Enhanced WOOD PRODUCTS consumption - THE BEST BET to combat Climate change - Series 1

The best solution to combat climate change is to enhance usage of wood and wood products..........Isn't it absurd and odd to advocate or to encourage wood products consumption to provide this as one of the best solution to combat climate change.

But What I say I mean it with conviction, if we view the same with some economics of  demand and supply ie if the demand of the product increases value as well as price too increases thus initially with some hick ups, planters cum farmers will plant it and in due course supply too  increases.  In other words with more demand, supply becomes a constraint, prices go up encouraging planting as wood and wood  product becomes more lucrative to manufacturer thus lead to enhanced  production to keep up demand supply balance ultimately resulting in more planting more trapping of carbon ie more carbon sequestration ultimately combating climate change.

Same happens with Agri crops and agri products too eg if Onion prices go up, farmers plant more onions during the year leading to enhanced supply and gradually market take its own course and correct prices in the long run and the game move on.

Food crop can not be substituted by any other item, hunger has to have only food  as supply thus its availability is always maintained, short term shortfall happens and with every production cycle it corrects and manages to have sustained supply as there is no other alternative to food.

Regarding forestry / timber trees like Teak, Sal, Sheesham etc.  and Pulp / paper wood species like Pine, Eucalyptus, Casuarina, Poplar etc their end products can be substituted with Steel, Aluminium and Plastics and currently paper with electronic and digitization respectively.

And when option was available say about 30-35 years or even before we didn't do anything to protect natural products availability and supply, rather  adopted short cuts and discouraged usage of timber furniture and substituted with Steel, Aluminium and currently with plastic in the name of protecting environment. These actions have not helped in protecting environment rather they have degraded further by way of mining and creating permanent scars on mother earth.(will mention in Series 2 of the same series in more detail). Thus continued reduction and destruction of forests happened which led to reduced carbon sinks which has now led to imbalance in nature and leading to global warming.

We didn't realize if the tree is not replanted we are missing on the cheapest and best source of sequestering carbon. Gradually source of converting CO2 to O2 kept on reducing and supply of CO2 kept on increasing and balance got disturbed and has led to rise in global temperature and threat to survival of humanity.
Rather instead of substitution if we could have continued usage of wood products with enhanced supplies or even balancing supplies and continued planting of desired species (carbon sinks) would have continued to flourish resulting in carbon balance in the atmosphere but unfortunately it didn't happen.

We keep on talking on reduction of Carbon emissions and improved technologies and their adoption, these actions may delay the catastrophe for few more years but will not stop it forever.

Its only the more trees and more improved water conservation measures( Ref: Forestry and Water Conservation series blog) will save mankind.

We have always missed on encouraging consumption of wood products still its not too late to do so. 

I would like to quote example of Pulp and Paper industry in India where Pulp and Paper is produced through their Farm Forestry plantations undertaken with the participation of farmers.

It is always being advocated to reduce consumption of paper to save trees.

Don't print : you save trees. 

Looks so fitting to save forests and the climate. But the facts which I am going to highlight below will surely open every body's eyes and these are  altogether different than this common understanding.

Hope everybody start thinking differently. 

More demand for paper is created will result in more no of trees being planted and thus more mitigation of carbon resulting in call for reduction in global temperature.

In India, Pulp and Paper production is just like producing Potato Chips, Noodles or any other  agriculture based product. Trees too are being cultivated the same way as  Potato and Wheat are being cultivated on Farmer's field means pulp wood  farmers cultivate trees  for the production of Paper, like any other agriculture crop

How it had happened ? Paper industry continued to grow  at the desired pace, resulted in enhanced demand of wood. Wood prices became lucrative to farmers by way of helping them in improving productivity of trees/ acre and minimum support price of wood too was given so that it remains lucrative for the farmer and indirectly supporting the environment by way of sequestering about 15 million tonnes of carbon every year.

We can estimate demand of other wood substituted products and gradually work on enhancing supply of wood by way of undertaking demand related plantings that will help and support combating climate change and as well as reduce demand supply gap in long run.

