Environment and Natural Resources
What the domain tests
The exam tests natural resources, conservation, environmental problems and the laws that manage them in Malawi.
Core ideas
- Natural resources include soil, water, forests, fish, wildlife and minerals. They support farming, fishing, tourism and energy.
- Conservation areas include national parks such as Nyika, Kasungu, Liwonde, Lengwe and Lake Malawi; game reserves such as Vwaza Marsh, Nkhotakota and Majete; and forest reserves.
- Environmental problems include deforestation for charcoal and farming, soil erosion, overfishing, water pollution, plastic waste, bush fires and climate change.
- Laws include the Environmental Management Act, the Forestry Act, the Fisheries Conservation and Management Act and local council by-laws. These set rules on cutting trees, fishing seasons and waste disposal.
- Sustainable use means taking what you need without destroying the resource for future generations: planting trees, using fuel-efficient stoves, respecting closed fishing seasons and terracing slopes.
Worked example
A community wants to stop illegal charcoal burning near a forest reserve. A good answer suggests forming a village natural resources committee, agreeing by-laws with the Traditional Authority, promoting alternative income like beekeeping, and reporting offenders to forestry officers. Reasoning: enforcement alone rarely works; the answer combines law, community action and alternative livelihoods.
Traps that cost marks
Do not confuse a national park with a game reserve. Do not say all tree cutting is illegal; sustainable harvesting with a permit may be allowed. Do not ignore climate change. Do not claim charcoal is the only cause of deforestation.