Exploitation of Natural Resources 24 24 0 Exploitation

Exploitation of Natural Resources 24

24. 0 Exploitation of Natural Resources Learning Intentions You will be able to: § Understand what natural resources are. § Explain the term ‘exploitation’. § Describe the impacts of using natural resources in a sustainable way. 24

24. 1 Natural Resources Exploitation of Natural Resources Natural resources are materials that are created by nature, for example fish and trees, that benefit humans who have used them for thousands of years They be divided into two types: renewable and non-renewable. 24

24. 1 Natural Resources Exploitation of Natural Resources Renewable vs. Non-Renewable Resources Renewable resources can also be called infinite resources. This means that if used carefully they will never run out or disappear, e. g. fish. Non-renewable resources are known as finite resources. This means they can be used only once. Each time a non-renewable resource is used, there is less of it to be found, e. g. oil. 24

24. 2 What is Sustainable Exploitation? Exploitation of Natural Resources Exploitation is making use of and benefitting from resources. It is necessary for people’s survival. Overexploitation is when resources are used too quickly or too much. This may result in resources becoming depleted or exhausted. Sustainable exploitation is the use of resources in such a way that they will be available and usable in the future. 24

24. 2 What is Sustainable Exploitation? Exploitation of Natural Resources How to Think Sustainably Real Christmas tree or artificial. Which do you think has more of an impact on natural resources? 24

24. 3 Sustainable Exploitation of Water: New Zealand Ireland Exploitation of Natural Resources There are some parts of the world that suffer from a shortage of fresh water. Reasons why people cannot get access to fresh water include: Drought: This is when there is a long period of time without sufficient rainfall. Access: Some countries do not have the facilities to properly clean and treat water before people use it. Drought Access 24

24. 3 Sustainable Exploitation of Water: New Zealand Ireland Irrigation is the transport of water from one area that has a plentiful supply to another area that has low levels of rainfall or cannot access water easily. This water can be transported by pipes and canals. Exploitation of Natural Resources 24

24. 3 Sustainable Exploitation of Water: New Zealand Ireland Exploitation of Natural Resources Why is Irrigation Needed in New Zealand? New Zealand experiences roughly 2, 000 mm of rainfall a year. Due to an increasing population, New Zealand farmland has doubled in size every twelve years. This has led to an increased demand for water in the country. New Zealand has experienced very bad periods of drought. 24

24. 3 Sustainable Exploitation of Water: New Zealand Ireland Why is Irrigation Needed in New Zealand? Exploitation of Natural Resources 24

24. 3 Sustainable Exploitation of Water: New Zealand Ireland Why is Irrigation Needed in New Zealand? Though New Zealand has a plentiful supply of fresh water, not all of its areas have access to enough water because of where rain is falling. Fun Fact! New Zealand is approximately 268, 000 km², while Ireland is only 70, 000 km². That means New Zealand is almost four times the size of Ireland. Exploitation of Natural Resources 24

24. 3 Sustainable Exploitation of Water: New Zealand Ireland Exploitation of Natural Resources Sustainable Exploitation of Water in New Zealand The Central Plains in New Zealand is an area 600 km 2 in size. It gets between 750– 1, 000 mm of rainfall per year. There are two main rivers: the Rakaia and the Waimakariri. The Central Plains Irrigation Scheme uses the water from both rivers to compensate for the lack of rainfall. 24

24. 3 Sustainable Exploitation of Water: New Zealand Ireland Exploitation of Natural Resources 24 Sustainable Exploitation of Water in New Zealand A number of actions have been taken to ensure that the Central Plains will benefit from this the Central Plains Irrigation Scheme for years to come without damaging either river: The irrigation system is well run Pipes are regularly repaired and upgraded so that leaks are avoided. Irrigation is planned and timed Weather conditions are checked ahead of time to ensure the correct amount of water is used for irrigation. If rainfall is predicted, less irrigation and, therefore, less water is needed. Records are kept New Zealand irrigation is run by a privately owned company. Each year they must measure and record the amount of water used by each irrigation scheme in the country. If too much water is taken from natural sources, the company can face fines.

24. 3 Sustainable Exploitation of Water: New Zealand Ireland Exploitation of Natural Resources 24 Sustainable Exploitation of Water in Ireland Irish Water is an organisation set up by the Irish government for the purposes of providing safe, clean and affordable water and waste water services to the Irish people. In 2011, the government and Irish Water released the results of a study that highlighted problems for the exploitation of water throughout Ireland. The existing water supply did not meet the demand. The pipes used to transfer water around the country were in need of major repairs. As a result, water charges were introduced in Ireland.