 

Question can be asked who will do this? Biggest responsibility lies on Government and second lies on the primary consumers of wood products ie the manufacturers thus they all have to  do their own assessment of demand growth and plan it accordingly and secondly Govt has about 29 Million hectatres of degraded land they can lease land for undertaking consumer based planting like Teak, Sal, Sheesham etc etc which are native to India and protect Bio diversity at micro level. But till now nothing has moved. 

 

In today's (16th Oct-16) Hindu newspaper  Henri Noltie a renowned botanist from Edinburgh says grow locals in Ooty ecosystem not Eucalyptus in Nilgiris. (Eucalyptus is grown in Ooty area since so many years that's why Eucalyptus other name is Nilgiris). Question comes if not fast growing species then what? If we would have banked upon native and slow growing species our condition would have further worsen with very slow growth in carbon sinks resulting in further reduction of carbon sinks.

 

I am 100% in favor of protecting biodiversity but not at the cost of increasing Carbon and other deadly gases. First prioritize this control and parallel work on protection and conservation with full sincerity and commitment.

Series no 2 will highlight how short cut to wood substitution has adversely impacted Climate Change.

 

Forestry with Water conservation - Series 6

Hi! Everyone,

 

As I mentioned in my last post that I will be highlighting my thoughts on Uttarakhand recurring catastrophe why its occurring and how to manage it in long term.

 

Its true that adverse effects of Climate change are the biggest factor causing Uttarakhand catastrophe and  that can be understood at Macro level. Severe and very heavy cloud bursts followed by consistent heavy rains have resulted into repetitive havocs and loss of human lives every year.

When this occurs Govt., Environmentalists and NGOs get active for a short period as and when Monsoon gets over and life becomes normal all vanish into blue and forget about the damages and their concern to repair and revive.

Since 2013 this has become a regular phenomenon and I am afraid after one or 2 more severe catastrophe this may become a talk and start  appreciating local people and complementing them that how these people have adjusted to this adverse climatic condition and may become case study depicting how to survive during such severe conditions in mountains.

 

Finally who will be biggest sufferers, of course the local inhabitants, every year they will continue to lead a life of fear and uncertainty.  The heavy surface run off with Soil and mud will continue to flow with Ganga, Yamuna and Alaknanda resulting in heavy siltation with reducing water holding capacity of dams and check dams every where. Thus improper management or mismanagement at one place will cascade or multiply many uncontrolled and unfavorable chain reactions at every locations.

 

All this is happening at the origins of these rivers which is more detrimental and should be cause of concern to all of us.

What people talk, write and publish that Himalayan ranges are fragile with poor soil stability of the slopes our mismanagement and  mishandling of these places is the biggest factor responsible for this.

The basic and most fundamental concept of Watershed management and Soil Conservation is missing in managing Uttarakhand catastrophe.

 

One should explore that how this has resulted.

 

India where population is biggest asset but its also the biggest menace as we have limited resources and to sustain we look for fresh and pristine avenues and keep on expanding to the regions which were virgins at one time  and get exploited for human greed, Uttarakhand and Himachal are one of those regions thus I say these man-made factors that have compounded the scale of the disaster without proper planning and without considering its far reaching adverse impacts.

 

For a meaningful economy to grow an inclusive growth is a  must. Inclusive means holistic development of local people with conserving and protecting micro environment of that area. For Himachal and Uttarakhand tourism is the backbone of their economy thus construction of roads and hotels becomes the need of this industry to accommodate ever increasing pilgrimage and leisure tourism but road construction doesn't follow the right guidelines resulting land slides and even damage of roads. I'll not show the damages happened rather I would like to concentrate on the solutions and the actions to control these happenings.

Solutions which are being suggested can be classified into immediate/urgent (high cost impact) and long term sustaining (low cost impact) but slow in its effectiveness.

