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Let me gather your music from the its vast array of biological diversity, and has
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springs, the rivers, the mountains, the forests, nearly 8 per cent of the total number of
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the insects and the animals species in the world (estimated to be 1.6
Let me gather your music from the sweet million). This is possibly twice or thrice the
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breeze and offer it to you number yet to be discovered. You have
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already studied in detail about the extent
and variety of forest and wildlife resources
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Source: Lepcha folk song from northern part of
West Bengal in India. Yo u m a y h a v e realised the
importance of these resources in our daily
life. These diverse flora and fauna are so
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We share this planet with millions of other well integrated in our daily life that we take
living beings, starting from micro-organisms these for granted. But, lately, they are under
and bacteria, lichens to banyan trees, great stress mainy due to insensitivity to
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Do you know that among the larger levels are considered to be normal for
animals in India, 79 species of mammals, their survival, such as cattle, sal, pine,
44 of birds, 15 of reptiles, and 3 of rodents, etc.
amphibians are threatened? Nearly 1,500 Endangered Species: These are species
plant species are considered endangered.
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which are in danger of extinction. The
Flowering plants and vertebrate animals survival of such species is difficult if the
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have recently become extinct at a rate negative factors that have led to a decline in
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estimated to be 50 to 100 times the their population continue to operate. The
average expected natural rate.
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crocodile, Indian wild ass, Indian rhino, lion
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tailed macaque, sangai (brow anter deer in
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Vanishing Forests Manipur), etc.
The dimensions of deforestation in India are Vulnerable Species: These are species
staggering. The forest cover in the country is whose population has declined to levels from
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estimated at 78.29 million hectare, which is where it is likely to move into the endangered
23.81 per cent of the total geographical area. category in the near future if the negative
(dense forest 12.30 per cent; open forest 8.75 factors continue to operate. The examples of
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per cent; and mangrove 0.14 per cent). such species are blue sheep, Asiatic elephant,
According to the State of Forest Report Gangetic dolphin, etc.
(2011), the dense forest cover has increased
by 10,098 sq km since 1997. However, this Rare Species: Species with small population
apparent increase in the forest cover is due may move into the endangered or vulnerable
to plantation by different agencies. The State category if the negative factors affecting them
of Forest Report does not differentiate continue to operate. The examples of such
between natural forests and plantations. species are the Himalayan brown bear, wild
Therefore, these reports fail to deliver Asiatic buffalo, desert fox and hornbill, etc.
Endemic Species: These are species which
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
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Asiatic Cheetah: where did they go? depleted our forests and wildlife. The greatest
damage inflicted on Indian forests was during
The worlds fastest land mammal, the the colonial period due to the expansion of the
cheetah (Acinonyx jubantus), is a unique and
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shaped lines on each side of the nose from 1980, according to the Forest Survey of India,
the corner of its eyes to its mouth. Prior to over 26,200 sq. km. of forest area was converted
the 20th century, cheetahs were widely into agricultural land all over India. Substantial
distributed throughout Africa and Asia. parts of the tribal belts, especially in the north-
Today, the Asian cheetah is nearly extinct eastern and central India, have been deforested
due to a decline of available habitat and or degraded by shifting cultivation (jhum), a type
prey. The species was declared extinct in of slash and burn agriculture.
India long back in 1952.
resource obtaining directly and indirectly from through the ironically-termed enrichment
the forests and wildlife wood, barks, leaves, plantation, in which a single commercially
rubber, medicines, dyes, food, fuel, fodder, valuable species was extensively planted
manure, etc. So it is we ourselves who have and other species eliminated. For instance,
16 CONTEMPORARY INDIA II
teak monoculture has damaged the natural the fact remains that a substantial part of the
forest in South India and Chir Pine (Pinus fuel-fodder demand is met by lopping rather
roxburghii) plantations in the Himalayas than by felling entire trees. The forest
have replaced the Himalayan oak (Quercius ecosystems are repositories of some of the
spp.) and Rhododendron forests. countrys most valuable forest products,
minerals and other resources that meet the
demands of the rapidly expanding industrial-
Large-scale development projects have also urban economy. These protected areas, thus
contributed significantly to the loss of forests. mean different things to different people, and
Since 1951, over 5,000 sq km of forest was therein lies the fertile ground for conflicts.
