Ch 02 - Forest and Wildlife Resources10th Geography

Biodiversity is defined as:

• A system immensely rich in wildlife and cultivated species.
• Highly diverse in form and function.
• Closely integrated into a single ecosystem through multiple networks of interdependencies.

Global Share

• India is highly diverse, hosting about 8% of the total number of species in the world.
• Estimated Number: This equates to an estimated 1.6 million species.
• Discovery Status: Many more species in India are yet to be discovered and formally named.

• Authority: The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources).
• Function: It publishes the comprehensive 'Red List' of threatened species to guide global conservation efforts.

Normal Species

• Definition: Species whose population levels are considered to be normal for their continued survival.
• Examples: Cattle, Sal trees, Pine trees, Rodents.

Rare Species

• Definition: Species with a naturally small population.
• Risk: They are at risk of moving into the Endangered or Vulnerable category if negative environmental factors affect them.
• Examples: Himalayan Brown Bear, Wild Asiatic Buffalo, Desert Fox, Hornbill.

Endemic Species

• Condition: These are species found only in some particular areas, usually isolated by natural or geographical barriers.
• Examples: Andaman Teal, Nicobar Pigeon, Andaman Wild Pig, Mithun in Arunachal Pradesh.

Vulnerable Species

• Definition: Species whose population has declined to levels where it is likely to move into the Endangered category soon if negative factors continue to operate.
• Examples: Blue Sheep, Asiatic Elephant, Gangetic Dolphin.

Endangered Species

• Definition: Species that are already in direct danger of extinction. Their survival is difficult if the negative factors causing their decline continue.
• Examples: Black Buck, Crocodile, Indian Wild Ass, Indian Rhino, Lion-tailed Macaque, Sangai (brow-antlered deer in Manipur).

Threatened Plant Species

• Wild Mahua: Madhuca insignis (a specific wild variety of the Mahua tree).
• Grass Species: Hubbardia heptaneuron.
• Status: Both are on the threatened list, highlighting human insensitivity to the broader environment beyond charismatic megafauna.

Birds on the Verge of Extinction

1. Mountain Quail
2. Forest Spotted Owl
3. Pink-headed Duck

Note: These are frequently tested in competitive exam MCQs requiring species identification.

Extinct Species

No, it does not necessarily mean global extinction.

• Definition: A species may be extinct from a local area, region, country, continent, OR the entire earth after systematic searches of known/likely habitats.
• Examples in India: Asiatic Cheetah, Pink Head Duck.

• Year Declared Extinct: 1952.
• Species Profile: It is the world's fastest land mammal, capable of speeds up to 112 km/hr.
• Primary Cause: The systematic decline and destruction of its available habitat and prey base.

Reserved Forests

• Definition: Forests permanently earmarked either for the production of timber or other forest produce.
• Restrictions: The rights of grazing and cultivation are seldom allowed.
• Status: Regarded as the most valuable classification from the perspective of pure conservation.
• Coverage: Accounts for more than half of India's total forest land.

Protected Forests

• Aim: These lands are protected specifically to prevent any further depletion of forest resources, though local rights may be allowed with restrictions.
• Coverage: This category makes up almost one-third of the total forest area in India.

Unclassed Forests

• Definition: These are other forests and wastelands that belong to both the government as well as private individuals and local communities.
• Location: They are predominantly common in the North-Eastern states and parts of Gujarat.

Permanent Forest Estates

• Composition: The combination of Reserved Forests + Protected Forests.
• Purpose: Maintained specifically for producing timber and other forest produce, and for protective ecological reasons.
• Top State: Madhya Pradesh has the largest area under permanent forests (accounting for 75% of its total forest area).

Reserved Forests

• Key States: Jammu & Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Maharashtra.

Protected Forests

• Key States: Bihar, Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan.

Unclassed Forests

• Key Regions: All North-Eastern States and Gujarat (largely managed by local communities).

• Delhi and Punjab.

Contrast Note: This extreme lack of forest cover is in sharp contrast to states like Mizoram or Arunachal Pradesh, and falls massively short of the 33% target set by the National Forest Policy.

Direct Causes

• Hunting, poaching, and over-exploitation.

Indirect Causes

1. Habitat destruction (due to expansion of agriculture/infrastructure).
2. Environmental pollution.
3. Poisoning.
4. Forest fires.

