CHAPTER 04: SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST RESOURCES
Forest refers to the collection of
trees, which can be natural or artificial. There
are main two types of forests as namely: natural
forests and artificial forests. Natural
forests, these are forests developed without the influence and input of
human beings while planted or artificial forests are forests that
developed when the human beings plant trees on large piece of land.
Main Characteristics
of Natural Forests:
Trees of different types grown together.
2.
Most of the trees produce hardwood.
3.
The trees in the forest are indigenous to the area.
4.
There is dense or thick undergrowth.
Main Characteristics
of Planted Forests:
1.
Trees are mainly of one species.
2.
Trees may or may not be indigenous to the area.
3.
Are in specific lines.
4.
Most of trees in this category produce softwood.
Division of Natural Forests
Division of natural
forest can be divided basing on the climates as follow:
1. Tropical rain forests: These
are found in the equatorial region. They are characterized by thick
undergrowth, and very tall trees which are indigenous that take a very long
time to mature.
2. Mangrove forests: Are forests that
found along coastlines. Trees under this are having shallow roots and can
tolerate salty conditions of seawater.
3. Temperate forests: Found in the hemispheres of the earth. They may be evergreen
or deciduous (that is, the trees shed their leaves at the beginning of the cold
season).
4. Coniferous forests: Are forests that found in outermost part of the earth’s
hemisphere. Evergreen trees with needle-like leaves, little undergrowth and all
trees, which take very long to mature, characterize them.
Factors Influencing the Nature and
Distribution of Forests:
1.
Relief: Relief refers to the
landscape, which is a physical feature on the earth’s surface. Differences in
altitude along the slope of mountain bring about differences in the type of
forests along the mountain slope
2.
Aspect: This is the direction of a slope faces with respect to sunshine
and the rain-bearing winds. For example in temperate latitudes in the northern
hemisphere where the sun’s position is near over head at noon, the slopes
facing south are warmer than the northward facing the slopes; therefore forests
grow on the southward facing slopes more than on the north facing slopes.
3.
Drainage: Well-drained soil support tree while poorly drained soil do
not support the growth of trees.
4.
Temperature: The warm or hot tropical climate support the growth of
large trees with broad leaves while cooler temperate climate where snowfalls
support conifer type of trees, which are adapted to that kind of climate.
Conifer trees have thin leaves and are cone-shaped.
5.
Rainfall: Water is very
essential for plant growth. Forests thrive in area, which have high rainfall.
Trees in some forests shed their leaves at the beginning of the dry season to
reduce water loss through transpiration.
6.
Soil or edaphic: Soil provides nutrients and anchorage to trees. Other
soil characteristics such as acidity, organic and chemical composition
determine the kind of tree growing in particular soil.
Importance of Forest Resources
The following
are ways in which forest resources seemed to be very important:
a)
Forests are source of timber.
b)
Forests are source of fuel woods and charcoals.
c)
Forests protect the soil or land from being attacked by
soil erosion.
d)
Large variety soft wood trees are used for making pulps
which are used in paper manufacturing.
e)
Forests produce building materials like poles and
timber.
f)
Some of tree species are used for making medicine.
g)
Some forests produce fruits and ornamental flowers.
h)
They contribute to the soil development through rotting
of leaves, which leads to formation of humus.
i)
Forests are used for scientific study (research).
j)
They maintain water sources.
k)
Flora and fauna of forests act as tourism attraction.
l)
Source of foreign currency, revenue and income.
m)
Act as sources of employment.
Types of Forest Resources or Products
Types of forest
resources, these are the different products extracted from the forests, as
mentioned below:
a)
Poles for building and construction of houses.
b)
Timber for furniture, construction, railways slippers.
c)
Resins, oil and gum.
d)
Fiber material for different uses (for making loops,
clothes etc.)
e)
Fruit, nuts and flowers for human and animal
consumption.
f)
Tannin, which is obtained from the hemlock tree of
North America and Europe. Oak and chest nut of temperate hardwood.
g)
Palm and creeper products, such as, palm oil, coconuts,
mat and basket weaving materials from palms and bamboo.
h)
Medicinal materials such as, quinine from cinchona
tree, cocaine from coca plants, camphor from the camphor tree.
