Forest & Wildlife Resources

Forest and Wildlife Resources
Flora and Fauna in India: -

 India is one of the world’s richest countries in terms of its vast array of
biological diversity. Different varieties of forest and wildlife resources are
found in India.
 Based on the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural
Resources (IUCN), we can classify different categories of existing plants
and animal species as follows:
 Normal species: Species whose population levels are considered
normal for survival, such as cattle, sal, pine, rodents, etc.
 Endangered species: These species are in danger of extinction. For
example, species are black buck, crocodile, Indian wild ass, Indian
rhino, lion-tailed macaque, sangai (brow anter deer in Manipur),
etc.
 Vulnerable species: These are species whose population has
declined to levels that, if they continue to decline in the same
manner, are likely to move into the endangered category shortly.
Examples include blue sheep, Asiatic elephant, Gangetic dolphin,
etc.
 Rare species: Species with a small population may become
endangered or vulnerable if the negative factors affecting them
continue. Examples of such species are the Himalayan brown bear,
wild Asiatic buffalo, desert fox, and hornbill.
 Endemic species: These are species that are only found in some
particular areas, usually isolated by natural or geographical
barriers. Examples of such species are the Andaman teal, Nicobar
pigeon, Andaman wild pig, and Mithun in Arunachal Pradesh.
 Extinct species: These species may be extinct from a local area,
region, country, continent, or the entire earth. E.g., Asiatic
cheetah, pink head duck.
Negative factors that cause such depletion of the flora and fauna: -
 Excessive consumption of natural resources for fulfilling human needs,
such as wood, bark, leaves, rubber, medicines, dyes, food, fuel, fodder,
manure, etc.
 The expansion of the railways, agriculture, commercial and scientific
forestry, and mining activities.
 Large-scale development of projects and mining activities.
 Continuous demand for grazing land and fuel wood collection.
 Ever-increasing demand for the rapidly expanding Industrial-urban
economy.
 Unequal access, inequitable consumption of resources, and differential
sharing of responsibility for environmental well-being.
 Activities like hunting, poaching, over-exploitation, environmental
pollution, poisoning, and forest fire led to the decline of India’s
biodiversity.
 Buxa Tiger Reserve: West Bengal
Impact of loss of Bio-diversity: -

 Depletion of Bio-diversity is a huge cultural and biological loss
 Drudgery of women increases and sometimes they have to walk several
kilometres in search of fuel wood, water, etc.
 Increasingly marginalized and impoverished many Indigenous
communities and other forest-dependent communities that directly
depend on forests for their various needs.
 Drudgery of women increases and sometimes they have to walk several
kilometres in search of fuel wood, water, etc.
Conservation of Forest and Wildlife in India: -

 Conservation preserves the ecological diversity and preserves the
genetic diversity of plants and animals.
 The Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act was implemented in 1972 to protect
habitats, and an all-India list of protected species was published.
 The central government also announced several projects for protecting
specific animals by banning hunting, giving legal protection to their
habitats, and restricting wildlife trade.
 Central and many state governments established national parks and
wildlife sanctuaries
 Under the Wildlife Act of 1980 and 1986, several hundred butterflies,
moths, beetles, and one dragonfly have been added to the list of
protected species.
 In 1991, for the first time, plants were also added to the list, starting with
six species.
Types and Distribution of Forest and Wildlife Resources: -

 In India, forest and wildlife resources are owned and managed by the
government through the Forest Department or other government
departments. These are classified under the following categories.
 Reserved forests: More than half of the total forest land in India
has been declared reserved forests.
 Protected forests: The Forest Department has declared one-third
of the total forest area as protected forest.
 Unclassed forests: These are the forests and wastelands that
belong to both government and private individuals and
communities. North-eastern states and parts of Gujarat have a
very high percentage of their forests as unclassed forests.
 Reserved and protected forests are also referred to as permanent
forests, which are maintained to produce timber and other forest
produce and for protective reasons. Madhya Pradesh has the largest area
under permanent forests constituting 75% of its total forest area
Community and Conservation: -

 Conservation of the forest and wildlife resources is very important. Here
are a few steps taken by common people:
 In Sariska Tiger Reserve, Rajasthan, villagers have fought against
mining by citing the Wildlife Protection Act.
 The inhabitants of five villages in the Alwar district of Rajasthan
have declared 1,200 hectares of forest as the Bhairodev Dakav
‘Sonchuri’. Villages came up with their own set of rules and
regulations which do not allow hunting. They are also protecting
the wildlife against any outside encroachments.
 The famous Chipko movement in the Himalayas was one
successful attempt to resist deforestation in several areas. The
movement has also resulted in community afforestation.
 Farmers and citizen’s groups like the Beej Bachao Andolan in Tehri
and Navdanya have shown that adequate levels of diversified crop
production without the use of synthetic chemicals are possible
and economically viable.
 India’s Joint Forest Management (JFM) program furnishes a good
example of involving local communities in the management and
restoration of degraded forests.

Forest & Wildlife Resources

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Forest & Wildlife Resources

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Forest and Wildlife Resources

Flora and Fauna in India: -

Impact of loss of Bio-diversity: -

Conservation of Forest and Wildlife in India: -

Types and Distribution of Forest and Wildlife Resources: -

Community and Conservation: -

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