Colonial Impact on Forests

• Infrastructure Expansion: Rapid expansion of the railway network, commercial agriculture, scientific forestry, and mining activities cleared vast tracts of natural forest.
• Enrichment Plantation: The colonial policy promoted a few commercially favoured species (Monoculture) over native species, severely damaging natural biodiversity.

Enrichment Plantation

• Definition: An agricultural/forestry practice that involves promoting a single commercially valuable species extensively.
• Result: It creates an unnatural Monoculture.
• Impact: It actively eliminates diverse native species.
• Examples: Teak monoculture destroyed natural mixed forests in South India; Chir Pine plantations replaced the native Himalayan Oak and Rhododendron forests.

Agricultural Expansion

• Between 1951 and 1980, over 26,200 sq. km. of forest was legally converted into agricultural land across India.

Shifting Cultivation (Jhum)

• A traditional 'Slash and Burn' agriculture method.
• Impact: Substantial parts of tribal belts, particularly in North-Eastern and Central India, have been heavily deforested or degraded due to this practice.

Nuance in Fuelwood Collection

• Argument: Though grazing and fuelwood collection are often blamed for major deforestation, the text provides a caveat.
• Reality: A substantial part of the rural fuel-fodder demand is met by lopping (cutting branches) rather than by felling (cutting down the entire tree).
• Conclusion: While it degrades forests, it is not the primary driver of total destruction when compared to commercial forestry, agriculture, or mining.

Buxa Tiger Reserve

• Threat: Intensive Dolomite Mining operations.
• Impact: It has severely disturbed the natural habitat and physically blocked the crucial migration routes of the Indian Elephant.

The Threat to the Himalayan Yew

• Product: A chemical compound called 'Taxol' is extracted from the bark, needles, twigs, and roots of this plant.
• Application: Taxol is used as the biggest selling anti-cancer drug in the world.
• Consequence: The species is under severe threat of extinction due to over-exploitation in the forests of Himachal Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh.

Impact of River Valley Projects

• Since 1951, over 5,000 sq km of forest was officially cleared for river valley projects in India.
• Case Study: The Narmada Sagar Project in Madhya Pradesh threatens to inundate over 40,000 hectares of forest.
• Consequence: These mega-projects not only destroy vast tracts of natural wildlife habitat but also forcefully displace local indigenous communities.

• Threat: Severe Pollution and toxic elements present in stagnant water.
• Evidence: Mass bird deaths and fish contamination in the highly polluted Yamuna water have been directly linked to the decline of the ecosystem supporting the Gharial.
• Status: The species remains Critically Endangered.

The Socio-Economic Burden on Women

• Traditional Roles: In many rural societies, women bear the primary responsibility for collecting basic survival needs like fuel, fodder, water, and other forest produce.
• The Impact: As these resources deplete, women have to walk significantly longer distances (sometimes over 10 km) to collect them.
• Consequence: This causes severe health problems for women and leads to the negligence of home and children due to massively increased work hours.

Causes of Conflict

• Habitat Shrinkage: Forest areas are shrinking rapidly due to population growth and a lack of space.
• Encroachment: There are simply too many human activities and settlements pushing deep into forest areas.
• Result: Deprived of their natural territory, animals are forced to venture out of forests in search of food, leading to deadly conflicts with humans.

In-situ (On-site) Conservation

• Protecting the endangered species within its natural habitat.
• Examples: Establishing National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries, and Biosphere Reserves.

Ex-situ (Off-site) Conservation

• Protecting the species outside its natural habitat in a specialized, controlled environment.
• Examples: Zoological parks (Zoos), Botanical gardens, and cryogenic Seed banks.

The 1972 Act

• Primary Thrust: Protecting the remaining population of certain critically endangered species.
• Methods of Protection:
  1. Banning hunting and poaching completely.
  2. Giving strict legal protection to their natural habitats.
  3. Restricting trade in wildlife and their derivatives.

Schedule-Based Protection

• The Act provides different degrees of legal protection through various Schedules.
• Schedules I and Part II of Schedule II: Provide absolute protection. Offenses under these carry the absolute highest penalties.
• Application: Highly threatened species like the Tiger, Indian Rhino, and Great Indian Bustard are placed in Schedule I to ensure maximum legal security against hunting and trade.