Immediate ones : To understand strategic and high impact locations, intervention at these locations will immediately control the damages and boost conservation. Timing of the interventions with locations is very important to keep the cost under control and to ensure its effectiveness. Planning to happen much before the monsoon leaving execution immediately after monsoon ie by Sept end. One structural concept is mentioned through below mentioned photograph though its costly affair but in long term its only the solution. If we wait for its greening through vegetative intervention and its stabilization it will take time and may get damaged with every severe downpour. Thus leading the impact with similar to what shown in below photograph and after its execution in its catchment low cost measure like greening with suitable grasses and planting broad leaves plants like Oaks etc and all which reduce the impact of heavy rain on the ground will reduce surface run off and as well stabilize the soil in the long run.

 

             Source : Internet- One example of stabilization of soil during construction of roads

 

A meticulous planning from the source where maximum impact happens every year and the impacted areas can be divided into high to low impact zones and 3-5 year long term plan can be developed. First two years can be devoted fully to civil structures with vegetation supporting the same.
Simultaneously conservation of local vegetation to be encouraged first with suitable moisture conservation measures at various and strategic locations and gradients. First to be dealt at high point and later moving down gradually. Higher gradients can have permanent structure providing strength the ground surface and gradually moving down and these can simultaneously at multiple locations depending upon the fund availability.
As suggested by many experts to conduct realistic carrying capacity wrt handling of tourists annually and specially during peak days of these places which are ecologically fragile and accordingly infrastructure development to take place and that too with strict control measures and imparting desired training to the people dependent on it towards scientific and logically managing these ecological fragile zones.
Secondly possibilities of building tunnels instead of roads to be explored as tunnels provide shorter route and as well as protects the ecosystem in long run. Construction of dams or water conservations are surely needed to ensure availability of water all throughout the year for generating power and as well as for agriculture. I am not against construction of dams on hill regions rather I favor such initiatives but their size should be well balanced with the degree of sensitivity should be assessed well before finalizing the size to protect the ecosystem and fragility of the biosphere dependent on that.
Landslides have become more frequent and riskier with a beginning of more severe localized catastrophe the solution to arrest this too is only 2 ways one structural and second vegetative to be followed as per need and suitability of the location. My recommendation to be that both means should be followed simultaneously beginning Sept end by next monsoon comes these locations to become stronger to counter heavy downpours.
The planning to be more decentralized and to be done with the involvement of locals dependent on it and who all life is at risk results will be quick and effective and long lasting.

Can't we learn from the countries which are very ecological sensitive at one of point of time and now are the best in managing it like Brazil. None of the mountain in Brazil (wherever I have visited) is seen with even a single surface run off or land slides. Where practicing forestry is business with a meaning. Forestry is practiced commercially along with a mandate to conserve about 25% of the area with greenery and with native species. No river or rivulets is left exposed, their banks are will protected and conserved with greenery all along the banks. The scene is to be admired and practiced.

 

 

 

Source- Internet : Concretized and Conserved slope becoming stable 

Source : Internet : Gradually road to delicate / fragile area will be stronger to counter catastrophe

Question is finally: Can we do this for local inhabitants and for a well sustaining ecosystem ?

 

Forestry with Water conservation - Series 5

Water reservoirs- Dams

These are the artificial man made well planned structures which lead to obstruction in natural river flows.

Looks so absurd to read this but these are must to conserve and save water from going as waste to the sea and improving land productivity of the fields, being getting irrigated through its well knit canal system.

Process to identify suitable location, to build these dams is very simple, like to ascertain quantum of water flowing through the river throughout the year and it's seasonality or perenniality involved. Location of dam should have natural high structures on both the banks of the river to support construction of dam and controlling river flow into the dam. With the water inflow and height of the dam water holding capacity of the dam is calculated making an important decision pertaining to area to be irrigated converting an unfertile land into fertile, bringing all round prosperity to the area.

Water holding capacity or volume of dam is a simple mathematical calculation which is directly propotional with height of the dam. If the height of the dam reduces automatically water holding capacity of reservoir reduces. Does the height reduces? How height of a dam can reduce !!!! But it reduces during the current circumstances of massive deforestation, soil erosion and massive inflow of uncontrolled debris and silt to water ecosystem of the reservoir.