24. 4 Sustainable Exploitation of Fish: Ireland Even though fish are a renewable resource, they are being rapidly overfished in many parts of the world. Overfishing occurs when fish are taken from the sea faster than they can reproduce. When this happens, fish stocks decrease quickly and become depleted. Exploitation of Natural Resources 24

24. 4 Sustainable Exploitation of Fish: Ireland Exploitation of Natural Resources 24 Why is Overfishing Happening? Improved ships: Super-trawlers have increased the amount of fish caught each year. These ships can catch fish and then store their catch in huge refrigerators to preserve them. Smaller ships take the catch back to land, while trawlers remain at sea. Improved technology: Super-trawlers have the capability to better locate fish. They use echo sounders and sonar equipment to locate shoals. Powerful motorised winch cranes can haul in huge nets full of fish. Netting: Monofilament nets are hard for fish to see. They can stretch for more than 40 km and hang like massive curtains in the water. Trawl nets scoop fish from the bottom of the sea floor.

24. 4 Sustainable Exploitation of Fish: Ireland Why is Overfishing Happening? Exploitation of Natural Resources 24

24. 4 Sustainable Exploitation of Fish: Ireland Exploitation of Natural Resources 24

24. 4 Sustainable Exploitation of Fish: Ireland Exploitation of Natural Resources How to Think Sustainably There a number of ways to prevent overfishing, so that fish stocks can recover or at least stay the same while still being fished: Ensuring fishing trawlers only fish within their own waters. Reducing the amount of fish (fishing quotas) that are allowed to be caught. Surveying fish stocks to record if they get too low. Reducing fishing fleets (number of super-trawlers) in our seas. Restricting fishing of certain types of fish at specific times of the year. 24

24. 4 Sustainable Exploitation of Fish: Ireland The Demand for the World’s Fish Exploitation of Natural Resources 24

24. 4 Sustainable Exploitation of Fish: Ireland Exploitation of Natural Resources Sustainable Fishing in Ireland Aquaculture helps to provide sustainable fish supplies in Ireland. Aquaculture is the breeding, rearing and harvesting of animals and plants in water. Fish farming is Ireland’s most common type of aquaculture. Fish farming and aquaculture raise fish and shellfish in tanks or enclosures. This ensures their numbers can be maintained while not being threatened by overfishing or pollution. Fish farm 24

24. 4 Sustainable Exploitation of Fish: Ireland Exploitation of Natural Resources Sustainable Fishing in Ireland The positives and negatives of sustainable fish farming and aquaculture for Ireland are very important. Environmentally Fish farming and aquaculture has helped fish stocks recover and even increase for some types of fish, e. g. salmon. Economically Fishing is worth hundreds of millions to Ireland each year. In 2015, the Irish seafood trade was valued at € 891 million. Socially Aquaculture and fish farming provide an income for thousands of people in Ireland. 24

24. 4 Sustainable Exploitation of Fish: Ireland Exploitation of Natural Resources Sustainable Fishing in Ireland The number of people employed in fish farming and aquaculture: 24

24. 5 Sustainable Exploitation of Forestry: Ireland Exploitation of Natural Resources 24 A sustainable forest is a forest that is carefully managed. Trees that are felled are replaced with seedlings that eventually grow into mature trees. Forests provide two different types of essential products: Timber-based products Wood-based products Non-timber-based products Anything else a forest can provide

24. 5 Sustainable Exploitation of Forestry: Ireland Exploitation of Natural Resources Threats to Forestry: Illegal Deforestation Illegal deforestation is one of the main threats to the world’s forests. Illegal deforestation or logging occurs when trees are harvested and the resulting products are then bought or sold. This is done without seeking permission from those who own or manage the forest, e. g. private owners, companies or government agencies. 24

24. 5 Sustainable Exploitation of Forestry: Ireland Exploitation of Natural Resources Sustainable Exploitation of Forestry in Ireland Coillte is an Irish organisation that owns and manages 7% of the land in Ireland. Sustainable forestry in Ireland 24

24. 5 Sustainable Exploitation of Forestry: Ireland Exploitation of Natural Resources Sustainable Exploitation of Forestry in Ireland 1 Planted forest – saplings (young trees) are planted. 24

24. 5 Sustainable Exploitation of Forestry: Ireland Exploitation of Natural Resources 24 Sustainable Exploitation of Forestry in Ireland 2 Young forest – when forests reach a young age (0– 15 years), they are used for human activities, such as camping and cycling.