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cleared for river valley projects. Clearing of
forests is still continuing with projects like the The Himalayan Yew in trouble
Narmada Sagar Project in Madhya Pradesh,
The Himalayan Yew (Taxus wallachiana) is a
which would inundate 40,000 hectares of medicinal plant found in various parts of
forest. Mining is another important factor
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Himachal Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh.
behind deforestation. The Buxa Tiger Reserve
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A chemical compound called taxol is
in West Bengal is seriously threatened by the extracted from the bark, needles, twigs and
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ongoing dolomite mining. It has disturbed the
roots of this tree, and it has been successfully
natural habitat of many species and blocked
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the migration route of several others, including
used to treat some cancers the drug is now
the biggest selling anti-cancer drug in the
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the great Indian elephant.
world. The species is under great threat due
Many foresters and environmentalists hold
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to over-exploitation. In the last one decade,
the view that the greatest degrading factors
thousands of yew trees have dried up in
behind the depletion of forest resources are various parts of Himachal Pradesh and
grazing and fuel-wood collection. Though, there
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Arunachal Pradesh.
may be some substance in their argument, yet,
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Tribal women selling minor forest produce Leaf litter collection by women folk
Fig. 2.3
FOREST AND WILDLIFE RESOURCES 17
Habitat destruction, hunting, poaching, men. In many societies, women bear the major
over-exploitation, environmental pollution, responsibility of collection of fuel, fodder, water
poisoning and forest fires are factors, which and other basic subsistence needs. As these
have led to the decline in Indias biodiversity. resources are depleted, the drudgery of women
Other important causes of environmental increases and sometimes they have to walk for
destruction are unequal access, inequitable more than 10 km to collect these resources.
consumption of resources and differential This causes serious health problems for women
sharing of responsibility for environmental and negligence of home and children because
well-being. Over-population in third world of the increased hours of work, which often has
countries is often cited as the cause of serious social implications. The indirect impact
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environmental degradation. However, an of degradation such as severe drought or
average American consumes 40 times more deforestation-induced floods, etc. also hits the
resources than an average Somalian. Similarly, poor the hardest. Poverty in these cases is a
the richest five per cent of Indian society direct outcome of environmental destruction.
probably cause more ecological damage Therefore, forest and wildlife, are vital to the
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because of the amount they consume than the quality of life and environment in the
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poorest 25 per cent. The former shares subcontinent. It is imperative to adapt to sound
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minimum responsibilities for environmental forest and wildlife conservation strategies.
well-being. The question is: who is consuming
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what, from where and how much? Conservation of Forest and Wildlife in India
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Conservation in the background of rapid
decline in wildlife population and forestry has
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Do you know that over half of Indias become essential. But why do we need to
natural forests are gone, one-third of its conserve our forests and wildlife? Conservation
preserves the ecological diversity and our life
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strongly correlated with the loss of cultural restricting trade in wildlife. Subsequently,
diversity. Such losses have increasingly central and many state governments
marginalised and impoverished many established national parks and wildlife
indigenous and other forest-dependent sanctuaries about which you have already
no
communities, who directly depend on various studied. The central government also
components of the forest and wildlife for food, announced several projects for protecting
drink, medicine, culture, spirituality, etc. specific animals, which were gravely
Within the poor, women are affected more than threatened, including the tiger, the one-
18 CONTEMPORARY INDIA II
ed
Fig. 2.4: Rhino and deer in Kaziranga National Park
horned rhinoceros, the Kashmir stag or dropped to 3,600. There were 39 tiger
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hangul, three types of crocodiles fresh water reserves in India covering an area of
crocodile, saltwater crocodile and the Gharial, 32137.14 sq km* Tiger conservation has
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the Asiatic lion, and others. Most recently, the been viewed not only as an effort to save
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Indian elephant, black buck (chinkara), the
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great Indian bustard (godawan) and the snow importance as a means of preserving
leopard, etc. have been given full or partial biotypes of sizeable magnitude. Corbett
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legal protection against hunting and trade National Park in Uttarakhand, Sunderbans
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throughout India. National Park in West Bengal, Bandhavgarh
Project Tiger National Park in Madhya Pradesh, Sariska
Wildlife Sanctuary in Rajasthan, Manas
Tiger is one of the key wildlife species in
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growing human population, etc. The trade search for different conservation measures.
of tiger skins and the use of their bones in Increasingly, even insects are beginning to find
traditional medicines, especially in the a place in conservation planning. In the
Asian countries left the tiger population on notification under Wildlife Act of 1980 and
the verge of extinction. Since India and 1986, several hundred butterflies, moths,
Nepal provide habitat to about two-thirds beetles, and one dragonfly have been added to
of the surviving tiger population in the the list of protected species. In 1991, for the
world, these two nations became prime first time plants were also added to the list,
targets for poaching and illegal trading. starting with six species.
