NATURA RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Natural resource management refers to the management of natural resources such as land, water, soil, plants and animals, with a particular focus on how management affects the quality of life for both present and future generations

Natural resource management deals with managing the way in which people and natural landscapes interact. It brings together land use planning, water management, biodiversity conservation, and the future sustainability of industries like agriculture, mining, tourism, fisheries and forestry. It recognizes that people and their livelihoods rely on the health and productivity of our landscapes, and their actions as stewards of the land play a critical role in maintaining this health and productivity.

Natural resource management specifically focuses on a scientific and technical understanding of resources and ecology and the life-supporting capacity of those resources. Environmental management is also similar to natural resource management. In academic contexts, the sociology of natural resources is closely related to, but distinct from, natural resource management

 ESSENTIAL STEPS IN THE NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

          Identify the basic purpose of the area the planner formulates the purpose based on the national conservational objectives, policies and general legislations with regards to six categories of protected area, it is worth sharing some of lessons/knowledge gained during its implementation especially on natural resource management. The points I shared here are probably not all applicable in all watershed settings, but in general, these are essential steps worth considering by anybody working in the area of resource management. Except for the first step, which I think should be done first and should continue in all stages of the project phases; all others can be done parallel with each other or in random order.

                 Resource management should be objectives and goods of the management for community. Community should initiate the resource management in every part of the micro-watershed or even at the macro-watershed level. First step should be community empowerment. When I say empowerment, it means authorizing the community, making them able to manage their own resources and allowing them to do the appropriate management. It means educating the community or the stakeholders and making them aware that it is their duty to responsibly manage their natural resources. Stakeholders should realize they are stewards of the natural resources. When I say stewards, again I mean that communities are managers not owners.

Community should understand that natural resources entrusted to them are the food base for production. For it to continue producing it should be sustainably manage and unless the community are able, they cannot do the appropriate management. Community should bear in their mind that natural resources are part of the global support system and everything is connected to everything else. It means whatever they do, it will affect other system. Example of that is the “slash and burn” practice, it exposes the bare soil to the impact of raindrops thus resulting to rain-splash erosion. The sediments then will travel down to the slope until it reaches the aquatic ecosystem and affecting the aquatic organisms, especially the sedentary types. It is our right to use the natural resources but it is also our duty to protect and conserve it or making it sustainable.

Responsible natural resource management should analyse and refine the information

We need to respect the indigenous knowledge. As managers, we need to know what they have and then try to build on them. We need to build a partnership among farmers, stakeholders and the whole of the community. Look at the management objectives so as to see whether you can gain the objectives, given the constraints within the body of information that you have. We need to capitalize on the things that they already have and then try to improve. Introducing new technologies will need more considerations, like the niche, or the functional make up of every organism. When we start with what the community already has, very high possibility that the technology will work. It will also mean acceptance by the community because it is their own. From there, we could start modifying and improving and making it more sustainable.

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  -                      These are the zones of influence and should include specific areas that may have the influence in the protected area.

We need to plan land use zones  and econservation of sensitive ecosystems. This is one priority that we need to do, identify land use zones  and  the sensitive ecosystem and conserve by protecting them. In the identification, we can start by listing the ecosystem important in the livelihood of the community, then consider the biological diversity and uniqueness, finally consider the ecosystem contribution to the life-support chain and local culture. Ecosystem that will encompasses the above three criteria or consideration will be the priority ecosystems. Then we start conserving and protecting them. Conservation means less disturbance of the system or little disturbance of the system. If ever, we have to do something on the ecosystem, use sustainable practices. For example in sloping or hilly land, we can use minimum tillage or no-tillage at all. also example of land use Example: Buffer zones – (zones of transition),Water sheds, Wildlife corridors (passage way of animals

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We need to enhance the regenerative capacity of the natural resources. Long fallow period is advisable, that is when population is still low, the “kaingin system” or ‘the slash and burn” is sustainable because farmers can afford a long fallow period. But now, long fallow is impossible, making the “kaining” system not a good alternative. There is not enough time to regenerate the natural ecosystem. There are many ways to enhance the regenerative capacity of the ecosystem, like the use of composting or recycling- making the micro-nutrients lost during intensive cropping available to the plants. Additions of organic matter either as green manure or livestock waste also promote regeneration of the system. Proper crop rotation (e.g. planting the shallow rooted crop followed by the deep rooted crop, or light feeder crops after the heavy feeder crops) helps the regenerative capacity of the soil ecosystem. First, it is important to identify the ecosystem, determine how fragile it is or how fast the system will succumb to intensive use. It is always good to look at the source or cause of ecosystem degeneration and start from there.

In the natural resource management, another key step for sound management is to promote gender equity participation. Women have always role to play. They can be involved in the “farm journal” preparation that is listing the input-output in the farming business. They can participate in the greenhouse activity like potting, sowing of seed, watering the plants and other. But most important, they can contribute in the decision making. For example, in the adoption of technologies, in forming a matrix ranking or pair-wise comparison, to identify priorities, they can share ideas. The role of women, in the natural resource management is one neglected step during the early years. In other countries, they already realized that women are good borrower; they always returned the capital borrowed thus sharing and enjoying more benefits in the process.

The participation of the minority should be tapped. This should always be a priority of all manager, we should understand that even the minority are part of the system. All part of the system should be involved. They should be a component in the decision making. Their voice should be heard, they have experiences to share. The indigenous knowledge can form part of the practices that can be put-in-place.

