Management of Natural Resources Notes

Resources such as fossil fuels and minerals took millions of years to form and cannot be replaced within a human timescale. Even renewable resources like forests and groundwater are being used faster than they are replenished. Sustainable management means using resources to meet present needs without preventing future generations from meeting theirs.

The first step is to consume less. The three R's — Reduce (use less: switch off unnecessary lights, fix leaking taps), Reuse (use an item again rather than throwing it away, e.g. glass jars), and Recycle (send materials like paper, plastic, glass, and metal back to be made into new products) — help conserve resources and reduce waste and pollution.

Short-term political and economic pressures often push for maximum immediate use of a resource. Sustainable management has to balance these pressures against long-term needs and equitable distribution.

Forests are 'biodiversity hot spots'. Four groups have a stake in forests: the people who live in or near forests and depend on forest produce; the Forest Department of the government, which owns and controls the land; industrialists who use forest products such as timber and tendu leaves; and wildlife and nature enthusiasts who want forests conserved in their pristine form.

Local communities have traditionally protected patches of forest as sacred groves, and their involvement generally leads to better protection. The Chipko movement in a Himalayan village, where villagers hugged trees to stop them being felled, showed how local participation can protect forests.

A large-scale example of community forest management is the improvement of the Arabari sal forest in West Bengal, where involving local villagers with a share in the benefits led to the forest's recovery.

Water is a renewable resource, but its availability varies and many regions face shortage. Large dams store water for irrigation and generate electricity, and canals carry the water far from the river. However, big dams raise concerns: social (displacement of large numbers of people, often without fair rehabilitation), economic (huge public spending), and environmental (submerging forests and loss of biodiversity).

Water harvesting is an age-old practice in India, with local systems suited to each region — khadins and nadis in Rajasthan, bandharas in Maharashtra, ahars in Bihar, kulhs in Himachal Pradesh, and temple tanks in the south.

The main advantage of water stored in the ground is that it does not evaporate, does not spread disease-carrying insects like standing surface water, and recharges wells while providing moisture to a wide area.

Coal and petroleum were formed from the remains of organisms buried millions of years ago, so the reserves are finite and cannot be renewed. Burning these fuels releases carbon dioxide (a greenhouse gas that adds to global warming) and oxides of sulphur and nitrogen (which cause acid rain), as well as particulate matter.

At present rates of use, known coal reserves may last a few centuries and petroleum only a few decades. Conserving them means using them more efficiently — well-maintained engines, public transport, energy-efficient appliances — and shifting where possible to renewable sources such as solar, wind, and hydroelectric power.

Managing all natural resources well requires a long-term perspective, equitable distribution so that benefits reach everyone and not just a powerful few, and attention to the damage caused while extracting and using resources.