1.

Growing Population

2. Poverty

Environmental 3. Agricultural Growth

Challenges
4. Need to Ground water

5. Development and Forests

Growing Population

It puts considerable pressure

on its natural resources and
reduces the gains of
development. Hence, the
greatest challenge before us is
to limit the population growth.
Although population control
does automatically lead to
development, yet the
development leads to a
decrease in population growth
rates.
Poverty
• Philippines has often been described a rich land with poor people.
The poverty and environmental degradation have a nexus between
them. The vast majority of our people are directly dependent on
the nature resources of the country for their basic needs of food,
fuel shelter and fodder. About 40% of our people are still below
the poverty line. Environment degradation has adversely affected
the poor who depend upon the resources of their immediate
surroundings. Thus, the challenge of poverty and the challenge
environment degradation are two facets of the same challenge.
The population growth is essentially a function of poverty.
Because, to the very poor, every child is an earner and helper and
global concerns have little relevance for him.
Agricultural Growth
The people must be acquainted with the methods to sustain and
increase agricultural growth with damaging the environment. High
yielding varieties have caused soil salinity and damage to physical
structure of soil.
Need to Ground water
It is essential of rationalizing the use of groundwater. Factors like
community wastes, industrial effluents and chemical fertilizers and
pesticides have polluted our surface water and affected quality of
the groundwater. It is essential to restore the water quality of our
rivers and other water bodies as lakes are an important challenge. It
so finding our suitable strategies for consecration of water,
provision of safe drinking water and keeping water bodies clean
which are difficult challenges is essential.
Development and Forests

Development and Forests. Forests serve

catchments for the rivers. With
increasing demand of water, plan to
harness the mighty river through large
irrigation projects were made. Certainly,
these would submerge forests; displace
local people, damage flora and fauna.
1.2 NATURAL
RESOURCES

• The word resource means a source

of supply. The natural resources
include water, air, soil, minerals,
coal, forests, crops and wildlife are
examples. All the resources are
classified based on quantity, quality,
re-usability, men’s activity and
availability.
 Renewable resource or
inexhaustible
resources
NATURAL
RESOURCES
Non-renewable
resources or
exhaustible resources
Renewable resource or
inexhaustible resources

• The renewable resources can maintain

themselves or can be replaced if
managed wisely. These resources are
constantly renewed in nature. The
renewable resources are therefore not
likely to be lost due to excessive and
unwise use.
 Non-renewable resources
or exhaustible resources
• These resources once used are
lost forever, as they are not
restored. They include metallic
minerals and fossil fuels. At
current rates of usage, all the
industrial metals may lose for less
than a century and those of
petroleum and natural gas may
exhaust in 15-20 years.
Natural Resources and Associated Problems
• Human population is growing day-by-day. Continuous increase in
population caused an increasing demand for natural resources.
Due to urban expansion, electricity need and industrialization,
man started utilizing natural resources at a much larger scale.
Non-renewable resources are limited. They cannot be replaced
easily. After some time, these resources may come to an end. It is
a matter of much concern and ensures a balance between
population growth and utilization of resources. This overutilization
creates many problems. In some regions there are problems of
waterlogging due to over irrigation. In some areas, there is no
sufficient water for industry and agriculture. Thus, there is need for
conservation of natural resources.
 Forest resources and
Problems associated problems
associated • Use and over-exploitation.
with • Deforestation.
natural • Timber extraction.
resources • Mining and its effects on forest.
• Dams and their effects on
forests and tribal people.
Water resources and associated problems

1. USE AND 2. FLOODS, 3. CONFLICTS OVER 4. DAMS AND

OVERUTILIZATION OF DROUGHTS ETC. WATER. PROBLEMS.
WATER.
 1. Use and exploitation.
Mineral
resource and
associated 2. Environmental effects
of extracting and using
problems minerals.
 1. World food problems.

Food 2. Changes caused by agriculture and over

grazing.
resources
and 3. Effects of modern agriculture.

associated
4. Fertilizer-pesticide problems.
problems
5. Water logging and salinity.
Energy resources
and associated
problems
G RO W I N G E N E RGY
N E E D S.
 1. Land degradation.
Land
resources
2. Man-induced
and landslides.
associated
problems 3. Soil erosion and
desertification.
 1.3 FOREST RESOURCES

Forests are one of the most

important natural resources and
Approximately 1/3rd of the
a part of biosphere since these
earth’s total land area is covered
are natural assets on this earth.
by forests. Forests are important
Forests predominantly
ecologically and economically.
composed of trees, shrubs,
woody vegetation etc…
 FOREST RESOURCES

Ecologically forests are to be considered as earth’s

lungs because they consume CO2 and release
O2which is required for sustaining the life on this earth.

The poisonous gas CO2 is absorbed by the

trees of forests and reduces the global
warming and helps to continue hydrological
cycle, reduce soil erosion.
 FOREST RESOURCES

Economically forests provide

timber, fodder to grazing
Forest ecosystems are
animals,
extremely good & hold a good
firewood(conventional fuel),
quantity of water.
bamboos, rubbers, medicines,
gums, resins, food items etc.
 • Reduce the
Watershed rate of surface
protection: run-off of
water.
USES OF
FOREST • Produces
prolonged
• Prevent flash
gradual run-off
floods and soil
and thus
erosion.
prevent effects
of drought.
 • • Absorption of solar heat
during evapo-transpiration. •
Atmospheri Maintaining carbon dioxide
levels for plant growth. •
c regulation Maintaining the local climatic
conditions.
Erosion control

• Holding soil (by preventing

rain from directly washing
soil away
Land bank
MAINTENANCE OF SOIL
N U T R I E N TS A N D
ST R U CT U R E
Local use

• • Food - gathering plants, fishing, hunting from

the forest. (In the past when wildlife was
Plentiful, people could hunt and kill animals for
food. Now those populations of most Wildlife
species have diminished; continued hunting
would lead to extinction.) • Fodder - for cattle.
• • Fuel wood and charcoal for cooking, heating.
• • Poles - building homes especially in rural and
wilderness areas.
Local use

• Timber – household articles and construction.

• Fiber - weaving of baskets, ropes, nets, string,
etc.
• Sericulture – for silk.
• Apiculture - bees for honey, forest bees also
pollinate crops.
• Medicinal plants - traditionally used
medicines, investigating them as potential
Source for new
 Market use

• Most of the above products • Minor forest produce - (non-

used for consumptive wood products): Fuel wood,
• Major timber extraction -
purposes are also sold as fruit, gum, fiber, etc.which are
construction, industrial uses,
source of income for Collected and sold in local
paper pulp, etc.
supporting the livelihoods of markets as a source of
forest dwelling people. income for forest dwellers.