31-03-2014, 04:38 PM
MANAGEMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
INTRODUCTION
Natural resource management refers to the management of natural resources such as land, water, soil, plants and animals, with a particular focus on how management affects the quality of life for both present and future generations (stewardship).
Natural resource management deals with managing the way in which people and natural landscapes interact. It brings together land use planning, water management, biodiversity conservation, and the future sustainability of industries like agriculture, mining, tourism, fisheriesand forestry. It recognises that people and their livelihoods rely on the health and productivity of our landscapes, and their actions as stewards of the land play a critical role in maintaining this health and productivity.
Natural resources :-
Natural resources are the resources available in a nature like air, water, sunlight, soil, minerals, forests, wild life etc.
Natural resources are of two main types. They are renewable and non renewable natural resources.
i) Renewable natural resources :-
Are the resources which can be replenished in a short period of time like air, water, sunlight, forests etc.
ii) Non renewable natural resources :-
Are the resources which cannot be replenished in a short period of time like minerals (coal, petroleum, natural gas, metals etc.) because they take millions of years to be formed.
Human activities produce a lot of waste materials which are thrown away into the environment. These wastes cause pollution of natural resources like air, water and soil.
Need for management of natural resources :-
All the things we use and consume are obtained from
natural resources. Due to increase in population,
industrialisation and urbanisation the demand for natural
resources is increasing and their availability is limited . So
there is a need for proper management of natural resources.
The proper management of natural resources consists of :-
i) Judicious use of natural resources and avoiding wastage
of natural resources.
ii) Long term planning for the use of natural resources so
that it last not only for the present but also for future
generations.
iii) The exploitation of natural resources should not be for
the benefit of a few people but should be distributed
equally for all.
iv) While extracting and using natural resources we should
also plan for the safe disposal of wastes so that no
damage is caused to the environment.