Forest And Wildlife

Forest And Wildlife

▪ Forests are termed as biodiversity hotspots.

▪ Biodiversity is the variety and range of plant and animal life in a
particular habitat.
▪ Loss of biodiversity may result in loss of ecological balance and
damage to the ecosystem.
Stakeholders Of Forest

▪ When we consider conservation of forests we must consider the

following stakeholders:
▪ People who habituate around forests and are dependent on forest
produce.
▪ Forest Department of the Government that own the land and resources.
▪ Industrialists: who use the forest to produce certain products
▪ Conservationists and wildlife enthusiasts who want to conserve nature
in its pristine form.
Industrialist’s Mentality And Influence

▪ Industrialists consider forest as a source of raw materials.

▪ Industries have more political power than the locals and only bother
about meeting their demands.
▪ They do not care about sustainability and will move on from one
habitat to another in search of raw materials.
People Intervention In Forests

▪ There have been enough instances of local people working

traditionally for conservation of forests.
▪ Examples: Bishnoi community in Rajasthan for saving Khejri trees in
Jodhpur Rajasthan
▪ Human intervention is a necessity in the management of forest
resources and landscapes.
▪ Resources must be utilised to ensure development while preserving the
environment.
Chipko Movement

▪ The Chipko Andolan (‘Hug the Trees Movement’) is one such case of
conflict between the industrialist and local dwellers in the 1970s.
 Originated in Reni Garhwal, high up in the Himalayas.
 The conflict between local villagers and logging contractor →
Women of the village stopped felling of trees by hugging them →
Contractor had to reverse the action.
 The movement quickly gained popularity and media attention and
forced the government to rethink the management of forest resources.
 Involvement of local people is equally important in the management
of forest resources.
Sustainable Management Of Forests

▪ Sustainable management of forest should offer a comprehensive

approach to ensure forest activities deliver social, environmental, and
economic benefits, balance competing needs and maintain and
enhance forest functions now and in the future.
▪ Sustainable development needs all stakeholders of forest resources to
be satisfied.
▪ Government should control the industries in using raw materials.
Government should also control illegal activities
An Example of People’s Participation in the
Management of Forests

▪ In 1972, the West Bengal Forest Department recognised its failures in

reviving the degraded Sal forests in the south-western districts of the
state.
▪ The local villagers had no role in the operation and maintenance of the
forests practised by the government, which had even developed into
frequent clashes between them
▪ The Department changed its strategy in the Arabari forest range of
Midnapore district at the insistence of the District Forest Officer, A.K.
Banerjee
 Villagers were involved in the protection of 1,272 hectares of badly
degraded sal forest.
 In return, villagers were given employment in both silviculture and
harvesting operations, 25% of the final harvest, and allowed fuelwood
and fodder collection on payment of a nominal fee.
 By 1983, Sal forests of Arabari was valued Rs 12.5 crores.
Questions

Q.1 Who considers forests merely as a source of raw materials?

(a)People who live in forests
(b)Industries
(c) Forest Department
(d) Forest and Wildlife enthusiasts
Ans: (b) Industries
Q.2 Where did the Chipko Movement Originate from???
(a) Bengal
(b) Arbari
(c) Reni Garhwal
(d) Midnapore
Ans: (c) Reni Garhwal
Q.3 What are Forests termed as?
(a) Biodiversity Hotspots
(b) Source Of raw materials
(c) A piece of Land
(d) A collection of Trees
Ans: (a) Biodiversity Hotspots
Q.4 What is biodiversity?
(a) Wildlife
(b) Forests
(c) The number of plants and animals in a Particular Habitat
(d) the variety and range of plant and animal life in a particular habitat.
Ans: (d) the variety and range of plant and animal life in a particular
habitat.