1. Afforestation: The process of establishment new forest where there was no previous tree cover through planting, seeding is called Afforestation.
2. Deforestation: Removal of trees for agricultural, commercial ,housing or firewood use without replanting and without allowing time for the forest to regenerate itself.
3. Forest management:
4. Forest Rights Act:
5. Reserve Forest: Reserved forests are forests in which no one could enter.
II. Improve Your Learning:
1. Do you agree with the following statements? Give reasons for your agreement or disagreement.
i) The notion of private property is important to protect the forest.
A.
1. The tribal people have lived in the forests, protected them and earned their livelihood from them.
2. Before the British rule, the tribals treated the forests as their own. They used it without causing damage and took care to ensure the regeneration of trees.
3. During the last 200 years tribals were rendered homeless in their own homes which lead to degraded forest land.
4. Forest Rights Act, 2006 confers on forest dwellers their traditional users of forests, their rights over the forests to save the forests.
ii) All forests need to be protected by human beings.
A.
1. Environmental destruction results in poverty in the communities that are directly dependent upon forest and wildlife.
2. Conservationn preserves the ecological diversity.
3. It also preserves the genetic diversity of plants and animals.
iii) Over the centuries most people living on earth have reduced their dependence on forest for their livelihood.
A.
1. During the last two hundred years, the tribal people gradually lost their control and rights over the forest. It is due to great demand for wood and to raise plantation crops. It lead to degraded forest land.
2. Large scale evictions of 1920, mopping operations till 1940 made tribals to adapt settled agriculture, modern education and other works,
2. Create a timeline to show the major changes in use of forests over centuries. You may be required to look at your text books from previous classes.
A.
3. Based on the details given in the above text, or from what you already know about the forests, compare the type of forest that is closest to your area of living on the following aspects:
A.
4. Observe the map of the forests in Telangana and find out which district(s) has/have the maximum forest covered area?
A.
In Telangana Badradri has the maximum forest covered area. Next Adilabad, Nizamabad, Karimnagar, Mahaboobnagar, Komaram Bheem, Mancherial, Jagtiyal, Kamareddy, Medak and Nagarkurnool.
5. A few children in a school participated in Vanamahothsavam programme and they planted some saplings. How would you respond to this?
A.
1. I was inspired by the school childrens message to all that tree protection is very important in environmental protection.
2. I also want to participate in such programmes in the best interests of the society.
3. I would like to create more awareness and encourage others to volunteer for the cause of greenery and environmental protection.
6. Read the paragraph under the Heading 'Forests of Telangana' and answer the
question?
About 26,904 sq kilometres of the region has been declared as forests by the government. This is about 24% of all land in the region or nearly one quarter of our state. However, all this is not really forested as only about 16.74% of our land has tree cover to qualify as forest. This
means that is about 7% of our forest lands are open grounds and with very few trees. Even this forest cover is dwindling due to felling, encroachment, mining etc. Every year about 30 sq.km of forests are lost in our state.
A.
I suggest the following for increasing the forest cover in our state.
1. Tree - planting in vacant lands in cities and in the surroundings of industrial institutions has gained momentum to check environmental pollution.
2. In order to meet the needs of the rural population, trees are being planted in fallow and barren lands for fire wood, animal feed and timber.
3. By experimentation, scientific research, such varieties of trees should be developed which can easily be grown in dry and hilly areas and waste lands.
4. Some alternate materials should be used in place of wood such as plastic, so that the need of wood is minimized. It reduces the pressure on forests.
7. What is the difference between Evergreen forests and Deciduous forests?
A.
Evergreen forests:
1. These are called tropical rain forests
2. Trees shed their leaves in the dry season to conserve water.
3. Hardwood, trees like Rosewood, Ebony, Mahagony are common trees. Deciduous forests
Deciduous Forests:
1. These are called monsoonal forests
2. Trees do not shed their leaves all together
3. The hardwood trees are found here. They are Sal, Teak, Neem and Shishan.
8. Observe the pictures on page 59 and write a comment.
1. Forests are the temples of trees and animals.
2. The trees in the forests balance the climate by cooling it and absorbing carbondioxide.
3. Forests maintain ecological balance with the greedy nature of man, slowly disappeared with it beautiful animals and birds.
4. Earth became a concrete jungle with huge buildings, slowly, the humans understood the importance of forests.
5. Some areas are declared as reserved forests and protected forests to grow more forests.
III. Additional and Short Answers:
1. What do you think about Protected forests?
A.
1. Forests used by people, could take head - loads of wood and small forest produce for their own use.
2. People allowed to graze their cattle. But, here too, there were many restrictions.
2. What is the another name of shifting cultivation ?
A.
Podu cultivation.
