CHAPTER 2

Forest and Wildlife Resources

The Earth has huge biodiversity as it is shared by both human being along with other living
organisms, starting from micro-organism, bacteria, plants and animals. Humans along
with all living organisms inclusively form a complex web of ecological systems, where
forests play a key role as primary producers on which other living beings depend.

Flora and Fauna in India

In India, varieties of flora (plants) and fauna (animals) are found. Thus, it is one of the
world’s richest countries in terms of biological diversity. However, they are under threat
mainly due to insensitivity towards environment.

Biodiversity or biological diversity refers to rich wildlife and plant (cultivated) species which
are diverse or varied in form and function but are close integrated in a system through
interdependencies.

Conservation of Forest and Wildlife in India

Conservation became essential due to rapid decline of wildlife population and forestry. It
preserves the ecological diversity¹ and our life support systems like water, air and soil.

It also preserves the genetic diversity of plants and animals for better growth of species
and breeding. For example, maintenance of aquatic biodiversity is necessary for fisheries.

Wildlife Protection Act

In the 1960 and 1970s, conservationists demanded a national wildlife protection

This act consisted of various provisions for protecting habitats of wildlife. Under this Act,
an all India list of protected species was published.

The main objective of the programme was protecting the remaining population of certain
endangered species by banning hunting and restricting trade in wildlife.

Later, the Central and many State Governments have established many national parks and
wildlife sanctuaries to protect biodiversity.

The Central Government has announced several projects for protecting threatened
species. These include tiger, one-horned rhinoceros, the Kashmir stag or hangul, three
types of crocodiles (freshwater crocodile, salt water crocodile and Gharial), Asiatic lion and
others.
Most recently, the Indian elephant, black buck, (Chinkara) the great Indian bustard
(godawan) and snow leopard have been given (partial or full) legal protection against
hunting, poaching and illegal trade throughout India.

In the notification of Wildlife Act of 1980 and 1986, many insects including butterflies,
moths, beetles and a dragonfly have been added to the list of protected species

In 1991, plants were also added to the list for the first time, starting with six species.

Definitions:

Ecological Diversity The structural abundance of flora and fauna in response to the
landscape and physical forces active on its part of land is collectively called ecological
diversity.

National Park It refers to an area that is protected by the government for conservation of
flora and fauna.

Project Tiger

Tiger is an important wildlife species. In 1973, Project Tiger was launched due to a major
decrease in tiger population to 1,827 from an estimated 55,000.

The major threats to tiger population include poaching for trade, habitat loss, prey species
depletion, human population growth, etc.

The trade of tiger skins and bones for traditional medicines, especially in Asian countries
resulted in the near extinction of tiger population

India and Nepal contribute about two-thirds of the world’s remaining tiger population,
making them prime targets for poaching and illegal trading.

Tiger conservation is an effort to save endangered species and preserving biotypes of large
and significant ecosystems.

Tiger reserves in India include Corbett National Park (Uttarakhand), Sunderbans National
Park (West Bengal), Bandhavgarh National Park (Madhya Pradesh), Sariska Wildlife
Sanctuary (Rajasthan), Manas Tiger Reserve (Assam) and Periyar Tiger Reserve (Kerala).

Types and Distribution of Forest and Wildlife Resources

In India, much of its forest and wildlife resources are either owned or managed by the
government through the Forest Department or other government departments.

The forests are classified under three categories as follows

These forests are owned by the government and all the human activities like collection of
timber, grazing of cattle, etc are not allowed in these forests.

They are regarded as the most valuable forests in terms of conservation of forest and
wildlife resources. They constitute about more than half of the total forest land in India.

Jammu and Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and
Maharashtra have large percentages of reserved forests.

(ii) Protected Forests

These forests are also owned by the government but the local people are allowed here to
collect fuel wood and grazing their cattle without causing serious damage to the forests.

They constitute about one-third of the total forest area in India as declared by Forest
Department.

This forest land are protected from any further depletion.

Haryana, Odisha, Punjab, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, and Rajasthan have extensive
protected forests.

(iii) Unclassed Forests

These are other forests and wastelands belonging to private individuals, government and
communities,

Northern-Eastern states and parts of Gujarat have high percentage of unclassed forests
managed by local communities.

Permanent Forest Estates

Reserved forests and protected forests are collectively called permanent forest estates.
These forests are maintained for producing timber and other forest products and for
protective reasons.

Madhya Pradesh has maximum forest cover under permanent forests constituting 75 per
cent of its total forest cover.

Community and Conservation

In India, forests are also home to many traditional communities. In some areas of India,
local communities along with government officials are struggling to conserve these
habitats, as only this will secure their long term livelihood. For example,
In the Sariska Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan, villagers have fought against the mining by
referring to the Wildlife Protection Act.

The inhabitants of five villages in Alwar district of Rajasthan have declared 1200 hectares of
forest land as the Bhairodev Dakav Sonchuri (sanctuary). They have declared their own set
of rules and regulations which do not allow hunting and are protecting the wildlife against
any outside encroachments.

The famous Chipko Movement was conducted in the Himalayas. It has successfully
resisted deforestation as well as shown the community afforestation by the native people
at a large scale.

Attempts to revive the traditional conservation methods or developing new methods of

For instance, farmers and citizens groups like the Beej Bachao Andolan in Tehri and
Navdanya have shown that it is possible and economically viable to produce adequate
diversified crops without the use of artificial chemicals.

Definitions:

Biotype It is a specific type of habitat where particular plants and animals thrive together.

Sonchuri It refers to an area where wild birds or animals are protected and encouraged to
breed. It is a local

Joint Forest Management (JFM)

In India, joint forest management involves the local communities in managing and restoring
the degraded forests.

The programme has been officially established since 1988 when the state of Odisha
passed the first resolution for JFM.

Under this programme, local (village) institutions are formed that under take protection
activities mostly on the degraded forest land managed by the forest department.

In return, the members of these communities are allowed to get benefits like non-timber
forest produce and also share in the timber harvested by successful protection.

Measures to Conserve

To protect forest and wildlife resources, the local communities have to be involved in some
kind of natural resource management.
The government should adopt only those economic or developmental-friendly and
economically rewarding.

Sacred Groves: A Wealth of Diverse and Rare Species

There is an old tribal belief that all creations of nature have to be protected. This belief
preserved several virgin forests that are called Sacred Groves (the forests of God and
Goddesses). Any interference in these forests is banned by the local people. For example,

The Mundas and Santhals of Chota Nagpur region worship mahua (Bassia latifolia) and
kadamba (Anthocephalus cadamba) trees.

The tribal of Odisha and Bihar worship the tamarind (Tamarindus indica) and mango
(Mangifera indica) trees during weddings.

Peepal and banyan trees are also considered sacred. In India, sacred qualities are also
connected with springs, mountains, plants and animals. For example, in and around
Bishnoi village in Rajasthan, herds of blackbuck, (chinkara), nilgai and peacocks are an
integral part of the community and are protected.