Subject : Agricultural Science

Class : Jss 2 / Basic 8

Term : Third Term / 3rd Term

Week : Week 9

Topic :

HUMAN ACTIVITIES THAT AFFECT THE FOREST

Previous Knowledge : Learners have been taught

 EFFECTS OF FORESTS ON THE ENVIRONMENT

in their previous lesson .

Behavioural Objectives : By the end of the lesson , learner will be able to

• List Human Activities that Affect the Forest
• Mention Various Forest Management Practices

HUMAN ACTIVITIES THAT AFFECT THE FOREST

CONTENT

1. Human Activities that Affect the Forest
2. Forest Management Practices

Human Activities that Affect the Forest

A number of human activities have been identified to be a threat to the development and survival of the forest. Examples of such include:

1. Clearing or deforestation
2. Bush burning
3. Farming
4. Hunting/Depletion of wildlife
5. Poaching
6. Industrialization and mining
7. Construction of buildings, road and commercial places

Clearing or deforestation

This is the process of indiscriminate felling of trees in the forest. Deforestation is also done when a farm is about to be started especially in the rain forest region.

Bush burning

Bush burning also leads to the exposure of land to direct sunlight, rain and windstorm which in turn causes soil erosion and degradation of soil structure.

Farming

Farming of a new piece of land, especially in rain forest regions, leads to deforestation

Hunting/Depletion of wildlife

Activities like bush burning, hunting and farming contribute to the depletion of both plants and animals that are very important in the forest.

In the rural areas, people engage in the hunting of wild animals by burning the bush.

Poaching

Many people engage in illegal hunting of animals and felling of forest tree without taking permission or license from the government.

Industrialization and mining

Many plants and animal species are wiped out of the forest as a result of clearing forest land for industry and mining activities.

Construction of buildings, road and commercial places

Forest Management Practices

The following forest management practices are undertaken so as to ensure the maintenance of the forest.

1. Regeneration: It involves replacing the old forest trees with new ones.
2. Reforestation: It is the organized planting of trees in an area to create a forest  in a place that has been deforested
3. Afforestation: It means establishing forest in areas where there has never been any.
4. Deforestation: It is the destruction of forest. It may or may not be deliberate.
5. Forest Reserve: It is a piece of land set apart for preservation of trees and animals.
6. Taungya system: It involves the integration of crop farming with forest trees like Obeche or Mahogany. Both the farmers and the government derive benefits from this practice.

EVALUATION

1. List five human activities that affect the forest.
2. Enumerate five forest management practices.