CBSE · Class 10 · Social Science · Geography: Forest and Wildlife ResourcesExplain the various measures taken for the conservation of forests and wildlife in India. Describe the role of communities in forest conservation.

Introduction to Conservation\nConservation preserves the ecological diversity and our life support systems—water, air, and soil. In the 1960s and 1970s, conservationists demanded a national wildlife protection program. The Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act was implemented in 1972, with various provisions for protecting habitats.

Government Measures and Acts

• Wildlife Protection Act (1972): This act provided an all-India list of protected species. The thrust was on protecting the remaining population of certain endangered species by banning hunting, giving legal protection to their habitats, and restricting trade in wildlife.
• Project Tiger: Launched in 1973, it is one of the well-publicized wildlife campaigns in the world. Tiger conservation is not only viewed as an endangered species rescue but also as a means to preserve biotypes of sizeable magnitude. Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand, Sunderbans National Park in West Bengal, and Bandhavgarh National Park in Madhya Pradesh are some of the tiger reserves.
• Reserved and Protected Forests: Central and state governments have established reserved and protected forests through the Forest Department, where hunting and grazing are either completely banned or severely restricted.

Role of Communities in Conservation\nConservation strategies are not new in India. In India, forest is often home to local communities. Communities have historically protected these resources:

• Sariska Tiger Reserve: In Rajasthan, villagers have fought against mining by citing the Wildlife Protection Act. The residents of five villages in the Alwar district of Rajasthan have declared 1,200 hectares of forest as the 'Bhairodev Dakav 'Sonchuri'', declaring their own set of rules and hunting bans.
• Chipko Movement: The famous Chipko movement in the Himalayas successfully resisted deforestation in several areas and showed that community afforestation with indigenous species can be enormously successful.
• Joint Forest Management (JFM): This program furnishes a good example for involving local communities in the management and restoration of degraded forests. Odisha passed the first resolution for joint forest management in 1988.
• Sacred Groves: Nature worship is an age-old tribal belief based on the premise that all creations of nature have to be protected. Such patches of forest or parts of large forests have been left untouched by local people and are called sacred groves.