Thus if the proper watershed management of the rivers and its  tributaries from their place of origin to the point of entering into the reservoir is not maintained or is not happening, it will surely result in excessive siltation of the reservoir and without affecting ocular and aesthetic beauty of the reservoir gradually the dam starts dying by way of reduction in volume of water of the reservoir. 

Thus adversely affecting all the objectives of the dam and ultimately effecting the population dependent on it.

How to avoid this unfavourable outcome ? The answer lies in proper management of watershed management system by way of improving soil holding capacity of the river banks and reducing soil inflows into the river. This can happen by way of planting suitable plant species on the riparian ecosystem feeding the river. ( I am not mentioning about man made artificial soil erosion checking structures. If that happens, along with what I am highlighting its welcome in short term, to achieve long term goals of sustainability).

Checking the sloppy lands by covering them with suitable grasses, shrubs and trees who all have well spread leaf and root system.

Leaves to reduce water drops induced soil splash and root network to hold soil at the time of heavy down pours or cloud bursts.

It looks simple but it needs very meticulous planning and execution at very micro level and above all, a massive awareness too to be build up wrt importance of right implementation of soil management systems all throughout the river riparian ecosystem.

As mentioned in previous 4 series each and every part of tree is precious for humanity, specially wrt water as precious resource, it not only conserves and saves water from wastage it even clean and purifies it through its underground root network. It conserves soil and retains moisture regime of the soil for longer period thus avoiding drought and water shortage for humanity thriving on the natural resource named tree or forests.

Next in series : How to avoid / preserve Mountain ecosystem with special reference to Uttarakhand Catostrophy.

Forestry with Water conservation - Series 4

"Ponds and Lakes"

 

After Rivers and rivulets, another source of water rejuvenation and storage on ground surface are "Ponds and Lakes".

 

Historical importance:

 

These were being maintained and protected well since historical times and suggested that these enjoyed one of the most crucial attention towards conserving precious water as life line. They graced the area urban as well as rural equally well at every strategic locations and well protected and conserved. Regular cleaning and rejuvenation of these water source (if water source existed) use to continue to happen with proper unwritten Standard Operating Procedures (SOP).

 

Another important water source need to be touched upon which has lost its glory in the current water greed and selfishness is nothing but the digging of wells and their regular maintenance. These were maintained with the philosophy of water source with water harvesting too. During rains water used to get stored and conserved too in these wells and usage too was slow, it used to be mostly for the community and with less pressure on it on account of less population it worked well. Later with population growth and demand for water increased bore wells replaced scientific wells and indiscriminate boring led to unscientific water harvesting and ultimately led to depleting ground water and water table.

With actual balance of nature there used to be regular rains and regular water recharging during rains, led to fulfillment of human needs during water stress time of summer. Gradually unscientific water usage and least water harvesting gradually depleted the ground water and we started facing shortage in various locations. Every year number of water critical and water deficient locations are increasing.

With no proper water harvesting during water surplus days and no vegetation as ground cover leading to over evaporation of moisture from ground and very minimal water percolation through trees and root system, water is bound to vanish from the surface as well as underground if conscious and scientific actions are taken immediately.

 

Thus all these water bodies like ponds and lakes are to be de-silted with an awareness of the fact that the silt extracted from the ponds or lakes is one the best source of organic manure where ever it is spread on the fields. Thus this awareness has to be build up amongst the farmers nearby so that they are encouraged to support this common cause of deepening and de-silting of these water bodies thus enhancing or reviving the reduced capacity of the water body which got reduced over a period of time. Sometimes internal water body source too get revived which gets blocked due to poor maintenance of these precious resource.

 

Thus with water harvesting through forestry linked with its leaves, reduced soil splashed impact and water percolation and purification into the ground through its roots and building various water harvesting small check dams near these exposed water bodies will surely enhance water retention capacity and as well as enhance duration of the water storage will surely lead to water surplus area for the community dependent on it.

