local communities.
 The policies and objectives of Joint Forest Movement are detailed in
the Indian comprehensive National Forest Policy of 1988 and the Joint
Forest Management Guidelines of 1990 of the Government of India.
 Although schemes vary from state to state and are known by different
names in different Indian languages, usually a village committee
known as the Forest Protection Committee (FPC) and the Forest
Department enter into a JFM agreement.
 Villagers agree to assist in the safeguarding of forest resources through
protection from fire, grazing, and illegal harvesting in exchange for
which they receive non-timber forest products and a share of the
 Joint Forest Management in India is an attempt to reserve the
process of forest degradation on one hand, and to meet people's
need on the other.
 Initially, the growth of JFM was slow during first initial decade.
The MOEF revised JFM guidelines in 2000 and 2002 and circulate
these guidelines among all states and union territories with sharpen
focus on extending JFM program to good forest with very well
defined institutional and legal framework.
 As on 2011, 1,18,213 Joint Forest Management Committee's have
been managing approximately 22.93 million ha. of forestland that is
30 percent of forests.
 The success of JFM in India over the past two decades has been
attributed to many factors like the leadership provided by the
foresters and the communities, cultural and ethnic strength of the
local population, quality and type of forests, socioeconomic profile
WATER RESOURCES
 It is believed that life first originated in water before it invaded
land. The primary source of water on the earth is
precipitation that comes in the form of rain and snowfall.
 Water usage
 India is the largest groundwater user in the world with an
estimated usage of 251 km3/yr.
 As per international norms, if per capita water availability is less
than 1700 m3 per year than the country is categorized as water
stressed.
 If it is less than 1000 m3 per capita per year then the country is
categorized as water scarce.
 Per capita availability in 2001 was 1900 m3, in 2025 it will reduce
to-1400 m3.
Surface water
The rivers are the main sources of surface water in India
apart from ponds, tanks and reservoirs.
The Indus, the Ganga and the Brahmaputra carry 60% of
the total surface water
Ground water
Apart from the water available in the various rivers of the
country, the ground water is also an important source of
water for drinking, irrigation, industrial uses, etc.
A) 80% for domestic water requirement
B) More than 45% for the total irrigation.
 Over- utilization of surface and ground water

The water scarcity is an outcome of large and growing

population and consequent greater demands for water.
Hence to facilitate higher food production, water resources
are being over- exploited to expand irrigated areas and
dry- season agriculture along with other developmental
activities like production of hydroelectricity, water supply
for industrial and domestic use, recreation, inland
navigation and fish breeding.
Over-utilization of groundwater leads to decrease in water
level thereby causing earthquake and floods. Over-
utilization may even lead to drought.
 Consequences of over exploitation of surface water
To trap and control flowing of surface water, dams and reservoirs
are build. The stored river water along with rainwater in a dam or a
reservoir is used for irrigation, electricity generation, etc.These
dams and reservoirs have enormous ecological impacts.
 When a river is dammed, valuable fresh water habitats are lost.
 Sometimes, river’s flow is diverted to cities or croplands, which
affects the fishes and aquatic organisms.
 Food chains involving aquatic organisms is also adversely affected.
 The reservoirs which are created on the floodplains also submerge
the existing vegetation and soil leading to its decomposition over a
period of time.
 Due to diversion in the river’s flow, estuaries are also affected
because less fresh water enters and flushes the estuary.
 Consequences due to depletion of groundwater
 If the groundwater withdrawals exceed its recharge, the water
table falls. It leads to fall in the springs and seeps start drying up.
Thus, surface water diminishes and this creates the same results
as the diversion of surface water.
 In agriculture it leads to water logging. Water logging refers to
the saturation of soil with water.
Another problem resulting from dropping water tables is saltwater intrusion. In the
coastal areas, the springs of overflowing groundwater may lie under the ocean. As
long as a high water table is maintained a sufficient head of pressure is available in
aquifer and freshwater will flow into the ocean. Thus, wells in the coastal areas have
fresh water. Lowering of water table at rapid rate reduces pressure in the aquifer
and thus permitting salt water to flow into the aquifer and hence into wells.
 FLOODS
Flood is a general or temporary condition of partial or complete
inundation of normally dry land areas from overflowing of inland
or tidal water or from rapid accumulation of surface water from
any source.
Causes of Flood
 Heavy Rains
 Overflowing Rivers
 Broken Dams
 Urban Drainage Basins
 Storm Surges and Tsunamis
 Channels with Steep Sides
 Lack of Vegetation
 Effects of Flood
 Agricultural lands are destroyed due to crops being submerged in
water. Plains become silted with mud and sand, thus affecting the
cultivable land areas and crops.
 Structural damage- They wreck buildings and houses, particularly
kucchha houses in the villages. They cause disruption of all transport
and communication.
 There is shortage of drinking water as hazardous chemicals end up in
water and contaminate the water bodies.
 They harm human, animal and plant life.
 Health effects- They cause a rise in epidemics because of water
logging Llike Malaria and diarrhea. They cause decay of organic
matter, leading to growth of infection-spreading germs.
 They affect the ecosystem in a negative way.
 They cause a lot of harm to the economy of the region.
 Flood Management
 If an area is prone to floods, houses in the region should be constructed
on raised platforms.
 Rivers should be mapped and the surrounding areas appropriately
prepared for floods.
 Houses should be insured to protect against economic losses.
 Dams can be constructed to prevent against losses from floods.
 Afforestation programs should be supported because depletion of
forests is causing a rise in the number of floods witnessed almost every
year across the globe.
 Floods should be well forecasted and warnings systems should be in
place.
 Flood Forecasting- A process of estimating and predicting the
magnitude, timing and duration of flooding based on known
characteristics of a river basin. The first forecasting station was set up
 DROUGHT
 A lack or shortage of water for an unusually long period of
time, involving 50% less than the usual rainfall over 3 months
 A drought starts when total rainfall is well below average for
several months.
 Other signs of drought include: Very dry soil, Trees have a sign
of dying, Weather getting hotter and hotter
Causes of drought
Over-exploitation of surface and groundwater
Deficiency of rainfall
Deforestation
Soil erosion
Global warming
Ozone layer depletion
 Impacts of drought
 
