(a) What is conservation of natural resources? (b) List various natural resources that need to be conserved. State briefly the benefits of conservation in e...
Question 1 Report
(a) What is conservation of natural resources?
(b) List various natural resources that need to be conserved. State briefly the benefits of conservation in each case.
(c) List the problems often encountered in ensuring conservation of natural resources.
(d) What are the efforts being employed in your country to ensure conservation of natural resources?
Answer Details
(a) Conservation of natural resources
Conservation of natural resources is the careful and wise management, protection and use of the earth's natural resources so that they are not wasted, destroyed or exhausted, and so that they remain available for the benefit of both present and future generations.
(b) Natural resources to be conserved and the benefits
| Natural resource | Benefit of conserving it |
|---|---|
| Forests (vegetation) | Provide timber, fuel and food, act as habitat for wildlife, prevent soil erosion, and release oxygen while absorbing carbon dioxide. |
| Wildlife (animals) | Maintains the balance of nature and food chains, provides meat, and preserves species for research, tourism and future use. |
| Soil | Supports crop and pasture growth for food; conserving it prevents erosion and keeps land fertile for farming. |
| Water | Needed for drinking, domestic use, irrigation, fisheries and industry; conservation ensures a steady, clean supply. |
| Minerals and fossil fuels | Provide raw materials and energy for industry; wise use makes these non-renewable resources last longer. |
| Air | Clean air is needed for respiration; conservation reduces pollution and disease. |
(c) Problems often encountered in ensuring conservation
- Rapid population growth increases demand for land, food, timber and fuel, causing over-exploitation.
- Poverty and unemployment force people to exploit resources such as forests and wildlife for survival.
- Ignorance and lack of public awareness about the importance and methods of conservation.
- Poor enforcement of conservation laws and inadequate funding of enforcement agencies.
- Bush burning, illegal logging, poaching and over-grazing that destroy resources faster than they can be replaced.
- Industrialisation and urbanisation leading to pollution and destruction of natural habitats.
- Corruption and conflict of interest between economic development and conservation.
(d) Efforts employed in my country to ensure conservation
- Establishment of national parks, game reserves and forest reserves to protect wildlife and vegetation.
- Enactment and enforcement of conservation and anti-poaching laws, and a ban on indiscriminate bush burning and illegal logging.
- Afforestation and reforestation programmes (tree-planting campaigns) to replace felled trees.
- Setting up agencies such as environmental protection and forestry commissions to regulate resource use.
- Public enlightenment and environmental education in schools and the media to create awareness.
- Encouraging controlled or selective harvesting, crop rotation and use of alternative energy to reduce pressure on resources.
- Control of pollution through laws on waste disposal and treatment of industrial effluents.
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