Finally, networking and linkages is very important. As the saying goes, “no man is island”. Either it’s a “top-down” or “bottom-up” approach, linkages or networking is a must. Sharing of information, the positive, the negative, everything. Linkages will be the key to respond immediately to the needs. Support agencies, NGO and Universities are key factor in resource management. Through linkages they can be tapped. Sound networking is sound resource management

The suitable management plan enhances the sustainability of the following resources, which are clearly explained below:-

(a) Water resources

Sustainable utilization of water involves use of excess water, efficient distribution of the available water, avoiding disposing wastes in water bodies that interfere with water quality, avoid cultivation along river catchments. Water reservoirs should be constructed to tap rain water to avoid risk of shortage during dry period, Broadmeadow, (2005). Water bodies are necessary to support population and economic development of the people. The shortage of water inhibits economic development and directly damage people as diseases may erupt. The objective of this review is to assess SWM in three sectors: urban, agricultural, and natural systems. Major economic sectors like transport, agriculture and industries depend on water at one point for proper function

(b) Minerals like iron ores

Mineral resources have greater contribution towards economic development hence these nonrenewable resources need to be managed properly.  Therefore mines will yield economic products for a long time. Hence mining activities should have proper environmental preservation projects, like revetment of the soil and regulations to reinforce mining companies to rehabilitate land. Minerals like diamond and gold have greater contribution towards economic development hence these nonrenewable resources need to be managed properly will yield economic products for a long time.

(c) Land

The growing development associated by the growing population and the associated urbanization and industrialization is increasing pressure on land resource. Due to unplanned use of land resources, land gets increasingly affected by the conflicting land leads serious concerns and negative impacts due to over exploitation of natural resources. When land is used especially in agriculture, care should be taken to maintain nutrients in it through proper fertilization preferably by using organic fertilizers should be done. A properly prepared land use plan based on sound scientific and technical procedures, and land utilization strategies such as mechanized agriculture should be done.

(d). Forest

Forest resources should be proper managed by the use   of proper reforestation programs to ensure that deforested areas are preserved. Matured vegetation should be harvested, alternative sources of energy should be sought to relieve forests of the pressure pressed to it by both living community. It should be used with conservation mind because careless use of trees may lead to desertification hence bare land.

(e) National park

National park area requiring the protection of the ecological integrity of one or more ecosystems for perseveration of the available resources. Protected area managed mainly for ecosystem protection and recreation purposes Criteria the area should contain a representative sample of natural regions. Protected area managed mainly for ecosystem protection and recreation purposes Criteria the area should contain a representative sample of natural regions.

(f) Natural gas

These are a resource that contains hydrocarbons ions formed undergrounds. Natural gas provides crude oil liquid gas which in reach with several products of different types. Natural gas provides crude oil which is the products of different products such petrol, diesel, paraffin, bitumen, kerosene. Therefore natural gas sources should be careful and wisely utilized to avoid environmental degradation for preservation of an ecosystem so as to meet the available and future generation, (UNCED, 1993).

Conclusion

Management plan it ensure proper allocation of resources among living community. Management plan it enables to achieve the balance between conservation goals and human needs through the sustainable use of resources by the use of steps listed above are just one approach to developing and implementing a management plan. Management plan it ensure proper allocation of resources to ensure public cooperation to achieve the balance between conservation goals.

                              REFERENCES

Broadmeadow.M&Ray.D (2005), Climate change and British Woodland. Forestry Commission

Department of Land Resources, July 2013, “Draft National Land Utilization Policy”, Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India

The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), 1993, “Agenda 21: Programme of Action for Sustainable Development”, United Nations, New York

Thompson.R et al (2009) Consultation & Community Involvement in forest planning; Restoration of Native Woodland on Ancient

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STEPS IN PREPARING THE MANAGEMENT PLAN

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3.                  Assess the available resources/ baseline resources

-                      Seek the basic information about

v    Resources available

v    Topography (Areas features/ structures)

v    Soils

v    Climate etc.

-                      This gives the general background information of the area, then draw map of the area.

-                      During assessment of the available resources, try your best to cover the following information. 

v    Biological resources

v    Physical resources

v    The interactions between the resources

-                      Also look at

v    Cultural features

v    Their location, quality and the distribution etc.

(iii) Limitations constraints in managing the particular area

Look at physical, political, social constraints

Legal, human, financial constraints

(iv) Land and other resources use in the area

-                      Describe and map all the uses especially that may cause changes in the environment

i.e. (The uses that may constraint the basic management goals).

(v) The basic infrastructure in the area

(vi) Regional influences and integration of the area

v    Tran boundary resources etc.

5.                  Define the regional land use zones

-                      These are the zones of influence and should include specific areas that may have the influence in the protected area.

Example: Buffer zones – (zones of transition)

v    Water sheds

v    Wildlife corridors (passage way of animals)

6.                   Define the area’s management zones

-                      Divide the area into smaller units according to the management goals and uses

-                      Each zone should have its own management objectives.

-                      This process of zoning helps to achieve the specific objectives for which the  area is managed.

7.                  Implementation and evaluation

-                      Set the schedule for implementation

-                      Estimate the costs before the actual management begans

-                      Review and approve the plan through consultations

-                      Put the plan into effect within the limitations of the funds, human resources and time.