24. 5 Sustainable Exploitation of Forestry: Ireland Exploitation of Natural Resources 24 Sustainable Exploitation of Forestry in Ireland 3 Middle-aged forest – middle-aged forests (15– 55 years) are used for cutting down trees.

24. 5 Sustainable Exploitation of Forestry: Ireland Exploitation of Natural Resources Sustainable Exploitation of Forestry in Ireland 4 Old forest – old-age forests (50+ years) are cut down completely. 24

24. 5 Sustainable Exploitation of Forestry: Ireland Exploitation of Natural Resources The Value of Forestry in Ireland Environmental value Economic value Social value Trees convert harmful carbon dioxide into oxygen. In one year, one acre of forest can absorb six tonnes of carbon dioxide and release four tonnes of oxygen. Coillte contributes € 4. 2 billion to the Irish economy each year. There are 12, 000 people currently employed by Coillte in Ireland. 24

24. 6 Sustainable Exploitation of Soil: Farming Exploitation of Natural Resources Soil is an essential natural and non-renewable resource. The main use of soil in Ireland is farming – 67. 4% of the national land cover. Farming is the business of growing crops, e. g. barley, or raising livestock, e. g. cattle. For the soil to be exploited correctly, farming methods used must be sustainable. Farm in Ireland 24

24. 6 Sustainable Exploitation of Soil: Farming The Structure of Farming in Ireland Exploitation of Natural Resources 24

24. 6 Sustainable Exploitation of Soil: Farming Exploitation of Natural Resources Soil Fertilising and Farming Keeping the soil in good condition is a concern for farmers around Ireland. The more fertile the soil, the more crops they can grow, or the better the grass will be to feed their livestock. Farmers fertilise land to try and improve the condition of the soil. Fertilisation is the adding of suitable substances to the soil to improve its fertility. Fertilisers can be natural or artificial. Farmer fertilising land 24

24. 6 Sustainable Exploitation of Soil: Farming Exploitation of Natural Resources Soil Fertilising and Farming Natural Artificial These can be called organic fertilisers. These can be called synthetic/chemical fertilisers. They are naturally created. This means they are created by nature. Artificial fertilisers are ‘man-made’ or inorganic compounds. Examples of natural fertilisers are: Plants need a number of nutrients to survive. These can be supplied directly in powder or liquid form: Compost (made from rotten plant matter such as vegetables) Manure (excrement from livestock animals such as cattle, chickens, horses and sheep) Ammonium nitrate Ammonium phosphate Potassium sulphate 24

24. 6 Sustainable Exploitation of Soil: Farming Exploitation of Natural Resources 24 Soil Exploitation and Farming (Damage and Pollution) Pollution Fertilising land can pose a real threat to soil, if done incorrectly. In Ireland, the spreading of manure on land must be done by the middle of October. The increased rainfall experienced in Ireland from October on means the excess manure on the soil can be washed away into nearby rivers, polluting them and other soils nearby. Overfertilisation The nutrients supplied by artificial fertilisers do not stay in the soil for very long. Natural fertilisers release their nutrients into the soil more slowly. Because the nutrients are naturally available in the soil, there is a danger of overfertilisation, which can kill crops.

24. 6 Sustainable Exploitation of Soil: Farming Exploitation of Natural Resources 24 Sustainable Management of Farm Soil There a number of ways in which farming can be done sustainably. Crop rotation (moving of crops): With this method of farming, the same crop is not grown in the same field for two years in a row. Different crops are rotated from field to field each year. This means the soil in a particular field is not depleted of the nutrients that a certain crop needs, and it is given a chance to recover.

24. 6 Sustainable Exploitation of Soil: Farming Exploitation of Natural Resources 24 Sustainable Management of Farm Soil There a number of ways in which farming can be done sustainably. Proper care of soil: Farmers often use herbicides and pesticides to protect their land from weeds and harmful insects. Farmers in Ireland must inform the Department of Agriculture to gain permission to do so. They must only be spread at assigned times during the year and in the correct amount to reduce the potential for soil contamination. Farmers can lessen the damage caused by poaching by ensuring good tracks to fields and by using multiple access routes to fields where possible. Poached land

Exploitation of Natural Resources Video: Farming in Paraguay Causes Deforestation 24

Exploitation of Natural Resources Video: Exploitation of Water 24