Grade-8(Science): Enviroment and its Balence

             Unit :-22      Environment and its Balance

Natural resources :All the natural materials of environment which are used by the organism for their existence are called natural resources .

Human dependency on natural resources :Human being depend on natural resources to fulfill their needs .Human fully depend on the natural resources to get the following things : i)Food                    ii)Habitat

           iii)Medicinal plants      iv)Air

          v)Water                        vi)Land

National park :The area developed as tourist by conserving and management  of cultural and natural heritages of those region are called national parks . 

By taking permission from concerned authorities ,we can visit ,entertain ourselves and conduct scientific research inside the national parks.

In Nepal  10 National parks have been established .The names of national parks of Nepal are :

National Park	Location	Estd.Year (B.S.)	Main animals conserved
1.Chitwan National park      2.Sagarmatha National Park   3.Langtang National Park    4.Rara National park (smallest -106Km2)    5.Shey Phoksundo National park. (Largest-3555Km2) 6.Khaptad National park   7.Bardia National Park   8.Makalu Barun national park 9.Shivpuri National park     10.Banke National park	Chitwan, Makwanpur, Parsa    Solukhumbu    Rasuwa, Sindhupalchowk, Nuwakot.   Jumla,Mugu        Dolpa,mugu         Bhajhang, Bajura,Doti, Achham    Bardiya,      Sankhusabha     Kathmandu, Nuwakot, Sindhupalchoak     Banke,Salyan,Dang	2030        2032     2032        2032        2040         2040        2032      2049     2032         2067	One horned rhino, Striped tiger ,Leopard, Crocodile, deer, Elephants etc   Musk deer, snow leopard, Red panda, Jharal ,Ghoral   Musk deer,  Red panda, Himalayan beer,Ghoral etc.   Himalayan beer, Ghoral, Musk deer, wild bear etc.    Snow leopard, Tebetan hare etc.       Musk deer, Brking deer, Ghoral,leopard,wild cat ,wild dog etc.   Tiger,leopard Black buck, blue bull.   Animals of hilly and Himalayan region   Animals of hilly region       Leopard, wild bear, Spotted deer,

Wild reserves : The area developed as tourist by conserving and management  of cultural and natural heritages of those region are called wild reserves  .

By taking permission from concerned authorities ,we can visit ,ourselves and conduct  scientific research inside the wild reserves .but wild reserves are not used for the recreational and entertainment purpose .

Wild reserves	Location	Estd.Year (B.S.)	Main animals conserved
1.Shuklaphanta wild reserve    2.Parsa wild reserve	Kanchanpur      Chitwan,Makwanpur,parsa	2032      2040	Swamp deer,wild elephant,tiger,bear,leaopard, Blue bull etc.   Wildelephant, tiger,Leopard,wild bear ,blue bull etc

Hunting reserve :The reserved area established for licensed hunting is called hunting reserve .The only one hunting reserve established in Nepal is Dhorphatan  Hunting Reserve .

Hunting reserves	Location	Estd.Year (B.S.)	Main animals conserved
1.Dhorpatan Hunting reserve	Baglung,Myagdi, Rukum	2041	Blue sheep,wild bear,Spotted dear,tahr,kalij etc

Conservation area: The protected area which is managed according to the plan for conservation of natural resources ,wild life and their habitat ,sustainable development and use of natural resources is called conservation area . In Nepal 6 conservation areas have been established which are as follow:

Conservation area	Location	Estd.Year (B.S.)	Main animals conserved
1.Annapurna Conservation area (largest :7629Km2)   2.Kanchan junga conservation area      3.Mansalu conservation area    4.Krishnashar (Black buck)conservation  Area(Smallest :16.9km2)   5.Gauri Shankar  conservation area        6.Api Nampa	Kaski, Lamjung       Taplejung        Gorkha  Bardiya         Dolakha, Ramechhap Sindhupalchoak    Darchula	2043       2054        2055    2065          2066        2067	Snow leopard,biue ship etc.   Snow leopard, musk deer, Himalayan black bear, ghoral, wolf etc   Musk deer, snow leopard, naur, thar, etc.  Black buck, Etc.        Red panda, musk deer,snow leopard,and birds etc.   Musk deer,thar,naur,wolf etc.

Condition of forest of Nepal :During 2026-2027B.S. more than about 53.5% of the total land of Nepal was covered jungle but now this has  to 29% of the total land is covered by forest and 11.6% with bushes .

Needs and importance of forest :The forest have a great importance in our day to day activities due to following reasons :

1.)Forests are very important for natural resources .

2.)It help to fulfill the needs of human being as well as wild animals and birds .

3.It help the  people to provides fodder, firewood, grass, medicinal plants ,fruits etc.

4.)Forest provides habitat to the wild animals and birds .

