Social Science 4 Marks Each

Remedies to conserve the forests: The Government of India implemented a National Forest Policy in 1952 for protection and conservation of forests. After that. The Indian Parliament passed a Forest Conservation Act in 1980. In 1988. The Government of India declared a new Forest Policy. 
→Forests are our national assets. An understanding is to be developed among the citizens that it is our moral duty of all of us to conserve them. 
→Strict controls should be implemented and the persons indulging into illegal tree felling must be punished severely. 
→Public participation should be increased through Vanmahotsav and social forestry programmes and such programmes should be encouraged. 
→ Saplings prepared by the Forest Department should be planted on either sides of the waste lands, rivers, railways, roads, canals, etc. and rear them. 
→Environment awareness should be developed among the students through school syllabus, environmental education, activities and competitions. 
→ Environment related days like 'World Forest Day' and 'World Environment Day' should be celebrated. 
→ Proper care should be taken to avoid the forest fire and in case of the fire enough arrangements should be made to douse it immediately.
→People should be motivated to use alternate energy resources like solar energy, bio-energy. wind energy, etc. In place of wood and should be assisted to purchase equipment for it. 
→Explain the Importance of forests to people through broadcasting media and develop public awareness.

(a) Utility of forests with reference to forest products: 
→Wood is the major product of the forest. Strong and durable timber wood like pine, saal and sesame are available from forests. 
→The wood of acacia and kher is used as fuel wood.
→From the soft wood of cone-shaped trees like pine and chid, many goods like packing boxes for tea and medicines, sports goods, match-sticks, paper, synthetic fibres, etc. are prepared. 
→Paper and rayon, baskets, smaller baskets, toys, mats and goods of home decoration are prepared from bamboo.
→Wooden boats are made out of the wood of sundari tree growing in Sundarvan. 
→Fragrant sandalwood and sandalwood oil is available from sandalwood trees which grow in Karnataka forests.
→Catechu is obtained from kher trees. 
→Turpentine is obtained from the fluid of chid trees and medicinal oil is obtained from the leaves of eucalyptus trees.
→Herbal medicines like sarpagandha, ashwa gandha, cinchona, shankhavali, saragavo, garmalo, harde, baheda, amla, etc. are obtatued from these forests.
→Brooms are made out of the leaves of palm and date-palm, leaf-plates and bowls from the leaves of khakhra and bidi from timru leaves, 
→Some minor products of the forests include rubber, lac, resin, honey, gum and cane. Most of the lac is produced in India.
→Many fruits are also obtained from the forests.
(b) Ecological importance of forests: The environmental importance (utility) of forests are as follows: 
→ Forests keep the atmosphere cool and help to bring rain. 
→ Forests spread humidity in the atmosphere and thus prevents it from becoming adverse. 
→ Forests suck harmful gases like carbon dioxide from the air and release life-saving oxygen.
→ Forests are useful to control the floods in the rivers. 
→They prevent the erosion by wind and rain. 
→They prevent the advancing deserts and this protects the fertile soil. 
→Forests conserve the humidity and retain the groundwater. 
→ They reduce pollution and maintain environmental equilibrium. 
→They increase the natural beauty. 
→They keep the air pure. 
→They provide dwellings to wildlife. 
→ Forests are the ideal fields for Adventure - Tourism Activity'. 
→Some forests in India are reserved as National Parks and Sanctuaries.