Project Tiger, one of the well-
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1993, the population of the tiger had cite their locations on the map of India.
Source :
*Natinal Tiger Coservation Authority, Ministry of Environment Forest, Govternment of India, 2009-10
Can you find out the reasons for the above mentioned problems?
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Types and Distribution of Forest and (iii) Unclassed Forests: These are other
Wildlife Resources forests and wastelands belonging to
Even if we want to conserve our vast forest and both government and private individuals
and communities.
(ii) Protected Forests: Almost one-third of the a bulk of it under protected forests. All North-
total forest area is protected forest, as declared eastern states and parts of Gujarat have a very
by the Forest Department. This forest land are high percentage of their forests as unclassed
protected from any further depletion. forests managed by local communities.
20 CONTEMPORARY INDIA II
Community and Conservation and treated as a part of temple devotees. In
Conservation strategies are not new in our and around Bishnoi villages in Rajasthan,
country. We often ignore that in India, forests herds of blackbuck, (chinkara), nilgai and
peacocks can be seen as an integral part of
are also home to some of the traditional
communities. In some areas of India, local the community and nobody harms them.
communities are struggling to conserve these
habitats along with government officials,
recognising that only this will secure their own Write a short essay on any practices which
long-term livelihood. In Sariska Tiger Reserve, you may have observed and practised in
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Rajasthan, villagers have fought against your everyday lives that conserve and protect
mining by citing the Wildlife Protection Act. In the environment around you.
many areas, villagers themselves are protecting
habitats and explicitly rejecting government The famous Chipko movement in the
involvement. The inhabitants of five villages in Himalayas has not only successfully resisted
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the Alwar district of Rajasthan have declared deforestation in several areas but has also shown
1,200 hectares of forest as the Bhairodev
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that community afforestation with indigenous
Dakav Sonchuri, declaring their own set of
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species can be enormously successful.
rules and regulations which do not allow
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hunting, and are protecting the wildlife against methods or developing new methods of
any outside encroachments. ecological farming are now widespread. Farmers
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and citizens groups like the Beej Bachao
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Sacred groves - a wealth of diverse Andolan in Tehri and Navdanya have shown
and rare species that adequate levels of diversified crop
Nature worship is an age old tribal belief production without the use of synthetic
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based on the premise that all creations of chemicals are possible and economically viable.
nature have to be protected. Such beliefs In India joint forest management (JFM)
have preserved several virgin forests in programme furnishes a good example for
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pristine form called Sacred Groves (the involving local communities in the
forests of God and Goddesses). These management and restoration of degraded
patches of forest or parts of large forests have forests. The programme has been in formal
been left untouched by the local people and existence since 1988 when the state of Odisha
any interference with them is banned. passed the first resolution for joint forest
Certain societies revere a particular tree management. JFM depends on the formation
which they have preserved from time of local (village) institutions that undertake
immemorial. The Mundas and the Santhal of protection activities mostly on degraded forest
Chota Nagpur region worship mahua (Bassia land managed by the forest department. In
latifolia) and kadamba (Anthocaphalus return, the members of these communities are
cadamba) trees, and the tribals of Odisha and entitled to intermediary benefits like non-timber
Bihar worship the tamarind (Tamarindus forest produces and share in the timber
indica) and mango (Mangifera indica) trees harvested by successful protection.
during weddings. To many of us, peepal and The clear lesson from the dynamics of both
banyan trees are considered sacred. environmental destruction and reconstruction
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1. Multiple choice questions.
(i) Which of these statements is not a valid reason for the depletion of flora
and fauna?
(a) Agricultural expansion.
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(b) Large scale developmental projects.
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(c) Grazing and fuel wood collection.
(d) Rapid industrialisation and urbanisation.
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(ii) Which of the following conservation strategies do not directly involve
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(a) Joint forest management (c) Chipko Movement
(b) Beej Bachao Andolan (d) Demarcation of Wildlife sanctuaries
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2. Match the following animals with their category of existence.
22 CONTEMPORARY INDIA II