N: Forest and Wildlife Resources

 

Chapter 2 - Forest and Wildlife Resources Notes

Conservation of Forest and Wildlife in India

  • Conservation is vital since it will help us to protect our environment and protect our ecosystem which in turn helps to preserve the genetic diversity that the ecosystem has.

  • The Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act was implemented in 1972, which made various provisions for protecting habitats.

  • The central government also announced several projects for protecting specific animals, which were gravely threatened, including the tiger, the one horned rhinoceros, the Kashmir stag or hangul, three types of crocodiles – fresh water crocodile, saltwater crocodile and the Gharial are some of the animals.

  • The government has also provided partial or full legal protection to animals such as Indian elephants, black buck, snow leopard etc. to protect them from extinction.  

Project Tiger

  • The tiger population in 1973 declined to 1,827 from the estimated 55,000 and hence forced the authorities to take a serious action towards the same.

  • Tigers face the major threats and are on the verge of extinction because of shrinkage of their habitat due to the growing human population, poaching, depletion of prey base species etc.

  • The trade of tiger skins and the use of their bones in traditional medicines, especially in Asian countries has left the tiger population on the verge of extinction. 

  • “Project Tiger”was launched in 1973 and was not only an effort to save tigers but also to preserve the biotypes.

  • Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand, Sunderbans National Park in West Bengal, Bandhavgarh National Park in Madhya Pradesh, Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary in Rajasthan, Manas Tiger Reserve in Assam and Periyar Tiger Reserve in Kerala are some of the tiger reserves of India.

  • Wildlife Act of 1980 and 1986 added several hundred butterflies, moths, beetles, and one dragonfly to the list of protected species.

Types and Distribution of Forest and Wildlife Resources

The forests are classified as follows:

(i) Reserved Forests: These are the most vital for the conservation of forest and wildlife and about half of the total forest land has been placed under this category.

(ii) Protected Forests: Forest Department had declared one-third of the total forest area as protected forest which saves it from further depletion.

(iii) Unclassed Forests: Both private individuals, government and communities own these lands. They mostly include forests and wasteland.


Community and Conservation

  • In Sariska Tiger Reserve, Rajasthan, villagers have fought against mining by citing the Wildlife Protection Act. 

  • In five villages located in the Alwar district of Rajasthan, the inhabitants have declared 1200 hectares of forest as the BhairodevDakav ‘Sonchuri’. They don’t allow hunting in these regions and hence protect the wildlife from an outside harm.

  • Sacred groves do not have religious sentiments attached but also saves a wealth of rare species. These beliefs have preserved several virgin forests in pristine form called Sacred Groves (the forests of God and Goddesses). 

  • Mahua is worshipped by the theMundas and the Santhal of Chota Nagpur region while tamarind and mango are worshipped by the tribes of Odisha and Bihar during weddings. In Indian Hindu society, peepal trees is considered sacred.

  • Blackbuck, peacocks and nilgai are seen as an integral part of the Bishnoi villages in Rajasthan and aren’t harmed or killed.

  • The Chipko moment has successful helped in saving the flora but has also brought people together to save the environment.

  • Beej BachaoAndolan in Tehri and Navdanya has promoted people to stop using synthetic chemicals as sufficient crop harvest can be produced even without the use of chemical fertilizers.

  • Joint forest management (JFM) programme involves local people and communities to restore forests. It was first started in Odisha in 1988.

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