ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE : NATURAL RESOURCES 13
- Minor forest products: Some examples of minor forest products, are canes, gums,
resins, dyes, flocks, medicines, tannins, lac, fibres, katha etc.- For tribal people are provided with food like tuber, roots, leaves, fruits, meat
from birds and other animals etc.
- For tribal people are provided with food like tuber, roots, leaves, fruits, meat
- Employment opportunities: About eight crore people are employed in wood based
industries like paper and match and small and cottage industries. Besides, those
who are employed in the forest department in various states. - Revenue Receipts: The forest provide Rs. 400 crores per year as revenue to the
government. - Fodder for Cattle: Forest provide fodder to cattle.
- Foreign Exchange Earners: Forest produce a great number of articles like
essential oils, resins and dyes. Which find market in foreign countries. Nearly Rs.
50 crores are earned in foreign exchange through selling lac, terpentine oil and
sandal wood oil to abroad.
Thus, the forests are nation’s wealth. They are useful to us directly and indirectly.
Areas Covered with Forests in India
Forests are a estimated form time to time. Some data collected in the basis of researches
made, are as under:
Brewbaker (1984)
According to Brewbaker, to 2890, total forest are of the world in 1990 was nearly 700 Mha.
By 1975 it was reduced to 2890 Mha. It was also pointed out that it would be merely 2370 Mha
by 200 A.D. Major reduction will be in tropics and subtropics (40.2), shown in Figs. 2.2 and 2.3.
Forest Area in the year 1972-730100000002000000030000000400000005000000060000000700000008000000090000000Andhra PradeshHaryanaKeralaDadar & NagarOrissaUttar Prad eshDelhi1972-73 sq kmFig. 2.2