Bhutan: and its natural resources

Recent years have seen a growing concern for global environmental conditions resulting in an increased number of conferences and seminars discussing the crucial issue of environmental degradation of the planet. Bhutan, blessed with rich fauna and flora, cannot remain indifferent to the precipitous danger facing the world because of man's economic greed.
Bhutan is in the process of modernization, which has its own set of values centred around consumerism and materialism deplorably contradicting human morality and tradition. This dreaded disease of vulgar increasingly infecting the Bhutanese people who are otherwise closely bound to nature. Almost all folk songs are dedicated to nature; religiously, they believe that even tiny plants have souls. Destroying them is tantamount to human murder. This belief has an immense impact on the conservation of the environment. But our planned economy is affecting ecology although adequate emphasis is given to afforestation and conservation programmes. We trust that will counteract the above danger and guide our people into finding a more realistic solution to Bhutan's ecological problems.
The book focuses on increasing the level of understanding of the causes and effects of environmental degradation, hoping that timely policy decisions will be taken to address this serious issue. In effect, chapters I, II and III exclusively and explicitly discuss the policy programmes of the Royal Government of Bhutan on forestry and agriculture the major sectors responsible for both regeneration and degeneration of natural resources.
The study also ardently advocates the concept of sustainable development and creation of protected areas where man and nature can co-exist. Examples and experimen tations in other developing countries are taken as case studies for discussion, and for possible implementation in Bhutan.
Apart from public awareness, the book explores the creation of facilities in higher edu cational institutes like Sherubtse will hopefully take up environmental studies as one of their major courses. The work will necessarily result in an awareness of the importance of environ mental studies a universal concern today.