5.)Forest play great role to conserve soil and  also maintains environmental  balance .

6.It provide various raw materials to run the various industries .

7.)It help to balance water cycle and ecosystem .

Types of forest : On the basis of height and temperature forests are classified into following types in Nepal :

1.)Tropical forest :Below 1000m height from sea level

2.)Sub tropical forest :1000m to 2000m height from sea level

3.)Temperate forest :2000m to 3000m height from sea level.

4.)Sub alpine forest :3000m to 3700m height from sea level.

5.)Alpine forest .3700m to snow line from sea level.

6.)Steppe forest :Himalaya region

Timber plants :

Terai	Hilly	Himalayan
i.Sal ii.Sisau	i.Banjh ii.Katus	i.Rai Salla ii.Thiqure Salla

Medicinal plants :The Plants which are used for making different types of medicines are called medicinal plants .About 800 species of medicinal plants are found in different region of Nepal .

Terai	Hilly	Himalayan
i.Harro ii.Barro iii.Amla	i.Chutro ii.Dhaturo iii.Bojho	i.Panch  aunle ii.Padmachal iii.Yarsagumba

Importance of medicinal plants :

i)It help to balance the ecosystem .

ii)It promotes herbal medicinal industry of the country .

iii)It help to increase the economic condition of the

 country .

Band to export medicinal plants from Nepal :

i)Yarsagumba                ii)Panch Aunle

Yarsagumba: Yarsagumba with its Latin name cordyceps sinesis literally means summer plant and winter insect in Tibetan. Before the rainy season begins, spores of the cordyceps mushroom settle on the heads of caterpillars’ that lives underground. The fungus gets so much into the body of the caterpillars’ that it grows out through its head and drains all the energy from the insect and ultimately it dies.

Yarsagumba is a rare and unique herb that grow above 3500 meters in Himalayan region of Nepal .It is used for Headache, life saving tonic,  sexual impotency  and other several diseases .

Rare plants :The plants which are in small quantity and decreasing gradually in number are called rare plants .For example :Rare plants of Nepal are :

i)Gold michelia (Champ):It is a evergreen plant  found in the hilly region of Nepal .Its flower is pale yellow with a pleasant smell .The oil of this flower is used for medicine and timber is used for making furniture .

ii.)Spike Nard (Jatamasi):It is found in higher part of hilly region .It is small herb with pleasant smell .The soup of root is used to produce medicine oil.

iii)Serpentina:It is evergreen plant and found in terai and hilly region Its roots is used for medicine  .

iv)Panch aunle :It is found terai region .and looks like palm of man .Its roots are energetic and used for medicine .

v)Yarsagumba :It is found in Himalayan region .It is small plants of fungus groups .It is a energetic plants and used for medicine .

Methods of conservation of rare plants :

i)We should not allow the live stock to graze in the forest and medicinal plants .

ii)We should preserve the useful plants while should collecting medicinal plants .

iii)We should collect the seeds of rare plants and should grow them in nurseries to increase the numbers .

iv)We should launch the public awareness programs about the importance of rare and useful plants .

Rare animals :The animals which are in small quantity and decreasing in number are called rare animals .For example :Rare animals of Nepal :

i.)Clouded leopard :They are found in mid hill region of Nepal .Its body is clouded and there are scattered spots over the body .They are very attractive in appearance .Clouded leopard are protected in Lantang  national park and Makalu  Barun  national park .

ii.)Red panda :They are found in the altitude of 3500m in the forest bamboo ,cane ,and oaks . It is little bigger than that of cat. The foods of this animal are roots, grasses , leaves, fallen fruits etc. The hunting of red panda is done for beautiful skin with soft and fine hair. Red panda are protected in Langtang and Makalu Barun national park.

iii.)One horned Rhinoceros :They are found in swampy grassland, and tropical jungle of terai region .This is a second largest mammal of the world .The hunting of one horn rhinoceros is done for its horn, foot nail, and skin.

iv)Bengal Tiger :They are found in dense forest of terai. They are largest in all tiger .There are lining black spot on its body .Its life is about 15 years .They give birth 2 to 6 cubs at a time .

                 

v)Asiatic Elephant :They are found in the forest of terai. They are largest mammal of the world.  Teeth of male elephant is larger than that of female. Its life span is about 70 years .It give birth to  only one baby at a time .

vi)Python :They are found in dense forest of terai i.e. inside the leaves ,bank of river, grassland areas etc. Python is a one the biggest species of snake. The body of python is provided with black and white stripped with different spots .Its length is about 7 m long . They are not poisonous .They feeds small animals i.e. deer, rabit, gaot etc.The hunting of python is done for skin.

vii)Giant Pied Hornbill : They are found in the jungle of terai.They are killed illegally for its bones, and fats .