FOREST AND WILDLIFE RESOURCES - Q&A
1. Multiple choice questions
(i) Which of the following conservation strategies do not directly involve community participation?
(a) Joint forest management
(b) Beej Bachao Andolan
(c) Chipko Movement
(d) Demarcation of Wildlife sanctuaries
Answer: (d) Demarcation of Wildlife sanctuaries
Explanation: Joint Forest Management (JFM), Beej Bachao Andolan, and the Chipko Movement are all initiatives that rely heavily on the active participation of local communities. The demarcation of wildlife sanctuaries is primarily a government administrative and legal process.
2. Match the following.
| Column A | Column B (Descriptions) |
| Reserved forests | Other forests and wastelands belonging to both government and private individuals and communities. |
| Protected forests | Forests are regarded as most valuable as far as the conservation of forest and wildlife resources. |
| Unclassed forests | Forest lands are protected from any further depletion. |
Answer:
| Reserved forests | Forests are regarded as most valuable as far as the conservation of forest and wildlife resources. |
| Protected forests | Forest lands are protected from any further depletion. |
| Unclassed forests | Other forests and wastelands belonging to both government and private individuals and communities. |
3. Answer the following questions in about 30 words.
(i) What is biodiversity? Why is biodiversity important for human lives?
[cite_start]Answer: Biodiversity refers to the immense richness of wildlife and cultivated species that are diverse in form and function but closely integrated into a complex web of interdependencies[cite: 572].
[cite_start]It is important because humans depend on this ecological system for their existence; for example, plants, animals, and micro-organisms recreate the quality of the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the soil that produces our food[cite: 569].
(ii) How have human activities affected the depletion of flora and fauna? Explain.
[cite_start]Answer: Human activities have significantly depleted flora and fauna through actions like poaching for trade, which threatens species like the tiger[cite: 606]. [cite_start]Additionally, habitat destruction due to growing populations, mining (as seen in Sariska), and general insensitivity toward the environment have put resources under great stress[cite: 580, 606, 663].
4. Answer the following questions in about 120 words.
(i) Describe how communities have conserved and protected forests and wildlife in India?
Answer: Communities in India have played a vital role in conservation:
1. Sacred Groves: Many tribal societies protect forests as "Sacred Groves" (forests of God and Goddesses), leaving them untouched. [cite_start]For example, the Mundas and Santhals worship Mahua and Kadamba trees[cite: 677, 680].
2. [cite_start]Local Protection Movements: In the Sariska Tiger Reserve, villagers fought against mining by citing the Wildlife Protection Act[cite: 663]. [cite_start]In Alwar, Rajasthan, five villages declared 1,200 hectares as 'Bhairodev Dakav Sonchuri', creating their own rules to ban hunting[cite: 665, 666].
3. Community Movements: The Chipko movement successfully resisted deforestation in the Himalayas. [cite_start]Farmers' groups like Beej Bachao Andolan have promoted diversified crop production without synthetic chemicals[cite: 667, 669].
(ii) Write a note on good practices towards conserving forest and wildlife.
Answer: Good practices for conservation involve a mix of government regulations and community participation:
1. Joint Forest Management (JFM): This program involves local communities in the management and restoration of degraded forests. [cite_start]In return for their protection, communities get benefits like non-timber forest produce[cite: 670, 690, 691].
2. [cite_start]Legal Protection: The Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972 helps by banning hunting, protecting habitats, and restricting trade in wildlife[cite: 595, 597].
3. [cite_start]Project Tiger: Specific projects targeting endangered species help preserve critical biotypes[cite: 608].
4. [cite_start]Ecological Farming: Practices like those of the Beej Bachao Andolan demonstrate that economic development is possible without environmental damage by avoiding synthetic chemicals[cite: 669].