Forest

Conservation
Steps Of Forest Conservation
1. Regulated and Planned Cutting of Trees
One of the main reasons of deforestation is
commercial felling of trees. According to an
estimate, about 1,600 million cubic meters of
wood have been used for various purposes in the
world. Although trees are considered as perennial
resource, when exploited on a very large scale,
their revival cannot be possible. Therefore, cutting
should be regulated by adopting methods like:
(i) Clear cutting
(ii) Selective cutting
(iii) Shelter wood cutting
 The clear cutting method is useful for
those areas where the same types of trees
are available over a large area. In that case,
trees of same age group can be cut down in
a selected area and then marked for
replantation. In selective cutting only
mature trees are selected for cutting. This
process is to be followed in rotation.
Shelter wood cutting is where first of all
useless trees are cut down followed by
medium and best quality timber trees.
 The time gap between these cuttings is
helpful in re-growth of trees. In regulated
cutting only one-tenth of the forest area is
selected for use and rotational system is
always followed for their protection. The
forest can be managed in such a way that a
timber crop may be harvested indefinitely
year after year without being depleted. This
technique is called the ‘sustained yield’
method adopted by many countries.
2. Control over Forest Fire: Destruction or loss
of forest by fire is fairly common; because trees
are highly exposed to fire and once started it
becomes difficult to control. Sometimes, the fire
starts by natural process, i.e., by lightning or by
friction between trees during speedy winds, while
in most cases it is also by man either intentionally
or unintentionally. According to an estimate,
during the period from 1940 to 1950, in the US
alone, fires consumed an average of 21.5 million
acres of timber yearly and as many as 1,175,664
cases of forest fires occurred during 1955 to
1964 period.
 Throughout the world forest fire is common
and in most cases they were begun by man.
In order to save forests from fire, it is
necessary to adopt latest techniques of fire
fighting. Some of the fire suppression
techniques are to develop three metre wide
fire lanes around the periphery of the fire,
back fires, arrangement of water spray, fire
retardant chemicals should be sprayed from
back tank and if possible by helicopters.
There must be trained staff of fire fighters to
control the fire.
3. Reforestation and Afforestation: The sustained
yield concept dictates that whenever timber is
removed, either by block cutting or by selective
cutting, the denuded area must be reforested. This
may be done by natural or artificial methods. Similarly,
any forested land, which has been destroyed by fire or
mining activities, should be reforested.. Besides all this,
fresh afforestation programmes should be started.
New plantations will not only increase the forest
cover but also help in making up the eco-balance. For
afforestation, selection of trees should be done
according to local geographical conditions and care
must be taken during initial growth of the trees.
4. Check over Forest Clearance for Agricultural
and Habitation Purposes: Most of the present-day
agricultural land was once forested and then cleared
for the use of agriculture. But now it has reached the
stage where further clearance will be dangerous for
the entire ecosystem. There are tribals in some parts
of Asia, Africa and South America, where shifting
cultivation is still a part of their system of land
procurement. According to an estimate, about 40
million sq km of land is used for this purpose by 200
million tribals of the world. For the conservation of
forests, this should be checked and an alternative
method should be devised.
 Similarly, for the development of villages, towns
and cities, forest lands have been cleared and this
process continues to this day causing loss of
forest cover. This also should be checked and
green belts around cities be developed.
5. Protection of Forests: The existing forests
should be protected. Apart from commercial
cutting, unorganized grazing is also one of the
reasons. There are several forest diseases
resulting from parasitic fungi, rusts, mistletoes,
viruses and nematodes which cause the
destruction of trees.
 The forests should be protected either by use of
chemical spray, antibiotics or by development of
disease resistant strains of trees.
6. Proper Utilisation of Forest and Forests
Products: Generally, trees are cut for logs and
the rest, including stump, limbs, branches and
foliage, etc., is left out as worthless debris. Further
waste occurs at the saw mills. There is thus need
to utilise this waste material. Today, several uses
have been developed and products like
waterproof glues, board etc., can be obtained.
7. Make forests as tourist centres: Similarly,
forests can be used or developed as tourist
centres. By using them as tourist centres the
country can earn substantial foreign exchange.
This practice has been adopted by many
countries, both developed and developing. The
concepts of ‘national park’ and ‘game sanctuary’
have now become popular and every country has
developed its unique forest area as a ‘national
park’. In India alone, there are as many as 92
national parks and game sanctuaries. This is a
good method of forest conservation.
8. Role of Government in Forest
Conservation: Although the government of
every country is very particular about
conservation of its forest resources and has
several rules and laws for the protection of
forests but, they are not implement in an
effective manner.
Both national and provincial governments
can take some steps in this direction, such
as:
(i) Pass acts for the conservation of forests
(ii) Survey of the forest resources
(iii) Categorization of forest areas and proper
delimitation of reserved forest areas,
(iv) Find out the areas where reforestation can be
done,
(v) Regulate the commercial use of forest products,
(vi) Protect forest from fire, mining and other
natural calamities,
(vii) Encourage forests developmental activities like
social forestry, agro-forestry, etc., and
(viii) Prepare master plans, both for long-term and
short-term period, etc.
9. Forest Management: Management of forest
resources is the key to all conservation efforts. In
forest management, the following aspects should
be taken into consideration:
(i) Survey of forest
(ii) Categorisation of forest
(iii) Economic use of forest
(iv) Administrative setting for forest management
(v) Training programmes for persons engaged in
forest conservation activities
(vi) Policy decisions and their proper
implementation
(vii) Social and agro-forestry
(viii) Development of new techniques for the
conservation of forests
(ix) Research for efficient use and
conservation of forest
In brief, conservation of forest resources can
be done by cooperative efforts of the
government, non-government organisations
and the public through a proper
management system.
Thank you