Class X Social Science: Forest and Wildlife Resources Study Notes

Legislative Measures for Wildlife Protection

The Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act was implemented in 1972, establishing various provisions for habitat protection and an all-India list of protected species. The central focus of the program was to protect endangered populations by banning hunting, providing legal protection to habitats, and restricting wildlife trade. Central and state governments subsequently established national parks and wildlife sanctuaries. Specific projects were introduced to protect animals facing grave threats, such as the tiger, the onehorned rhinoceros, the Kashmir stag (hangul), and three types of crocodiles—fresh water, saltwater, and the Gharial. Recent legal protections against hunting and trade have also been extended to the Indian elephant, black buck (chinkara), the great Indian bustard (godawan), and the snow leopard.

Classification and Distribution of Forests

Forests in India are classified into three categories: Reserved, Protected, and Unclassed. Reserved Forests comprise more than $\frac{1}{2}$ of total forest land and are considered the most valuable for conservation; states like Jammu and Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh, and West Bengal have high proportions of these. Protected Forests account for almost $\frac{1}{3}$ of the forest area and are managed to prevent further depletion in states like Bihar, Haryana, and Punjab. Unclassed Forests consist of other forests and wastelands belonging to both the government and private communities, with a high percentage found in North-eastern states and Gujarat. Madhya Pradesh maintains the largest area under permanent forests, accounting for $75\%$ of its total forest area.

Social and Cultural Impacts of Habitat Loss

The destruction of forests and wildlife is directly correlated with the loss of cultural diversity. Indigeneous and forest-dependent communities are marginalised as they lose access to resources for food, medicine, and spirituality. Within these communities, women are disproportionately affected; as resources deplete, they may have to walk more than $10\,km$ to collect fuel and water, leading to serious health issues and social implications. Furthermore, environmental degradation-induced disasters like severe droughts and floods hit the poor hardest, making poverty a direct consequence of biological loss.

Traditional Conservation and Sacred Beliefs

Nature worship is an age-old tribal belief that has helped preserve pristine forest patches known as Sacred Groves (the forests of God and Goddesses). Specific trees are preserved by different societies: the Mundas and the Santhal of Chota Nagpur worship mahua ($Bassia\,latifolia$) and kadamba ($Anthocaphalus\,cadamba$), while tribals in Odisha and Bihar worship tamarind ($Tamarindus\,indica$) and mango ($Mangifera\,indica$) during weddings. In Rajasthan, the Bishnoi villages integrate herds of blackbuck, chinkara, nilgai, and peacocks into the community, ensuring they remain unharmed. Other community efforts include the Chipko movement in the Himalayas and the Beej Bachao Andolan in Tehri, which promote ecological farming and indigenous afforestation.

IUCN Classification of Species

The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) classifies species based on their survival status. Normal Species like cattle and sal have stable populations. Endangered Species, such as the black buck and Indian wild ass, face the threat of extinction if negative factors persist. Vulnerable Species like the Asiatic elephant and Gangetic dolphin are likely to become endangered in the near future. Rare Species, such as the Himalayan brown bear, have small populations that could shift to more critical categories. Endemic Species like the Andaman teal and mithun are isolated to specific geographic areas, while Extinct Species like the Asiatic cheetah and pink head duck are no longer found in the wild.

Development Projects and Mining Threats

Large-scale development has significantly accelerated forest loss. Since 1951, over $5,000\,km^2$ of forest was cleared for river valley projects, including the Narmada Sagar Project in Madhya Pradesh, which would inundate $40,000\,hectares$. Mining remains a major threat, exemplified by dolomite mining in the Buxa Tiger Reserve in West Bengal. These activities disturb natural habitats and block critical migration routes, including those used by the great Indian elephant.

Project Tiger and Joint Forest Management

Launched in 1973, "Project Tiger" addressed the decline of the tiger population from an estimated $55,000$ in 1900 to only $1,827$. Major tiger reserves include Corbett National Park (Uttarakhand), Sunderbans (West Bengal), Bandhavgarh (Madhya Pradesh), Sariska (Rajasthan), Manas (Assam), and Periyar (Kerala). In 1988, the state of Odisha passed the first resolution for Joint Forest Management (JFM), a program that involves local village institutions in protecting and restoring degraded forests. In exchange for their protection efforts, communities receive benefits like non-timber forest produce and a share of harvested timber.

Evolution of Protection Lists

Conservation efforts have evolved to focus on biodiversity as a whole rather than specific large animals. Wildlife Act notifications in 1980 and 1986 added several hundred butterflies, moths, beetles, and one dragonfly to the protected list. In 1991, the government expanded the scope for the first time to include plants, starting with six specific species.