3. Do you think it is important to have forests? What will happen if all the forests are cleared and used up for growing crops, building factories or mines or houses for people to live? Can't we live without forests? Discuss in your class.
A.
1. Forests maintain the ecological balance by absorbing carbon - dioxide .
2. They check on the rise of atmospheric temperature.
3. Provide natural habitat to wild life.
4 . Forests help in rainfall.
5. Forests play a vital role in conservation of soil.
3. In what way do you think does this act make up for the injustice done to the tribal people in the past 200 years?
A.
Forest Rights Act , 2006 confers on forest dwellers and other traditional users of forests ; their traditional rights over the forests and also title to lands they use . If implemented properly , this act can be used to undo the wrong done to the tribal people over the generations.
4. Discuss this in the class- do you think it is the correct way to redress the wrongs done to the tribal people ? How will it help in protecting the forests ? What other steps need to be taken for this?
A.
1. It is the correct way to redress the wrongs done to the tribal people - By making the forest dwellers who have been traditionally taking care of the forests the main protectors, forests can be saved in a better way.
2. It is necessary to address the long standing insecurity of land rights and access rights of forest dwellers including those who were forced to relocate their dwelling due to construction of dam or tiger reserve.
What are the objectives of National Forest Policy?
A.
Primary task National Forest Policy declared that 1988:
1. To associate the tribal people with the protection, regeneration and development of forests.
2. It also wanted to provide gainful employment to the people living in and around the forests.
3. The government sought to involve the village communities living close to the forests in their protection and development of the degraded forest land.
4. It also prescribed the right of use to village
communities to meet their requirements of
forest produce and active participation in
afforestation programmes.
5. Expand CFM ?
A.
Community Forest Management .
6. Many forests are sacred and are worshipped by the people. Some forests are famous as the abode of some gods and goddesses. Find out about them and tell everyone in the class about them.
A.
Nature worship is an age old tribal belief.
Certain societies have a particular tree to worship
1. The Mundas and the Santhals of Chota Nagpur region - worship Mahua and Kadamba trees.
2. Tribals of Odissa and Bihar worship the tamarind and mango trees.
3. Many of us consider peepal and banyan tree as sacred.
4. The Koya tribes consider the forest area of Medaram as the abode of gods and goddesses and celebrate jatara of Sammakka - Sarakka.
5. The Chenchus consider Srisailam forests as the abode of Lord Shiva.
7. Name some of the examples of littoral and swamp forests .
A.
Uppu ponna , Boddu ponna , Urada and Mada .
8. Where can we see Evergreen forests in India
A
Equatorial regions or regions like Kerala and Andaman in India.
9. A few children in a school participated in Vanamahothsavam programme and they planted some saplings. How would you respond to this?
A.
1. I inspired by the school childrens message to all that tree protection is very important in environmental protection.
2. I also want to participate in such programmes in the best interests of the society.
3. I would like to create more awareness and encourage others to volunteer for the cause of greenery and environmental protection.
10. What sort of climate changes will occur with the high density of tree cover ?
A.
1. If the trees are more in number, they will absorb more carbondioxide and reduce temperature and creates cool climate.
2. It increases the percentage of rainfall .
3. It increase the oxygen percentage and helpful to the life of living organisms.
4. It reduces the global warming.
5. It makes our life pleasant.
7. What is a forest ? There can be many ways of defining a forest . Write a definition of forests.
A.
1. Forest is a large area covered chiefly with trees and undergrowth.
2. Forest is best defined as an ecosystem or assemblage of ecosystems dominated by trees and other woody vegetation.
3. Forest is a large area made up of various species of plants and fauna.
11. Do you think there is any difference between a plantation of Eucalyptus trees or tea shrubs and a forest? Discuss in the class.
A.
1. Forest trees grow in both height and breadth. The diameter at the top should be more or less equal to its height.
2. Eucalyptuss trees are long, but at the top they are not broad enough.
3. Thee plantations in tea estates are grown upto a height of 3 to 4 feet. Otherwise it will be useless.
12. Find out how the mangrove trees adapt to the special conditions of sea coasts.
A.
A Mangrove is a tropical maritime tree or shrub. Mangrove tree has special aerial roots and salt - filtering tap roots that enable them to thrive in brackish water.
13. What was the difference between protection of forests by the tribal people and by the Forest Department ?
A.
1. Tribals treated the forest as their mother. Their birth, life, death - every event was in the laps of forests.
2. They felt no difference between them and forest. So they didn't cause any harm of loss to the forests.
3. In agriculture also they took necessary safety measures.
4. Forest Department officials usually belonged to distant and rich communities.
5. They regarded the tribal people as ignorant and dangerous.
6. They had no positive feeling about the forests.
14. Classify the forest? Explain any one of them? (SA1-22)
A.
