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🌳 Forest and Wildlife Resources

Introduction
Our planet, Earth, is a home for millions of living beings, from microorganisms and bacteria to
lichens, banyan trees, elephants, and blue whales.

Biodiversity

Biodiversity is the diversity of species that are unique in their form and function. These species are
closely integrated into a system through multiple networks of interdependencies.
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🗺 Flora and Fauna in India

India is one of the world's richest countries in terms of its vast array of biological diversity.

• India has nearly 8% of the total number of species in the world, an estimated 1.6 million.

• This includes 81,000 species of fauna and 47,000 species of ora.

• 15,000 of these owering species are endemic to India (found only in India).

• At least 10% of India's recorded wild ora and 20% of its mammals are on the
threatened list.

Examples of Threatened Species:

• Cheetah

• Pink-headed duck

• Mountain quail

• Forest spotted owlet

• Plants like Madhuca insignis (wild Mahua) and Hubbardia (a species of grass)

📉 Vanishing Forests
• Total forest cover in India is 24.01% (78.92
million hectares).

• Dense forest: 12.24%

• Open forest: 8.99%

• Mangroves: 0.14%
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🌿 Conservation of Forest and Wildlife in India

Why do we need it?

• Conservation preserves the ecological diversity and our life support systems like water, air,
and soil.

• It preserves the growth of species and their ability to breed.

• For example: Preserving traditional crop varieties and aquatic biodiversity for shers.

Steps taken for Conservation

• In the 1960s-1970s, conservationists called for a national wildlife protection program.

• The government implemented the Wildlife Protection Act in 1972 for this purpose.

📜 Wildlife Protection Act, 1972

• An all-India list of protected species
was published.

• Hunting was banned to protect the

remaining population of some
endangered species.

• Trade in wildlife was restricted.

• Habitats of wildlife were given legal

protection.

• National parks and wildlife sanctuaries

were established.

• Many projects were started to protect

speci c animals, e.g., Project Tiger.

• Later amendments in 1980 and 1986

included many small creatures like
butter ies, moths, beetles, and
dragon ies.

• In 1991, six plant species were also

added to the protected list.
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🐅 Project Tiger
• The tiger is considered a keystone
species in the faunal web.

• Authorities realized the tiger

population had dropped to 1,827 from
an estimated 55,000 at the turn of the
century.

• Major threats include poaching for

trade, shrinking habitats, and depletion
of prey species.

• The trade of tiger skins and the use of

their bones in traditional medicines
left the tiger population on the verge
of extinction.

• "Project Tiger" was launched in

1973.

• Initially successful, the population

rose to 4,002 in 1985 and 4,334 in
1989. However, it dropped again to
3,600 by 1993.

• By 2014, the number was 2,226.

• There are 39 tiger reserves in India, including:

◦ Corbett National Park (Uttarakhand)

◦ Sunderban National Park (West Bengal)

◦ Bandhavgarh National Park (Madhya Pradesh)

◦ Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary (Rajasthan)

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🌲 Types and Distribution of Forest & Wildlife Resources

Forests are classi ed into three categories:

1. Reserved Forests

◦ Owned by the government.

◦ Human activities like cattle grazing are not allowed.

◦ More than half of the total forest land is reserved.

◦ Considered the most valuable from a conservation perspective.

◦ States with reserved forests: Jammu & Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh, Uttarakhand,
Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Maharashtra.

2. Protected Forests

◦ Owned by the government.

◦ Local people are allowed to collect fuelwood and graze cattle.

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◦ Almost one-third of the total forest area is protected.

◦ These forests are protected from any further depletion.

◦ States with protected forests: Haryana, Odisha, Punjab, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh,
and Rajasthan.

3. Unclassed Forests

◦ Managed by both private communities and the government.

◦ All human activities are allowed.

◦ States with unclassed forests: North-Eastern states and Gujarat.

• Reserved and Protected forests are collectively called permanent forests.

• Madhya Pradesh has the maximum forest cover under permanent forests, constituting 75%
of its total forest cover.