 

Next in series- series no 5- I'll be discussing about Water reservoirs of dams and others, where water is trickling into them. Their management will be a more complicate as this has to have impacts of Riverine watershed management and as well as treatment to large water bodies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Forestry with Water conservation - Series 3

In my previous series no 1 and 2, I have discussed causes of water shortage or water stress in brief with the fundamentals of greening and it's positive impact on ground water recharge and how an individual at ground and micro level can lead a change for improvement.

 

In subsequent series I will discuss with modus operandi to develop a sustainable model to achieve a water efficient bliss for a village or locality. But that will come with more maturity and understanding the thought process.

Before that I would like to highlight various water bodies involved in water storage and water supply and they are as follows :
1. Fresh water streams.
2. Rivers. ( rivulets and large rivers.)
3. Ponds and lakes.
4. Water reservoirs.
5. Wells and bore wells.

Each of the above mentioned sources have its own water catchment and water shed area with its own Ecosystem.
Imagine how a water streams comes out of mountain crevices where no one can imagine that water might exist but it exists.That's the god gift,we possess from nature. As said in series1 we are disturbing and spoiling all those to a point of no return.

That was pessimism further we should move with optimism that it will happen though looks difficult at present.

1. Fresh water streams :

These are simplest to be protected and recharged but most difficult too.

Difficult in the sense, the way these originate is purely based on what has been done and gifted by nature with perfect favorable conditions like no human interference near by, thus vegetation suiting to this ecosystem with natural bio diversity fully preserved, sufficient moisture exists to sustain/perennial water flow throughout the year, maintains the pristine beauty of the ecosystem with micro climatic temperatures well with in limits so that its survival remains intact with its natural biological cycle well preserved. But in true sense are we able to protect such places ? Response lies its very difficult to find such streams any where, specially at the places where human interferences have entered might be less but impacted a bit to the place. Slight disturbance of the place means disturbances in its flows and biological cycle converting perennial flow to a seasonal one. 

With global climate change, effect these streams adversely too, like less rainfall in that area will lead to less recharge of its water storage, during rains impacting it to dry up. Such streams where human interference is least are the last to get impacted but these drying up are the signs of the irreversible changes thus we must try to protect and conserve these first.

These streams are the flow of water of million drops from these to rivulets and rivers. If these dry up rivers are bound to dry up. These are very small but very vital components of any river water catchment or watershed area.

2. Rivers : (Rivulets and larger rivers):

Most focused but least results.

Rivers whether its Ganga, Yamuna, Narmada, Krishna, Godawari, Brahmaputra or Satluj etc. or any river has its origin. Which originates, in case of glacier impacted river like Ganges and Yamuna has their output a huge one since beginning and serene thus they are able to sustain during summers also, with little impact on flow but if we don't do any thing to combat climate change glaciers may melt and may result in extinction and any such river like Ganges may become a river of past. Indo-Gangetic plain its productiveness and relevance along with the population dependent on it may vanish forever.

 

Secondly other rivers like Narmada having its origin in Amarkantak in Madhya Pradesh with very small flow seeing very wide Narmada at Jabalpur or at Onkareshwar, one can not imagine Narmada  having so small origin.

 

How this small origin or a rivulet like river has got converted into a large river? Many small tributaries joined in between making a matured large river till it reaches Sardar Sarovar in Gujarat.

So river / riparian ecosystem is one of the most complicated fresh water ecosystem to be managed and understood.

All these have happened with nature with natural flow underground or over ground and resulted into a water flow network but slowly all these are losing and vanishing. 12 months water flow reducing to 11 months or less and the region dependent on it face water crisis at the time of extreme and critical need.

 

Various schemes and projects have been implemented with a view to clean rivers and thus to preserve their ecosystem. Since many years these are being implemented and executed but no results with positive impacts have been heard from any where.

Still Uttarakhand catastrophe continue to recur. Kashmir too experiences similar fate every year with heavy floods, massive land slides and heavy human loss with loss of precious vegetation and animals and cattle happen. National Disaster Management (NDM) become active only at this time to protect human lives and rescue them.

