Page 133 - Health, Population and Environment Education 10

v. Establishment of Nursery
Nursery provides suitable environment for the collection and conservation of the seeds
and rare plants. It helps to develop new sapling of plants to increase the quality of plants
species. So, establishment of nursery should be promoted.

vi. Protection of Natural Habitat
The destruction of natural habitat destroys quality and quantity of biodiversity. Natural
habitat is generally destroyed due to forest fire, overgrazing of cattle, haphazard collection
of forest products and clearing of forest for different purposes. Such activities must be
reduced. The establishment of In-Situ and Ex-Situ conservation areas helps to protect the
habitat of rare plants and trees.

vii. Conservation Law
Conservation laws make people conscious about the conservation of biodiversity. So,
necessary laws should be formulated and strictly implemented to conserve and promote
the status of rare plants.

viii. Awareness Programmes
People should be made aware about the importance of conservation of rare plants.
They should be given knowledge about their natural and economical value. To make
people aware about such resources, awareness programmes should be conducted at local
level.

6.4 Adverse Effects on Biodiversity and Conservation Methods

Adverse Effects and Mitigating Measures
Human activities like construction work, development activities, use of insecticides,
chemical fertilizers, etc. have adversely affected the status of biodiversity. The adverse
effects and their mitigating measures vary with place and geographical regions. Some of
the effects and their mitigating measures are given below.

a. Degradation of Ecosystem
Human beings destroy the ecosystem for different purposes. Different types of activities
like forest fire, deforestation, blasting, overgrazing of cattle, use of insecticides and
pesticides, etc. affect the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystem. The degradation of ecosystem
makes the existence of biodiversity difficult. Thus, the degradation of ecosystem must be
controlled by controlling forest fire, stopping the use of insecticides and pesticides, etc.
Development and construction activities should be conducted systematically to control
pollution in the environment. This reduces the adverse effect on biodiversity.

b. Loss of Habitat
The natural habitat of biodiversity is destroyed due to human activities like deforestation,
construction work, excessive use of chemical substances and mixing of harmful substances
GREEN Health, Population and Environment Education Book-10 133