Our Natural Resources, Then and Now

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Our Natural Resources, Then and Now

• Modified by Georgia Agricultural Education
  Curriculum Office
• June, 2002

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What is a natural resource?

• Any form of energy which can be used by humans.
• Those things that people come in contact with
  that may be used to perform any useful function.
• Objects, materials, creatures, or energy found in
  nature that can be put to use by humans.

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Usefulness Changes

• A. Things that affect our definition of
  usefulness.
• 1. Religion- Hindu- cattle
• 2. Custom- Dogs as food source.
• 3. Technology and Science

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Soil Resources

• A. Land area
• 1. U.S. 3,675,545 square miles or 2.26 billion
  acres
• 2. Surface ranges from 282 feet below sea level
  in Death Valley to 20,320 feet above sea level on
  Mt. McKinley

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Soil Resources

• 3. Topsoil- uppermost layer of soil from which we
  get almost all of our food and natural fibers.
• 4. Today, almost 1/3 of our land area is not
  suited for farming 8 covered by cities,
  factories, homes and highways 60 is suited for
  food and fiber production of that only 17 can be
  used to grow crops.

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Soil Resources

• B. Erosion
• 1. Since colonial times we have lost 1/3 of our
  topsoil to erosion.
• 2. Only 1/4 of our cropland is undamaged by
  erosion.

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Soil Resources

• B. Erosion
• 1. Since colonial times we have lost 1/3 of our
  topsoil to erosion.
• 2. Only 1/4 of our cropland is undamaged by
  erosion.

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Soil Resources

• C. Urban expansion
• 1. Land is converted to business or home usage.
• 2. Compaction results from concrete or other
  paving materials.
• 3. We must establish priorities for land use to
  balance food an d fiber production and industrial
  uses of our land.

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Water Resources

• A. Useable Water
• 1. Earth is 70 water, how much is useable?
• 2. As a power source water was used to carry
  logs, float boats, turn water wheels

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Water Resources

• 3. Everyday we use 300 billion gallons of water
• a. 60 billion depleted
• b. 240 billion return to the hydrologic cycle
• c. Much is damaged by heat and pollutants

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Water Resources

• B. Controlling excess runoff
• 1. 37 states have average annual runoff of more
  than 10 inches
• 2. Much of the rain that falls, runs directly
  into the sea

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Water Resources

• C. Major water problems
• 1. Control
• 2. Quality
• 3. Distribution

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Fish and Wildlife Resources

• A. Non-domesticated animals, either game or
  nongame.
• 1. Considered renewal - only true while the
  species is alive and reproducing.

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Fish and Wildlife Resources

• A. Since colonial times, 48 vertebrate species
  have become extinct in our nation.
• B. 130 regarded rare and endangered by 1970

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Fish and Wildlife Resources

• 2. Assets
• A. pleasure derived from wildlife
• B. meat
• C. insect destroying ability, valued at over one
  billion dollars per year.
• D. hunting and fishing brings in more than one
  billion dollars each year.

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Fish and Wildlife Resources

• 3. Wildlife conservation programs
• A. programs directed especially for hunters and
  fishermen.
• B. satisfying the demands of the non-hunting and
  non-fishing public through the use of parks and
  game preserves.

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Forest Resources

• A. Acres of forest land
• 1. In 1607 half our land was forested, over 1
  billion acres.
• Almost 70 is still forest
• 1/3 of todays forest land is noncommercial

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Forest Resources

• B. Production
• 1. Since colonial times U.S. forests have
  produced about 2,700 billion board feet of
  timber.
• 2. Each year our forests grow more wood than we
  harvest.

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Forest Resources

• C. Mature Forests
• 1. Canopy is dominated by mature, slow-growing
  trees
• a. produces very little wood

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Other Resources

• A. Energy Sources
• 1. Most energy comes directly or indirectly from
  the sun
• 2. Wind- used to move our goods and pull water
  form the earth.
• A. Windmills
• Sailing Ships

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Other Resources

• 3.Coal
• A. Most widely distributed storehouse of the
  suns energy.
• B. First discovered in America in 1673 in
  Illinois.

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Coal

• C. 35 billion tons have been produced in the US
  since mining began.
• D. Estimate reserves of 2.5 trillion ton of US
  coal, but is a one time resource.

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Other Resources

• 4. Oil
• A. In late 1950s projected that oil reserves
  would last 14 years.
• B. Today we use more oil but have greater store
  of known oil- is a one time resource.

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Oil

• 5. Natural Gas
• A. Clean, efficient
• B. Proven reserves 260 trillion cubic feet.

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Other Resources

• B. Minerals
• 1. Most widely used are the metals
• a. Fe, Cu, Al, Mg, Pb, Zn, Sn, (Iron, Copper,
  Aluminum, Magnesium, Lead, and Tin)

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Other Resources

• C. Recreational Resources
• 1. Forests, lakes, beaches, mountains, parks,
  game animals and fish