 

Where are we missing on these actions?

There are many reasons.

(With first and fore most assumption is that all the efforts so far were genuine and were in right direction. I don't want to get involved into the efficiencies of the implementing agencies).

 

But still we are missing.

Implementing agencies at the lower most level should first understand river ecosystem very well.

I'll start and end in this series with Mountain - river ecosystem first and how these are linked with its vegetation, forests and forestry crops.

 

Green vegetation is surely dependent on water or moisture, where its roots are laid. But if soils are lose and exposed without any root structure supporting, it is bound to vanish with excess rain, initially these will lead to slow surface run off later leading whole land to flow down to river with massive flow of vegetation and mud forever.

 

All these have resulted due to unscientific and uncontrolled development happened on the mountains flouting all the norms or rules laid out to protect these precious green cover protecting the slope, surface, river catchment, river watershed and riparian ecosystem of the river.

 

So a massive green cover beginning from local grass,to shrubs and to native tree species to be protected, revived and replanted so as to reach to its condition which nature itself accepts and march forward.

It requires local level awareness building with financial support from the Govt and NGOs with the actual knowledge of the local forest species to be protected and conserved with their importance for ecosystem and the population dependent on it.

 

Today we know how river Ganges sacred water behave against various diseases and its longevity wrt its shelf life. What all roots, leaves, trunks, bark and minerals are coming across the Ganges water which provide this impact to water not known so far. With these losses during the mismanagement of river Ganges nobody knows what will happen to quality of Ganges water there after.

 

Thus beginning has to happen from origin with a multiple micro-plans protecting and conserving its riparian system and the vegetation and green cover well protected. Initially it may happen we may have to provide strong civil structures to check surface run offs and land slides but these slowly have to support the vegetation and the local demanding landscaping protecting the river ecosystem.

 

The vegetation and the forests along side the rivers, called the riparian forests, act as buffers to reduce the impact of anthropogenic disturbances on the river. The riparian zone represents a transition between the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and is influenced by both longitudinal gradients of variation like climate and elevation as well transverse gradients like flooding, groundwater availability and protecting the land surface from denudation.

 

Thus river conservation cannot be viewed in isolation, as the riparian zone functions as a critical link between the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. It serves as an ecological corridor both between habitats and across elevation zones, and also as refuge to protect species against extreme temperature. This renders them as hotspots for adaptation to climate change in the near future. 

 

For me riparian ecosystem for a river starts from its origin and its origin ecosystem supporting its moisture, vegetation with it's fauna habiting the area becomes of utmost importance. Later similar treatment for its tributaries and their dependent ecosystem to be protected and conserved in most scientific manner.

 

In nutshell in layman's terminology all the things to be practiced and implemented which lead to enhanced moisture availability with protection and conservation of soil.

 

In upcoming series no 4.... protection and conservation of other water bodies will be dealt and how forestry will be supporting these in improving their efficiency to support humanity in terms of water conservation,........!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Forestry with Water conservation- Series 2

This series deals with the action plan of how we should move so as to improve to safeguard us and to hand over safe future to our next generations:

Challenges :

a. Shortage of water : Surface as well as Ground.

b. Shortage of green cover : Above ground in all the canopies. From grasses to shrubs and to trees as well.

c. Protection / conservation of surface run off during the rains.

a. Shortage of Water : Surface as well as Ground

Why has it occurred ?

There are many reasons for this.

 

1. Water's unwanted, uncontrolled over use.

2. Thinking it will last forever why only should I bother.

3. Somebody else responsibility not mine.

4. Unscientific, non sustainable urbanization.

5. Many critical serene water bodies destroyed like a slow poison given to a life without realizing that life is dying. (greed for real estate gains).

6. Water recharge underground channels got disturbed on account of unplanned and unscientific exploitation of land for development activities.

7. Another very important factor adversely effecting water availability is massive removal of green cover which not only lead to enhanced temperature at micro level and with absence of green cover water percolation down the ground became literally minimal. Each tree directly or indirectly  acted as a barrier against splash induced soil erosion and its root structure supported water percolation along with moisture conservation along the tree's catchment. Imagine multiple trees acting together in unison how much quantum can be percolated down impacting favorable ground water recharge.

