CHAPTER SIXTEEN:
CONSERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES

Ibrahim, Baba Usman

Conservation of natural resources is the wise use and safe keeping of natural resources for the good of mankind, to ensure their continuous availability and to preserve the original nature of the environment.

16.1      Natural Resources

Natural resources are useful things provided by nature. Soil, water, wildlife, forest, minerals, sunlight and air are examples of natural resources. Natural resources can be divided into:

(a)    Replaceable (Renewable) resources, and

(b)   Irreplaceable (Non-renewable) resources

Replaceable (Renewable) Resources: are those which can only be replaced by offspring that is by reproduction, e.g. trees and animals.

Irreplaceable (Non-renewable) Resources: are those resources that cannot be replaced when the initial stock is used up. e.g petroleum, coal, gold, diamond, copper and Iron. Therefore, these sources must be carefully managed to avoid their shortage until acceptable substitutes are found.

16.1.1 Conservation and Development of Natural Resources

Conservation starts with superstitions belief. In certain area some species of animals are not use for food due to superstitions belief e.g. vulture throughout the whole world. However, in western part of Nigeria, they cannot be found, because they are utilized for traditional medicine by herbalist. This superstition is not enough to protect the animal in view of population increase.

Thus, the first major step in conservation was taken by the kings, they have their own forest, but now not only the kings and princes are protecting the environment by having area reserved for wild animals. There are international organizations and conservation clubs, who protect natural environment and wildlife:

(a)    World wild life fund (WWF)

(b)   International union of conservation of natural resources (IUCN)

(c)    International council for Bird preservation (ICBP)

(d)   Nigerian conservation foundation (NCF)

The first person that observe that human resources is increasing and the resources they consume is decreasing is Malthus.

Malthus in the 19^th century warned about decreasing resources of the world and the increasing in human population, and had writing about the conflicting between the two.

There are certain resources that can be renewed e.g. wild life and the non – renewable resources e.g. minerals.

Thus, he warned against possible conflicting between increasing in population and the means of sustaining them i.e. food

16.2      Why Do We Need to Conserve?

(a)    For Educational Purpose: certain environmental phenomenons are better understood when pursue visually e.g. explain inter specific relationship or competition in game reserve. The student learns and understand more by viewing the animal in their natural environment.

(b)   Aesthetic and Protection of Natural Heritage: By conserving the wildlife of an area its natural beauty is maintained, and the natural heritage conserved, e.g. people derived pleasure by looking at wildlife in their natural environment.

(c)    Recreation: Game reserves and natural parks are common, because people derived great pleasure in watching animals, in their natural habitat. There are also other activities carried out in the reserves e.g. sport hunting, however this has not been practice in Nigeria due to low population game reserves of wild animals.

(d)   Tourism: The economic value of wild life resulting from tourism made wildlife conservation to be encouraged. Thus, tourism boost wildlife industry and this in turn boost hotel industry, food industry, and transportation industry. All of these industries benefit from tourism and they come under tourist industry. The activities of people on tour of a game reserve require these facilities.

(e)    Employment: Wildlife conservation often employment opportunity to people e.g game warden.

 

(f)    Scientific Research: Animals from game reserve serve as a reserviour specimen for research. e.g. America imports 100’s of monkey from India for medical researchers. Drugs are first tested on wild animals (e.g rats, monkey (primates), before being introduced to human beings. Without wild life human being has to be used for testing drugs.

(g)   Meat Production: In most tropical countries. The soil is very poor and they found that game cropping is the best means of utilizing such a marginal land. This marginal land can be utilized for production of meat by rearing wild animal in those places. E.g. Hill or mountainous area. Game cropping recur in game reserves e.g. over population of wild animal- they are killed and sold to the public to maintain wild life population, such situation has not occurred in Nigeria because population of wild animals are still low.

16.2.1 How to Get a Place Secured as A Wildlife Reserve

This is initiated by conservation individual or organization:

a.       Survey of the area to be reserved: i.e the area where game reserve is to be made is demarcated after survey.

b.      Inventory of the resources of the area to be preserved i.e notice the type of vegetation type of animals and other things in the area including number of organisms i.e. population census by walking through the whole reserve area to get number of the animals and the kinds of animals.

16.2.2 Principles and Prospects of Forestry Conservation Practices

16.2.2.1  Conservation of Forests

Forest is fast dwindling due to indiscriminate felling of trees for various uses for various uses such as firewood and furniture.

Bush burning is a major disaster in forests.  Air and soil pollution are also contributors to the dwindling forests. Therefore, to prevent loss of our forests and to have continuous maximum benefits from them, conservative methods are necessary.

16.2.2.2  Methods of Conserving Forest

1.      Laws: There are established laws that regulate the felling of trees i.e cutting down of timber trees. Permission must be obtained before any timber is felled, from ministry of Agriculture are Natural resources.

2.      Forest Guards: Forest guards are usually employed to guard and protect the forest against misuse.

3.      Selective Cutting of Trees: Only mature trees are allowed to be felled for timber. The young trees are left to grow to replace the felled trees.

4.      Planting of new Trees (Afforestation): In order to preserve the forest, new trees are planted to replace the felled ones. It is now a common practice to plant trees. The slogan is that where you remove one tree, plant two. If trees are not planted, there will be shortage of trees in future.

5.      Forest Reserves: Government acquires forests as forest reserves. People are not allowed to farm, hunt or cut down trees, in these reserves except by permission.

6.      No Bush Burning: Bush burning is prohibited and forbidden by law. Anybody caught is severely punished.

7.      Government: Government should bring the cost of coal, cooking gas and electricity to a level which the poor can afford. This will prevent the excessive use of firewood which is one of the causes of deforestation.

16.2.3 Benefits of Forest Conservation

i.        It ensures preservation and continuous availability of timber and other economic trees.

ii.      It helps to preserve the fertility of the top soil by preventing soil erosion.

iii.    It prevents desert encroachment that is desertification

iv.    It preserves the natural habitats of animals hence increase in animal population. And with the increase in animal populations, animal proteins i.e meat will be more available for men.

v.      It encourages rainfall which plants need to grow well. Healthy growth plants lead to abundant food supply.

vi.    Forest act as wind brakes to strong winds, hence prevent strong winds from destroying man’s properties.

vii.  Some plants are used for medicines. Their conservation will ensure continuous availability, and therefore promote good health.

 

References

Dunster, J. ().  Dictionary of Natural Resources Management. CAB International Publishers

Semon, L. (). Encyclopedia of Biodiversity

Berkes, F. and Mitchell, B. (1989). Geography and Resource Analysis (2^nd Edition)

Chissano, J. A. (1994). Natural Resources Management and the Environment: widening    the Agricultural Research Agenda, ISNAR, The Hague.

Klee, G. A. (). Conservation of Natural Resources