Classwork Series and Exercises {Biology – SS1}: Conservation Of Natural Resources

Week 2

Topic: Conservation of Natural Resources

Introduction

Conservation is the planning and management of natural resources in order to secure their wise use and continuity of supply while maintaining and enhancing their quality, value and diversity. In other words, conservation is defined as the planned or controlled exploitation or judicious use of natural resources to ensure their continuous availability and to preserve the quality or original nature of the environment.

Natural resources can be:

1. Renewable: These include those that are recoverable. Examples are rain, animals, plants, water, air, food and soil.
2. Non-renewable: These include those materials that are fixed and can easily be depleted. Examples are naturally occurring materials such as minerals, oil, coal, petroleum, bauxite, tin, gas, copper, etc.

Need or Reasons for Conservation

1. To prevent destruction of natural environment or to allow for continued use of natural resources for man’s benefits
2. To preserve rare and valuable species of plants and animals for the future generation or to save them from extinction or permanent destruction
3. To preserve naturally beautiful scenarios for their aesthetic values
4. To promote the recycling of some scarce mineral resources, e.g. water
5. To prevent the destruction of natural ecosystem; this will allow the organisms in the ecosystem to survive
6. Forest which provides medicinal materials must be conserved to ensure easy availability and continued existence
7. Natural resources, e.g. wild life, forest, minerals, etc provide basis for research purposes

Natural Resources that Need to be Conserved

Natural resources that need to be conserved include wildlife, water, forest, soil, air and mineral resources

Methods of Conservation of Natural Resources 

Water Conservation Methods:

1. By irrigation to reactivate especially areas that lack adequate water
2. Construction of dams and reservoirs to obstruct flood, use available water for irrigation and generation of hydroelectricity.
3. Adequate control and use of ground water
4. Control of water pollution by government enacting laws
5. Water should not be allowed to spill all over the towns. For example is burst of water pipes
6. Research centres should be encouraged on adequate form of recycling water and sewages
7. Tree planting which provides vegetation cover and reduces evaporation and promotes water retention

Soil Conservation Methods:

1. The control of erosion using methods ranging from contouring, protective vegetation, terracing, strip cropping, planting of cover crops, preventing over-grazing, the use of mulching and breaking of wind to avoid wind erosion of the soil
2. The soil fertility must be maintained by the following methods: fertilizer application, manure application and the use of cover crops.
3. Trees should be planted in order to check erosion as well as desertification
4. Government should enact laws to control soil erosion

Forest Conservation Methods:

1. Through reforestation, people are made to plant two trees where one is cut
2. Adequate forest management approach should be encouraged
3. Maintenance of forest reserves
4. Having strict laws guiding forest management
5. Consistent soil conservation to encourage adequate forestation
6. Encouraging industries to use other materials aside from wood in furniture making

Wild-life Conservation Methods:

1. Hunting is to be limited
2. There should be strict laws governing wild life
3. More national parks should be established
4. There should be provisions for artificial stocks
5. Game farming must be adopted

Fisheries Conservation Methods:

1. Water pollution must be avoided
2. Fingerlings should be stocked artificially
3. Dams, reservoirs and ponds are constructed
4. Construction of fingerlings multiplication centres

Conversation Agencies

1. National Electric Power Authority (NEPA)
2. River Basin Development Authorities (RBDA)
3. Ministry of Agriculture:
4. Department of fisheries
5. Department of wild life conversation
6. Department of forestry
7. Environmental Sanitation Authority
8. Nigerian Conservation Foundation

Importance of Conservation

Forest Conservation:

1. It encourages rainfall
2. Natural species are preserved
3. It checks desert encroachment
4. Timber products are preserved
5. It checks erosion as well as preserves the soil
6. Forests can serve as centres of tourism
7. Forests can also serve as wind break
8. Forests provide medicinal herbs
9. Forests provide employment for some people, e.g. forest guards, lumbermen and hunters

Wild-life Conservation:

1. It is a source of protein
2. It provides raw materials for industries e.g. hides, bones and skins
3. Natural species are stopped from going into extinction
4. Tourism and recreation are encouraged
5. It generates revenue for government
6. It provides research work for scientists
7. It can generate employment for some people

Water Conservation:

1. It provides food and protein
2. It provides water for agriculture and irrigation
3. Water is made available for domestic use
4. It provides means of transportation
5. A source of generating electricity. It is used for Hydro-Electric Power (H.E.P) generation which provides electricity, e.g. Kainji dam
6. Provides recreation e.g. games like swimming

Mineral Resources Conservation

1. Energy is made available
2. Raw materials are made available for industries
3. Foreign exchange reserve is generated
4. It is a source of spice e.g. common salt
5. Air is the habitat of most organisms, e.g. birds, insects, etc.

Soil Conservation:

1. It maintains its fertility
2. It provides raw materials for industries e.g. limestone, clay, etc.
3. Provides nutrient to plants
4. It harbours organisms
5. It is a base for plants’ growth

Problems encountered in conservation

1. Poor public education and management
2. Subsistence farming methods e.g. bush burning
3. Inadequate finance
4. Overgrazing constant cropping and fishing
5. Short supply of land

Some game reserves in Nigeria include:

1. Yankari game reserve in Bauchi State
2. Borgu game reserve in Niger State
3. Shasha river forest in Ogun State
4. Olomu forest reserve in Kwara State
5. Mamu river forest reserve in Anambra State
6. Zamfara forest reserve in Zamfara State