Major Producers of Forest Products or
Materials
The followings
are the world’s leading countries in production of forest products:
|
No
|
Products
|
Leading
producers/countries
|
|
01
|
Timber and
wood fuels.
|
Russia, USA,
Brazil, China, Canada, Indonesia, Japan, Sweden, Nigeria, France, Finland,
Germany.
|
|
02
|
Timber from
hard woods.
|
Indonesia,
Brazil, China, USA, Russia, India, Nigeria, Tanzania, Malaysia, Philippines
|
|
03
|
Timber from
soft woods.
|
Canada, USA,
Russia, Japan, Finland, Sweden, China, Brazil, Germany,
|
|
04
|
Wood pulps.
|
Canada,
Finland, Sweden, Japan, France, Germany, Norway, New Zealand, Brazil, China,
USA, Russia.
|
|
05
|
Newsprints.
|
Canada, USA,
Japan, Russia, Sweden, Finland, Germany, Norway, UK.
|
|
06
|
Rubber and gum
|
Brazil,
Nigeria, USA, Indonesia.
|
|
07
|
Cork.
|
USA, Portugal,
Spain, Morocco.
|
|
08
|
Resin, Tar,
Turpentine
|
USA, Russia,
France.
|
Tab. 4.1: World’s
leading countries producers of forest products
Problems Associated With Forest Resources
Harvesting
The following
are some of the problems associated with forest resources extraction:
1.
Deforestation (felling of trees) exposes the soil to
agents of soil erosion.
2.
Forested areas are water catchment, over exploitations
of forest resources leads to the destruction of these water catchment areas.
3.
Cutting down trees without replanting new ones may
cause climatic changes leading to drought and famine.
4.
Reduction of forest cover leading to the increase of
carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, hence leads to the greenhouse effect, which
cause to global warming.
5.
Uncontrolled tree harvesting interferes with the
ecological balance of forest flora and fauna.
6.
Rapid population growth has led to the clearance of
forests in many places.
7.
Poor capital in the developing countries.
8.
Low technology leads to the use poor tools.
9.
Stiff challenges posed by other economic sectors.
Measures for Forest Conservation in the World
There are number
of measures that can be taken effectively to manage forests:
1.
Creating public awareness. Through campaign using mass
media, poster and provision of education to the people.
2.
Carrying out research to determine the requirements for
different tree species. This will ensure that, the right tree species is
planted in the correct areas.
3.
Encouraging the use of existing alternative sources of
energy instead of relying on woods fuel and charcoals. Alternative sources are
kerosene, solar energy, biomass to mention a few.
4.
Enforcing rules about selective felling of trees and
planting new ones to replace those are cut.
5.
Enactment of laws, which can be used effectively to
manage forests and manage them against destruction.
6.
Others are: Application of afforestation and
reafforestation. Population control so as to reduce pressure on the forest
resources. Discouragement of poor agricultural methods that affects forests. Destocking
should be also encouraged nearby forest reserves and new and fast growing of
trees for timber production should be introduced.
Forest Resource Management
Forest resource management refers to the
control and proper use of forest resources for different purposes. Forest conservation is the protection of
forests resources. Forest management is the part of forestry. Forestry refers to the science of
managing forest resources for human use. Another term that used in forest
resource management is Agro-forestry which
mean as the practice of intercropping trees and crops in the same farm.
Activity:
1. Discuss the needs of forest resources management.
2. Highlight for the effects of poor forest management.
3. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of intercropping trees with
crops (agro-forest).
Timber Transportation
Timber transportation refers to the
process of transporting timbers and logs from the forest area to the market. The
logs are pulled by caterpillars or by tractor-driven trailer and Lorries out of
the dense forests to the saw-mills. The sawn timbers are then transported by
Lorries (trucks) and train to the market or port for export by ships. Movement
of logs and timber from the forest to the market particularly poses great
challenges.
TRIAL QUESTIONS
1. Define:
a. Forest,
b. Forestry,
c. Agro forest,
d. Forest resource management,
e. Forest resource conservation,
f.
Afforestation
and
g. Reafforestation.
2. With the aid of examples, explain
the importance of preserving forest.
3. Describe the disadvantages of
deforestation (at least five points).
4. Explain the human factors, which
lead to deforestation.
5. What do you understand by the term
agro-forest?
6. Discuss the factors influencing the
distribution of forests in the world.
7. Discuss the problems associated with
exploitation or harvesting of forest resources.
8. Distinguish between:
a) Forest conservation and forest management.
b) Afforestation and reafforestation.
9. Mention the main measures for
preventing forests.
10. (i) List five measures that can be
taken to manage forests.
(ii) List two measures that can be taken
to conserve forests.
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