Drought has a direct and indirect impact on the economic,
social and environmental issues of the country
Visible impact is felt by agricultural sector
Drop in surface water and ground water
Food grain production goes down
The impact of drought can be reduced through mitigation
and preparedness. Planning well in advance to mitigate
drought would relieve the most suffering and at lesser
expense.
 DAMS: BENEFITS AND PROBLEMS

 Dams provide a range

 of
economic, environmental, and
social benefits.
 Dams are some of the most
impressive and well-noticed
aspects of modern infrastructure.
Throughout history, dams have
played an important role in the
growth and expansion of
civilization.
 In India we have around 3000
dams. The largest being the
 Advantages of Dams
 Clean, efficient and reliable form of energy
 Does not emit any direct pollutants and green house gases.
 While the initial cost is high, they are inexpensive to operate.
 Electricity generated by hydroelectric power plant is the cheapest
electricity generated.
 Can protect uncontrolled flooding
 Dams supply water for local drinking needs.
 They allow for fish farming
 Dams store water for irrigation in summer seasons and dry
months.
 Recreational benefits, such as boating, swimming and fishing,
are only secondary uses.
 DISADVANATGES
1. Dams are extremely expensive to build and must be built to a very
high standard.
2. In some countries, people are forcibly removed so that hydro-
power schemes can go ahead.
3. The building of large dams can cause serious geological and
ecological damage.
4. The flooding of surrounding areas displaces existing wildlife and
can disrupt whole ecosystems.
5. Furthermore, marine life that relies on the unobstructed flow of the
river, such as salmon and other migratory fish, can be adversely
affected.
6. Erosion of surrounding soil also takes place.
7. Risk of Failure: Sometimes dams fail due to landslides or
 WATER CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT
Several approaches to conserve and manage water resources are-
 Avoid Polluting- Properly dispose of soil so it does not get into water.
Use pesticides sparingly and do not use of soaps and detergents.
 Dispose off properly- Proper disposal of waste water helps in
protecting natural water supplies.
 Install conservation practices
 Reuse- Water used for one purpose can often be use for other purposes
 Efficient use of water- Everyone can make better use of water by
consuming the little less water for daily chores.
 Roof top rain water harvesting-It is used to store drinking water in
Rajasthan.
 Bamboo drip irrigation- This is a old system of Meghalaya in which
trapping stream and spring water.
MINERAL RESOURCES
Minerals are naturally occurring, inorganic, solids,
crystalline substances which contain a specific composition
of elements.
A mineral which can be extracted and processed at a profit
is known as ore.
Minerals are valuable natural resources being finite and
non-renewable. They constitute the vital raw materials for
many basic industries and are a major resource for
development. 
A Mineral Resource is the concentration of minerals that
are of economic interest in or on the crust of Earth. The
Social and Economic development of a nation depends on
its capacity to utilize these mineral resources without its
 Types of mineral resources

Minerals

Non-
Metallic
metallic

Mineral Fuels
Ferrous Nonferrous Precious Stones
(Coal , Fossil
(Fe , Co , Ni) (Cu , Pb ,Sn) (Diamond, Ruby,, etc)
fuels)
 Importance of minerals

Almost all rocks are made of minerals.

