FOREST AND WILDLIFE RESOURCES
Q1. What is biodiversity?
A1. Biodiversity is a system that includes different species of plants and animals
which are different in form and function but are integrated through different
types of interdependence.
Q2. Why is biodiversity important for human beings?
A2. i) Human beings share this planet with millions of other living beings, and we
all form a complex web of ecological system in which we are only a part and very
much dependent on this system for our own existence.
ii) The plants, animals and microorganisms recreate the quality of the air we
breathe the water we drink and the soil that produces a food without which we
cannot survive
iii) Forests play a key role in the ecological system as these are also the primary
producers on which all other living beings depend.
Q3. What are the negative factors that cause such fearful depletion of the flora
and fauna? Give reasons for environmental degradation.
A3. i) During the colonial period the expansion of the railways, agriculture,
commercial and scientific forestry, and mining activities were responsible for
depletion of the forest areas.
ii) Substantial parts of the tribal belt, especially in the north-eastern and Central
India have been degraded by the shifting cultivation.
iii) Large scale development projects like Narmada Sagar Project in Madhya
Pradesh are responsible for depletion of forests.
iv) Mining is another important factor behind deforestation. The Buxa Tiger
Reserve In West Bengal is seriously threatened by the ongoing Dolomite Mining.
v) Over-grazing and fuel wood collection are also responsible for depletion of
forests.
Q4. Mention the factors responsible for decline in India’s biodiversity?
A4. A) The factors responsible for decline in India’s biodiversity are:
i) Habitat destruction
ii) Hunting and poaching
iii) Over-exploitation
iv) Environmental Pollution
v) Poisoning
vi) Forest fires
Q5. “The destruction of forests and wildlife is not just a biological issue” Explain.
A5. i) The biological loss is strongly correlated with the loss of cultural diversity.
Such losses have increasingly marginalized and impoverished many forest
dependent communities who directly depend on forests and wildlife for food,
drink, medicine, culture, etc.
ii) Within the poor, women are affected more than men. They collect fuel,fodder,
water and other basic needs. As these resources are depleted, sometimes they
have to walk for more than 10 kms to collect the resources.
iii) This causes serious health problems for women and negligence of women and
children because of increased hours of work.
iv) The indirect impact of degradation such as severe drought or deforestation
induced floods, etc., also hits the poor the hardest.
v) Forest and wildlife are vital to quality of life and environment. It is necessary to
adopt sound forest and wildlife reservation strategies.
Q6. Why do we need to conserve forest and wildlife?
A6. We need to conserve forest and wildlife due to the following reasons:
i) Conservation preserves the ecological diversity and our life support systems
– water, air and soil.
ii) It also preserves the genetic diversity of plants and animals for better
growth of species and breeding. Example: In agriculture, we are still
dependent on traditional crop varieties.
iii) Forest and wildlife are very important for maintaining quality of
environment. They modify local climate, cheque soil erosion etc.
iv) They support a variety of industries and provide livelihood to many people.
v) They offer a beautiful view for recreation.
Q7. Write a short note on Project Tiger.
A7. i) The major threats to tiger population are poaching for trade, shrinking
habitat, depletion of prey base species, growing human population etc.
ii) The trade of tiger skins and the use of their bones in traditional medicines
especially in the Asian countries left the tiger population on the verge of
extinction.
iii) Since India and Nepal provide habitat to about 2/3 of the surviving total tiger
population in the world, these two nations became prime targets for poaching
and illegal trading.
iv) Project Tiger was launched in 1973.
v) There were 47 Tiger Reserves in India. Some of them are:
a) Corbett National Park, Utarakhand
b) Sunderban National Park, West Bengal
c) Bandhavgarh National Park, Madhya Pradesh
d) Manas Tiger Reserve, Assam
e) Periyar Tiger Reserve, Kerala
Q8. Into how many categories can we classify the forests?
A8. We can classify the forests as:
A) Reserved Forests
i) More than half of the total forest land has been declared reserved
forests.
ii) Reserved forests are regarded as the most valuable as far as the
conservation of forests and wildlife resources are concerned.
iii) They are called permanent forests.
iv) They are used for production of timber and other forest products.
v) Grazing and cultivation are rarely allowed here.
B) Protected Forests
i) Almost 1/3 of the total forest area is protected forest, as declared by
the Forest Department.
ii) This forest land is protected from any further depletion.
C) Unclassed Forests
i) These are other forests and wastelands belonging to both the
government and private individuals and communities.
Q9. Mention the states where different categories of forests are found in India.
A9. i) Reserved Forests: Jammu and Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh, Uttarakhand,
Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Maharashtra.
ii) Protected Forests: Bihar, Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan and
Odisha.
iii) Unclassed Forests: All north-eastern states and parts of Gujarat.
Q10. Describe the features of Joint Forest Management.
A10. i) Joint Forest Management (JFM) is a good example for involving social
communities in the management and restoration of degraded forests.
ii) This program was started in 1998 when Odisha passed the first resolution for
JFM.
iii) JFM depends on the formation of local institutions that undertake protective
activities mostly on degraded forest land managed by the Forest Department.
D) In return, the members of the communities get intermediary benefits like non
timber forest produces and shares in the timber harvested by successful
protection.
Q11. Explain the measures taken by the Indian government to protect wildlife.
A11. A) The Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act was implemented in 1972. Its features
are:
i) An All-India list of protected species was published.
ii) Hunting of endangered species was banned and legal protection to the
habitats was given.
iii) Trade in wildlife was restricted.
B) 89 National Parks and 49 Wildlife Sanctuaries were established.
C) Several projects – Project Tiger, Project Rhino, etc., were introduced by the
Central Government.
D) 14 Biosphere Reserves have been set up to protect flora and fauna.
E) Under Wildlife Act of 1980 and 1986, several butterflies, beetles and moths
were added to the list of protected species.
Q12. Describe various movements against deforestation in India.
A12. A) Chipko Movement:
i) It was started in the Himalayan region by Sundar Lala Bahuguna and it
successfully restricted deforestation.
ii) It was shown that community can play an important role in afforestation
with indigenous species.
iii) Attempts are now being made to revive the traditional conservation
methods or to develop new methods of ecological farming.
B) Beej Bachao Andolan in Tehri and Navdanya have shown that diversified crop
production without the use of synthetic chemicals is possible and economically
viable.