8. Its not only the quantum of surface or ground water reduced, its the appropriateness of the quality of water too gone beyond acceptable limits resulting in many malaise conditions, with the absence of god gifted natural refining and purifying machines named trees, shrubs and grasses resulted in impure water.  Their leaves, stem and root network not only purifies the air outside, it purifies the water down the ground too.

9. I am mainly discussing the affirmative impact of presence of Trees, Shrubs and even grasses currently but without mentioning rain water harvesting through physical means like checking surface water flow to Sea and storing maximum water in water storage water bodies like ponds, lakes and reservoirs. Improving water holding capacity of these by undertaking de silting and even deepening of these water bodies.Siltation of these water bodies happen with more of surface runoff on account of high soil erosion with zero green cover on the ground.

10. We always talk of conservation and scientific usage of water resource, but these actions will not save humanity in the long run. Humanity will surely extinct but with these conservation and minimization of waste awareness and actions, human extinction may be delayed a bit but surely lead to doom.
11. Time has arrived to improve availability and quality of resources like Water, Air and Forests. Rather I should put is as Forests First. If this is done with best of its results quality and quantity of  air and as well as of water will improve. But if we start working for all the three together like harvesting water during rains, checking surface run off by greening etc the impact will be holistic and faster then expected.

How these actions will impact : With improving forest cover and proper water harvesting and conservation, gradually moisture regime of the ground dependent on it improves, with improved moisture, ground water gets recharged and greenery in the form of grasses is visible thus restoring the natural cycle and reviving the balance. At micro level it can happen in very short span of about 3-4 years time.

 

Imagine if this happens at multiple locations, multiple terrains  together with people's participation I am sure we may not face any water / fodder shortage any where rather farmer's income will improve as they will raise 3 agriculture crops from the same field directly contributing positively the National GDP.

 

 

Contd. : how to plan and move forward with priorities-Coming up. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Forestry with Water conservation- series 1

I am a Forestry and Sustainability expert who has a passion to work for society especially wrt improving greenery and indirectly working to improve moisture regime of the catchment associated with that.

This post can be considered as the first one of the series:

I call it as decentralized and micro level action plan. if such small small actions are understood and executed so as to get integrated into larger ones, will surely solve most dangerous menace of Water shortage, Food shortage and indirectly resulting in combating climate change.
But it has to begun at some point and somewhere.
Few Cases we find, hear, experience and appreciate but when its comes to support these at our own level we become more of preachers than of a practitioners and ameliorators.

Water and oxygen are the 2 most vital compounds for any living organism to sustains life. If these are not available in desired forms it is pretty known that the living organism will vanish and may result in dying of our planet for ever.
God knows whether planet will revive or not. if Yes! in how many million years no body knows.

I might be sounding a pessimist and to be so,  is the need of the hour, this pessimism will ring the bell for understanding the risk of our survivals with more scare and in real terms. With this doomy scare and to safeguard humanity,I am sure actions will be faster,holistic and more fruitful.

Unfortunately we have started experiencing extreme cases already in many areas of Maharastra, Andhra, Rajasthan states in our own country.

So to protect humanity and to ensure its survival any good beginning even today is not late.

This series deals with one of the action plans of how we should move so as to improve and thus safeguard us and to hand over safe future to our next generations:

Challenges :
a. Shortage of water : Surface as well as Ground.
b. Shortage of green cover : Above ground in all the canopies. From grasses to shrubs and to trees as well.
c. Protection / conservation of surface run off during the rains.
  
   Why this Water shortage ?

    Net duration of availability of surface water on annum basis of Flowing rivers, Ponds and lakes have reduced on account of reduced green cover along water shed area thus more exposure to sun and light resulting in higher and faster water evaporation.

Inlet of water flows from supporting estuaries, rivulets reduced to the main river resulted in water drying in critical summer months which used to be there few years back.

Contd.