The Expanding Scope of Conservation

• 1980 & 1986 Notifications: Conservation efforts moved beyond just large mammals. Several hundred butterflies, moths, beetles, and one dragonfly were added to the protected list.
• 1991 Notification: For the very first time, Plants were formally added to the protected list (starting with six specific species).

The Launch of Project Tiger

• The Decline: Launched in 1973, authorities realized the tiger population had dwindled to just 1,827 from an estimated 55,000 at the turn of the century.

Major Threats

• Poaching & Illegal Trade: Tiger skins and bones are highly valued for use in traditional medicines (especially in Asian countries).
• Geographic Vulnerability: India and Nepal are prime targets for poachers because they provide habitat to about two-thirds of the surviving global tiger population.
• Other Threats: Shrinking habitat and the depletion of their natural prey base.

| Reserve | State |
|:--- |:--- |
| Corbett National Park | Uttarakhand |
| Sunderbans National Park | West Bengal |
| Bandhavgarh National Park | Madhya Pradesh |
| Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary | Rajasthan |
| Manas Tiger Reserve | Assam |
| Periyar Tiger Reserve | Kerala |

Sacred Groves

• Definition: Virgin forest patches preserved in pristine form based on age-old tribal beliefs.
• The Belief: Rooted in the philosophy that all creations of nature have to be protected and revered.
• Status: These specific forest patches are left completely untouched by local people, and any interference or extraction of resources is strictly banned by the community.

Cultural Tree Worship

| Tribe / Region | Sacred Tree Worshipped |
|:--- |:--- |
| Mundas & Santhals (Chota Nagpur) | Mahua (Bassia latifolia) and Kadamba (Anthocaphalus cadamba) |
| Tribals of Odisha & Bihar | Tamarind and Mango (especially during weddings) |
| General Indian Society | Peepal and Banyan trees |

Gautama Buddha (487 B.C.)

'The tree is a peculiar organism of unlimited kindness and benevolence and makes no demand for its sustenance, and extends generously the products of its life activity... offering shade even to the axemen who destroy it.'

• The Tribe: The Lepchas (indigenous to the West Bengal and Sikkim region).
• Cultural Context: They dedicate their traditional music to 'Narak! My Lord'.
• They draw their musical inspiration directly from gathering at springs, rivers, mountains, and forests.

• Region: Rajasthan.
• Protected Species: Herds of Blackbuck (Chinkara), Nilgai, and Peacocks roam freely around their villages.
• The Relationship: These animals are seen as an integral part of the community. The Bishnoi people strictly protect them, and nobody is allowed to harm or hunt them.

Community-Led Conservation

• The Action: The inhabitants of five villages in the Alwar district declared 1,200 hectares of forest as the Bhairodev Dakav ‘Sonchuri’.
• The Rules: They explicitly rejected government involvement and declared their own strict set of rules and regulations.
• Impact: These rules completely prohibit hunting and actively protect the wildlife against outside encroachments.

• The Conflict: Villagers fought aggressively against environmentally destructive mining activities in the area.
• The Strategy: They explicitly cited the Wildlife Protection Act to legally force the cessation of mining operations.
• Significance: It demonstrates local communities taking the initiative to conserve habitats, often to secure their own long-term livelihoods.

• Region: The Himalayas.
• The Achievement: It successfully mobilized local communities to physically hug trees, resisting and preventing massive deforestation.
• The Lesson: It proved that community afforestation programs using indigenous species can be enormously successful, and that local involvement is key to conservation.

Save the Seeds Movement

• The Movement: The Beej Bachao Andolan (Save the Seeds Movement) in Tehri and the Navdanya initiative.
• The Goal: Reviving traditional seed conservation methods and promoting ecological farming.
• The Proof: They successfully demonstrated that adequate levels of diversified crop production are completely possible and economically viable without the use of harmful synthetic chemicals (fertilizers/pesticides).

Birth of JFM

• The Year: 1988.
• The State: Odisha became the very first state to pass a resolution for Joint Forest Management.
• The Core Concept: Involving local rural communities as active partners with the state in the management and restoration of degraded forests.

How JFM Works

• The Community's Responsibility: Local village institutions undertake protection activities (like preventing fires and illegal grazing) on degraded forest land managed by the forest department.
• The Community's Benefit: In return, members get intermediary benefits (access to non-timber forest produce like fruits/resins) and a legally defined share in the timber harvested after 'successful protection'.