Bringing back the trees - Responses to deforestation Student Activities Case Study Teacher's Notes On a black outline political map of Asia, identify the location of: India Bangladesh Nepal China Sri Lanka Afghanistan Pakistan Russia Bhutan Burma Loas Thailand Cambodia Vietnam     Using an atlas with a physical map of the Himalayan region, describe the topography of Nepal. Explain the reasons for this topography with reference to plate tectonic theory. Account for the changing distribution and vertical zonation of vegetation types in Nepal. Are any spatial associations evident between vegetation patterns and topography? Identify how the components of the natural environment (such as climate, topography, altitude and slope) could pose real problems for a rapidly growing population, 80% of whom depend upon agriculture for their livelihood. Develop a table to identify what environmental problems could result from the exploitation of Nepal's forest, soil and water resources for the: Biosphere - the plants, animals and people of the earth   Lithosphere - the rocks and soils of the earth   Atmosphere - the envelope of gases surrounding the earth   Hydrosphere - the streams, lakes and rivers of the earth   Access the Population Reference Bureau website at http://www.prb.org and its world population data for Nepal and Australia. Compare the two countries in terms of: Quantitative indicators Nepal Australia Total population (millions)     Crude death rates/1,000     Doubling time in years     Infant mortality rates of those aged under 5 years/1,000     GNP per capita in $US (1998)     Crude birth rates/1,000     Rate of natural increase in percent     Projected population for 2025 and 2050     Life expectancies at birth for males and females     Using these quantitative indicators, write a well-structured paragraph to describe the major differences between Nepal and Australia identified in terms of these demographic indicators. Consider the following data: Estimates of Nepal's Population, 1991-2050 (in millions) 1991 18 2000 24.7 2025 38 2050 49.3 Graph this data as a line graph or bar graph. Microsoft Excel may be used for this purpose. Calculate the percentage increase in population between 1991-2000; 2000-2025 and 2025-2050. What do you notice? Try and account for the rapid rate of population growth in Nepal over this time scale. Using the photographs in the text, draw two annotated sketch diagrams to describe the natural processes and human activities which have created spatial change over time in the landscape. Make specific reference to the key geographic ideas of spatial interaction and movement. Remember to give your sketches an appropriate title and scale. Develop a flow chart to describe and help predict the likely impacts of rapid rates of population growth on forest resource use and management within Nepal. Explain why you feel the Australian Government's overseas aid program has responded by involving itself in the Nepal Australia Community Resource Management Project. Read the extract entitled Women managing forests in the last section of the case study. Why do you think the Community Forestry program has targeted women to form Forest User Groups? Why is the role of women restricted in Nepali society? What other social benefits have accrued from the Community Forestry Program? "Community based programs such as those funded by the Australian aid program in Nepal have provided an effective response to forest resource use and management at a local scale" Evaluate this statement with reference to the data presented in this study. Top © Commonwealth of Australia