NATURAL RESOURCES

 A RESOURCE

Life on this planet earth depends upon a variety of goods and services provided by the nature,which are known as Natural resources.

Water, air,soil, minerals,coal, forest,crops,and wildlife are all example of natural resources. Any stock or resever that can be drawn from nature is natural resources. Natural resources are of two kinds:

• Renewable resource which are in exhaustive and can be regenerated within a given span of time for example forests, wildlife, wind energy, biomass energy, tidal energy, hydro power etc. Solar energy is also a renewable form of energy as it is an in exhaustible source of energy.
• Non-renewable resources which cannot be regenerated for example Fossil fuels like coal, petroleum, minerals etc. Once we exhaust these reserves, the same cannot be replenished.

          Even our renewable resources can become non renewable if we exploi dam to such extent that their rate of consumption exceeds their rate of regeneration. For example, if a species is exploited so much that its population size declined below the trashhhold level then it is not able to sustain itself and gradually the species becomes endangered or extinct.

                 It is very important to protect and conserve our natural resources and use them in a judicious manners so that we do not exhaust them. It does not mean that we should stop using most of the natural resources. Rather, we should use the resources in such a way that we always save enough of them for our future generations.

THE MAJOR NATURAL RESOURCES:

1. Forest resources
2. Water resources
3. Mineral resources
4. Food resources
5. Energy resources
6. Land resources

FOREST RESOURCES 

Forests are one of the most important natural resources on this earth. Covering the earth like a green blanket these forest not only produce innumerable material goods, but also provide several environmental services which are essential for life.

         About 1/3rd of the world's land area is forested which include closed as well as open forests. Former USSR accounts for about a fifth of the world's forests, Brazil for about a 7th and Canada and USA each for 6-7%. But it is a matter of concerned that almost everywhere the cover of the natural forest has declined over the years. The greatest losses have occurred in tropical Asia where one third of the forest resources have been destroyed. However latest report reveal that maximum loss of forest cover is currently taking place in Brazil.

USES  OF FORESTS

Forests have enormous potential for human welfare, wildlife and the environment. Forests are of immense value to us. They are not only useful for industry but also for rural economic growth. They offer huge potential for reducing poverty while also conserving their valuable key resources. 

• COMMERCIAL USES:- Forests provide us a large number of commercial goods which include timber, firewood, pulp wood , food items, gum, resins, non edible oils, rubber, fibers, lac, bamboo canes,fodders and many more items. Half of the timber cut each year is used as fuel for heating and cooking. One third of the wood harvest is used for building materials as lumber, plywood and hardwood particle board and chipboard. One sixth of the wood harvest is converted into pulp and use for paper industry. Many forest lands are used for mining, agriculture, grazing and recreation and for development of dams.
• ECOLOGICAL USES:- While a typical tree produces commercial goods worth about ₹30,000 it provides environmental services worth nearly ₹10,000. 

               The ecological services provided by our forest may be sumed up as follows:

• Production of oxygen
• Reducing global warming
• Wildlife  habitat
• Regulation of hydrological cycle
• Soil conservation
• Pollution moderators
• Driving energy flow and nutrient cycling