🤝 Community and Conservation

Local communities are crucial in conserving these habitats along with government of cials.

• The destruction of natural forests has severely affected many poor rural and tribal
communities, leading to protests and struggles.

Examples of Community Efforts:

• Sariska Tiger Reserve

(Rajasthan): Villagers fought
against mining by using the
Wildlife Protection Act.

• Alwar, Rajasthan: Inhabitants of

ve villages declared 1,200
hectares of forest as the
Bhairodev Dakav 'Sonchuri',
creating their own rules for
wildlife protection.

• Chipko Movement: Successfully

resisted deforestation in the
Himalayas and revived traditional
conservation practices through
community afforestation.

• Beej Bachao Andolan (Tehri

and Navdanya): Farmers and
citizen groups demonstrated that
diversi ed crop production
without synthetic chemicals is
possible and economically viable.
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• Joint Forest Management (JFM): A program involving local communities in restoring
degraded forests.

◦ The state of Orissa passed the rst resolution for JFM in 1988.

◦ Local institutions protect lands managed by the government and in return, get non-
timber bene ts and a share in the timber harvested.

• Sacred Groves: Forests worshipped by various communities. Nature worship is an age-old

custom, and these groves are untouched by human intervention.

◦ Examples: The Mundas and Santhals worship mahua and kadamba trees. Tribals of
Orissa and Bihar worship the tamarind and mango trees during wedding rituals.

◦ Peepal and Banyan trees are generally considered sacred.

◦ In Bishnoi villages in Rajasthan, animals like chinkara, nilgai, and peacocks are
considered integral to the community and are not harmed.

❓ Top Questions and Answers

1. Explain any three methods of forest conservation adopted by the Government

of India after independence.

The Government of India has adopted several methods for forest conservation:

• Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: This was implemented for the conservation of
wildlife and forests.

• Forest Classi cation: The government classi ed forests into three categories: reserved,
protected, and unclassed. The rst two categories are restricted for use.

• Joint Forest Management (JFM): This program was started to involve local communities
in the management and restoration of degraded forests.

• Establishment of Protected Areas: The Central and State Governments established

national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, and biosphere reserves.

2. Why are different traditional communities involved in conserving their own

natural habitats in India?

Traditional communities are involved in conservation due to a long-standing belief system.

• Nature Worship: This is an age-old tribal belief that all creations of nature must be
protected. Certain societies preserve speci c trees, which they have protected for a long
time.
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• Sacred Practices: Examples include the Mundas and Santhals of Chota Nagpur who
worship and protect Mahua and Kadamba trees, and the tribals of Odisha and Bihar who
worship Tamarind and Mango trees during weddings.

• Community Protection: In and around Bishnoi villages in Rajasthan, animals like black
buck, nilgai, and peacocks are protected as an integral part of the community. Monkeys and
langurs are also fed in many temples.

3. What has been the contribution of the Indian Wildlife Protection Act in
protecting animal habitats in India?

The Indian Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 has signi cantly contributed to protecting animal
habitats through the following provisions:

• An all-India list of protected species was published.

• The Act banned the hunting of certain endangered species and restricted trade in wildlife.

• It gave legal protection to the habitats of wild animals.

• National parks and wildlife sanctuaries were established where commercial activities were
forbidden.

• The government also launched several projects to protect gravely threatened animals like the
tiger, one-horned rhinoceros, Asiatic lion, and various crocodiles.

4. Write the important features of the Joint Forests Management (JFM)

Programme.

The Joint Forest Management (JFM) programme, rst launched in Orissa in 1988, has the following
important features:

• It is an example of a program that successfully involves local communities in the

management and restoration of degraded forests.

• The main purpose is to protect forests from encroachments, grazing, theft, and re, and to
improve forests according to a pre-approved plan.

• JFM relies on the formation of local village institutions that undertake protection activities
on forest land managed by the forest department.

• In return for their protection efforts, communities are provided with non-timber bene ts and
a share in the timber harvested.
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