Climate change and forest management
By: N Janbemo Humtsoe
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World Forestry Day March 21, 2010 According to the theory of evolution, humans were no less than wild beings some million years back. Human civilization advanced gradually from being a wanderer to a hunter and slowly promoted to a cultivator and inventor and later into a mass producer and consumer. The world population that was estimated to be around 5 millions in 10,000 BC increased to 250 millions by AD 1, 1.6 billion by 1900 AD and to 6 billion in 2000 AD. It is projected to increase to over 9 billion by 2050 after which the global population growth will gradually remain at a replacement level and later to a negative growth rate just like the depleting natural resources. Humans are different from machines only because of our ability to learn and correct from the past mistakes. But that ability is seldom used to redirect our actions to avert such blunders. Today, the most intelligent generation of the human civilization are trying to locate another planet that supports life so that we can fly away if anything happens to mother earth: A possible fantasy for some people just like the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt to Canaan. Rich governments defend such abnormally expensive and unrealistic projects as advancement in science but demands concrete evidence when environmentalists and victims of climate change propose resource allocation for combating climate change. It is acknowledged that the benefits of science outweighs its demerits hence the greater need to encourage further research. But to condemn that branch of science dealing with human welfare like climate change and global warming as doomsayers and glorifying another guided by superstitions and imaginary UFOs as a challenging mission is nothing but hypocrisy. None did subscribe to the recent findings of the IPCC (fourth assessment report) that the Himalayan glaciers would completely melt by 2035. Such faulty report of one study cannot invalidate the entire global efforts to reduce emissions and adopt mitigation and adaptation policies for long run well being of the human race. The much anticipated and proclaimed Copenhagen summit gave nothing much to save the degrading global environment because the voice of billions of ordinary human beings cannot outdo the influence of few million people comprising of industrialist, corporate and multinational companies who thinks that their businesses would be affected by any major reorientation in international environmental policies. These groups of people spends billions of dollars to lobby policy makers prevent any legal environmental treaty; they are keen to buy plot of land on the moon, finance projects to explore the universe in search oh hidden planets but are not willing to pledge resources to conserve our fast depleting resources, 70% of which are caused by their actions. Environmental critics argue that the future can take care of itself and that it would be stupidity to invest resources for the unborn and for those who are yet to walk on this earth. But the missing point here is that, sustainable development is not only meant for the benefit the future generation, it is equally important for the present as well. Look at the life expectancy in the advanced countries, it is more than 80 years, even in developing countries it is nearing 70 years and some even more. This means that, ceteris paribus, today’s 25 years old are going to live another 50 years and that 50 years is going to be a very long and tough period for thousand of species to survive. Remember! 50 years back, grannies told us that tigers preyed on domestic cattle. There were good number of hornbills, tragopans and even wild elephants. Today it has become history. Not even eagles and crows hove around the sky in most part of Nagaland, and if one happens to see one, then it is now regarded as luck or good omen. At the current rate of reckless anthropogenic exploitation of natural resources thousands of rare, endangered and endemic species are going to be pushed to the brink of extinction every single day unless human civilization adopt and adapt developmental strategies and lifestyles that are environmentally friendly and sustainable. Scientific and technological development has given numerous benefits to humanity but at the same time, it is also responsible for various types of environmental degradation. Though nature has its own system of recovery or maintenance of eco balance, yet when overexploitation is done, it fails to recover, thus, several environmental problems have emerged in the recent past due to dangerous intervention of the climate system through technological and scientific development on one hand and overpopulation, urbanization and industrialization on the other. Environmental conservation does not only imply reduction in global warming, it is just a part of its goal. Environmental issues ranges from sustainable and efficient utilization of natural resources, afforestation and reforestations, land use patterns, river and marine pollutions, biodiversity, ecosystem and habitat loss, water scarcity, effects of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, urban waste, air and noise pollution, industrial hazards, hunger and starvation, sanitation and slum issues, cruelty to animals and hosts of other natural and man made issues that have a bearing on human welfare. The idea to celebrate World Forestry Day originated at the 23rd General Assembly of the European Confederation of Agriculture in 1971. Later that year, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation gave support to the idea, believing that the event would contribute a great deal towards public awareness on the importance of forests and agreed that it should be observed every year around the world. March 21, the vernal equinox in the Northern Hemisphere, was chosen as the day to be celebrated, offering information about the three key facets of forestry: protection, production and recreation. Global assessments have shown that future climate change is likely to significantly impact forest and natural ecosystems. Climate is probably the most important determinant of vegetation patterns globally and has significant influence on the distribution, structure and ecology of forests. India is a mega-biodiversity country where forests account for about 20% (64 million ha) of the geographical area (Forest survey of India, 2001) with nearly 200,000 villages classified as forest villages, thus there is obviously large dependence of communities on forest resources Climate change could cause irreversible damage to unique forest ecosystems and biodiversity, rendering several species extinct, locally and globally. Forest eco systems require the longest response time to adapt be it through migration or re-growth (Leemans). Further, a long gestation period is involved in developing and implementing adaptation and renewal strategies in the forest sector. Thus there is an urgent need to develop, adopt and implement forests management strategies both locally and globally. Forest management activities include sustainable management of native forests, prevention of fires and pests, longer rotation periods, minimizing soil disturbance, and selective and reduced logging. Most of these activities bring positive social and environmental benefits. Minimizing soil disturbance also result in less use of fossil fuels, less emissions from biomass burning, and more employment if less machinery is used. Afforestation programmes avoid emissions from deforestation or forest degradation; sequestrate carbon and acts as a substitute for energy intensive materials or fossil fuels (IPCC AR4). Reducing or avoiding deforestation retains biodiversity, ecosystem functions, and in cases of large land areas, affect local weather patterns. Reduction of forest fires also improves local air quality. Afforestation activities can also yield biomass fuel that can be used as substitute for fossil fuels. It also provides carbon benefits by increasing carbon stocks on land and in products. Trees planted on wasteland can arrest soil degradation and help manage water runoff. Planting in conjunction with agricultural crops (agro-forestry) enhances economic benefits while increasing food security. However, a major concern is that forestation may diminish food security if it were to occur primarily on rich agricultural land and regions where high percentage of populace depends on agriculture; hence in such situations alternative means of livelihood should be mooted out and provided. Many deforesting countries have laws that promote conservation of forest areas. But the lack of enforcement of such laws has allowed illegal extraction of logs and the burning of forests in many parts of the world. Moreover, in many parts of the world the demand for forest products has been increasing rapidly due to economic expansion but in a state like Nagaland and north east India, over exploitation of forest products is not due to increased demand for industrial inputs but rather due to its absence. Unless there is a rapid shift from conventional agriculture to a more productive and efficient form of cultivation like horticulture, spices and fruits etc. and a commensurate shift of surplus labour from agriculture sectors to other industrial and allied sectors, deforestation and associated destruction of forest through jhum fires will remain a big challenge for a state like Nagaland. ‘Conserve to Sustain’ N Janbemo Humtsoe, Director, Green Foundation, Wokha Nagaland.
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