They have high aesthetic value, e.g. gemstones.
They have natural resources value: Minerals are sources
of metals needed for electronic manufacture, airplanes,
cars, etc.
Minerals are raw materials for making window glass,
plaster, etc.
 Uses of minerals
Development of Industrial plants and machinery.
Generation of energy e.g. coal, lignite, uranium.
Construction , housing , settlements
Defense equipments weapons, armaments.
Medicinal system – particularly in Ayurvedic system.
Formation of alloys for various purposes (e.g.
phosphorite).
Agriculture – as fertilizers, seed dressings and fungicides
(e.g. zineb containing zinc, Maneb-containing manganese
etc.).
 Exploitation of Mineral Resources: Why are
resources under pressure ?
 
Increase in the sophistication of technology enabling
natural resources to be extracted quickly and efficiently.
Materialistic views lead to the mining
of gold and diamonds to produce jewelry, unnecessary
commodities for human life or
advancement. Consumerism also leads to extraction of
resources for the production of commodities necessary
for human life but in amounts excessive of what is
needed.
Excessive demand often leads to conflicts due
to intense competition.
(a) Mining is hazardous occupation:
 This occupation involves several health risk; dust produced
during mining operation are injurious to health and cause lung
diseases.
 Extraction of some toxic or radioactive minerals leads to life
threatening hazards.
 Dynamite explosion during mining is very risky as fumes
produced are extremely poisonous.
 Underground mining is more hazardous than surface mining as
there are more chances if accidents like roof falls, flooding and
inadequate ventilation etc.
(b) Rapid depletion of high grade minerals:
 Increasing demand for high grade minerals has compelled
miners to carry out more extraction of minerals, which require
(c) Wastage of upper soil layer and vegetation:
 Surface mining results in the complete destruction of upper soil layer and
vegetation. After extraction, the wastes are dumped in an area which
destroys the total surface and vegetation.
(d) Environmental problems:
 Conversion of productive land into mining and industrial areas.
 Mining and extraction process are one of the sources of air, water and land
pollution. Overuse of energy sources results in emission of CO2, SO2,
particulate matter which causes air pollution and related problems like, acid
rains, global warming.
 Mining involves huge consumption of energy resources like coal,
petroleum, natural gas etc. which are in-turn non renewable sources of
energy.
 Surface mining directly degrades the fertile soil surface thus effect ecology
and climate if that particular area.
(e) Economic effects: As these resources get depleted, cost will increase,
 IMPACT OF MINING ON MINERS
They run the risk of serious physical injuries while
handling heavy equipment or moving materials around.
Dust from the mine site is dangerous for their respiratory
systems. This danger is greatest in coal mines.
If miners are working in deep mines, there is always the
danger of getting trapped there due to collapse of a
tunnel. No matter how low the chances, this thought will
play in their minds when they go into work. It adds
mental stress.
Miners generally live around the mine site with their
families. The mine spoils dumped can affect their quality
of life, with water related diseases being the greatest risk.
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF EXTRACTING
AND USING MINERAL RESOURCES
Pollution
Land degradation
Subsidence
Noise
Energy
Impact on the Biological Environment
Long-term Supplies of Mineral Resources
 CONSERVATION OF MINERAL RESOURCES
Steps to be followed:
Encourage use of improved technology so as to reduce
waste generation.
Encourage recycling of metals.
Regulate the use of mineral resources.
Reduce the purchase of unwanted product made from
mineral resources.
Encourage research for providing suitable eco- friendly
alternative for fossil fuel, metal, etc.
These are known as 4R’s for the sustainable use of
mineral resources.
 References
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with experiments, Katson student Edition, 2016
 E. Barucha, Textbook of Environmental Studies for Undergraduate
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 S. Chawla, A Textbook of Environmental Studies, McGraw Hill Education
Private Limited, 2012
 G. T. Miller, Environmental Science, Thomas Learning, 2012
 R. Rajagopalan, Environmental Studies: From Crisis to Cure, 2nd Edition,
Oxford University Press, 2011.
 A.K. De, Environmental Chemistry, New Age Int. Publ. 2012.
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Edition, New Age International Publishers, 2013.