Lesson 1: Conservation of Natural Resource

Video Lesson:

Assessment(MLC):

At the end of this lesson, you will be able to: –

• Define nature.
• Explain the relationship between nature and biology
• Describe the role of Biology in nature protection.

Brainstorming question

1. What is the role of biodiversity in sustaining natural resources?

2. How do natural landscapes influence local climates and ecosystems?

3. How can tree planting initiatives contribute to carbon sequestration and biodiversity?

4. What are some successful case studies of conservation efforts in Ethiopia?

Key Words

• Nature: The physical world encompassing plants, animals, landscapes, and other features and products of the Earth. It includes everything from forests and oceans to wildlife and geological formations.
• Natural Resources: Materials or substances provided by nature that are useful to humans. These include resources such as food, air, water, minerals, and energy sources.
• Renewable Resources: Resources that can be replenished naturally over time. They are often living things or products derived from them. Examples include crop plants, trees, and livestock (e.g., cattle and chickens). In Ethiopia, examples include coffee, the Walia Ibex (Capra walie), and sunlight as a source of energy.
• Non-Renewable Resources: Resources that cannot be replaced once used up. These typically include minerals and fossil fuels such as gold, coal, and natural gas.
• Conservation: The careful management and preservation of natural resources to prevent their depletion or extinction. This involves practices that ensure resources are used sustainably and maintained for future generations.
• Hugging a Tree: Engaging physically with trees to feel a connection with nature.
• Planting a Tree: Actively contributing to the environment by growing new trees to enhance ecosystems and absorb CO2.
• Making a Garden: Creating a space for cultivating plants, which can provide beauty, food, and habitat for wildlife.
• Going for Hiking Trails: Exploring natural landscapes on foot to experience and appreciate nature’s beauty.
• Watching Sunrises & Sunsets: Observing these natural phenomena to experience the beauty and tranquility of nature.
• Food Security: A state where all individuals have physical, social, and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and preferences for an active and healthy life at all times. Defined by the United Nations’ Committee on World Food Security.
• Food Insecurity: The condition in which people lack reliable access to sufficient quantities of affordable, nutritious food. Often linked to poverty, food insecurity can have serious long-term impacts on health and development.
• Undernourishment: A condition resulting from inadequate intake of essential nutrients, leading to stunted growth, cognitive delays, and increased vulnerability to illness.
• Biology’s Role: Involves developing high-nutrient crops and new food products to combat malnutrition and improve food security.

Nature is the phenomena of the physical world including plants, animals, the landscape, and other features and products of the earth. Natural resources: actual and potential resources supplied by nature. Nature provides us with the food we eat, the air we breathe, and the water we drink and use to irrigate our crops. Viewing the scenes of nature to reduce anger, fear, and stress and increase pleasant feelings. Totally, we learn and appreciate the beauty of nature through: –

• Hugging a tree
• Planting a tree.  
• Making a garden.
• Going for hiking trails
• Watching sunrises & sunsets   

1.1 Conservation of Natural Resource

Conservation is the careful maintenance and wise use of natural resources to prevent them from disappearing.

Natural resource includes soil, water, air, plants, animals, and energy that must be maintained sustainably. Ethiopia has many natural
resources, such as), gold, platinum, potash, limestone, natural gas, coal, etc.

Natural resources can be classified as renewable or non- renewable.

1.Renewable resources are mainly living things and their products. When managed carefully, & can be used, reused and replaced. Examples of renewable resources are crop plants, trees, cattle and chickens. Some important renewable resources in Ethiopia: Coffee (a), Walia Ibex (Capra
walie) (b), Sunlight as a source of energy, Ethiopian Bush crow (Zavattariornisstresemanni).

1.1.1 Non Renewable Natural Resource

Non-renewable resources are not living things, and when they are used, they cannot be replaced. Examples of non-renewable resources include metals such as gold and iron and fossil fuels such as gas, coal and gas oil. Species may be lost in a particular area, or they may be lost everywhere in the world is called extinct. To protect our natural resources , both here in Ethiopia and around the world, people have become more aware of the need for conservation.

1.2 Food Security

As defined by the United Nations’ Committee on World Food Security, food security is a state in which when all the people have physical, social, and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that meets their food preferences and dietary needs for an active and healthy life at all times.

Food insecurity is often rooted in poverty and has long-term impacts on the potential of families, communities and countries to develop and prosper. Prolonged undernourishment stunts growth slows cognitive development and increases susceptibility to illness. So, Biology plays a key role in producing high-nutrient staple crops and developing new products that can combat malnutrition, and thereby improving food utilization