Learning Objective
- Flora and Fauna in India
- Conservation of Forest and Wildlife in India
- Types and Distribution of Forest and Wildlife Resources
- Community and Conservation
Flora and Fauna in India
- India possesses a rich biological diversity with unique animals and plants.
- The country is possibly home to twice or thrice the number of species yet to be discovered.
- Extensive studies have been conducted on the forest and wildlife resources in India.
- There’s a realization of the importance of these resources in daily life.
- Flora and fauna play integral roles in daily life, often taken for granted.
- Recent times have seen increased stress on these resources due to environmental insensitivity.
Conservation of Forest and Wildlife in India
- Conservation aims to preserve ecological and genetic diversity of plants and animals.
- The Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972 was enacted to safeguard habitats, and a national list of protected species was established.
- Various projects were launched by the central government to protect specific animal species.
- Amendments to the Wildlife Act in 1980 and 1986 expanded protection to include hundreds of butterflies, moths, beetles, and one dragonfly.
- In 1991, plants were included in the protected species list for the first time, 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: Forest Department has declared one-third of the total forest area as protected forest.
Unclassed forests: Unclassed forests are shared by the government and private individuals or communities. They are prevalent in the northeastern states and parts of Gujarat.
- Reserved and protected forests in India, known as permanent forests, are managed for timber production, other forest produce, and conservation. Madhya Pradesh holds the largest area of permanent forests among Indian states.
Community and Conservation
- In Sariska Tiger Reserve, Rajasthan, villagers opposed mining activities using the Wildlife Protection Act.
- Five villages in Alwar district, Rajasthan, declared 1,200 hectares of forest as the Bhairodev Dakav ‘Sonchuri’, implementing their own rules against hunting and protecting wildlife from encroachments.
- The Chipko movement in the Himalayas successfully resisted deforestation and promoted community afforestation.
- Initiatives like the Beej Bachao Andolan in Tehri and Navdanya demonstrate viable diversified crop production without synthetic chemicals.
- India’s Joint Forest Management (JFM) program involves local communities in managing and restoring degraded forests.
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