Social Science Project

1. Social Science Project Forest And Wildlife Resources

2. Contents-1 • ~Introduction • ~Flora and Fauna In INDIA • ~Vanishing Forests • ~Do you know??? • ~Types Of Species • ~Asiatic Cheetah • ~Impact of Humans in transforming the NATURE

3. Contents-2 • ~Do you know??? • ~Forest And Wildlife Conservation Strategy • ~Project Tiger • ~Types Of Forests And Wildlife Resources

4. Contents-3 • - Role of community in conservation • - Photograph

5. Introduction The planet Earth is the house of millions of living organisms starting from microorganisms like bacteria to a huge tree like banyan and elephants. The biosphere is full of biodiversity. Human beings along with other organisms form a complex web of ecosystem which is mutually exclusive and all organisms depend upon each other for their existence. For example, the plants, animals and microorganisms recreate the quality of the air we breathe, the water we drink and the soil that produces our food without which we cannot survive. Forests play a key role in the ecological system as these are also the primary producers on which all other living beings depend.

6. Flora And Fauna In INDIA India is a land of diverse flora and fauna which is around 8% of the world’s total species. Look around you and you will see marvel of biodiversity (estimated to be 1.6 million). This is possibly twice or thrice tha number yet to be discovered. You have already studied in detail about the extent and variety of forest and wildlife resources in India. You may have realized the importance of these resources in our daily life. These diverse flora and fauna are so well integrated in our daily life that we take these for granted. But, lately, they are under great stress mainly due to insensitivity to our environment.

7. Vanishing forests The dimensions of deforestation in India are staggering. The forest cover in the country is estimated at 637, 293 sq. km., which is 19.39% of the total geographical area. (dense forest 11.48% ; open forest 7.76% ; and mangrove 0.15%). According to the state of forest report (1999), the dense forest cover has increased by 10.098 sq. km. since 1997. However, this apparent increase in the forest cover is due to plantation by different agencies. The state of forest report does not differentiate between natural forests and plantations. Therefore, these reports failed to deliver accurate information about actual loss of natural forests.

8. Do you know??? About 47,000 species of flora and over 81,000 species of fauna are found in India. Of this estimated 47,000 plant species, about 15,000 flowering species belong to India Do you know that among the larger animals in India, 79 species of mammals, 44 of birds, 15 of reptiles and 3 of amphibians are threatened? Nearly 1500 plant species are considered endangered. Flowering plants and vertebrate animals have recently become extinct at a rate estimated to be 50 to 100 times the average expected natural rate.

9. Types of Species • The international union for conservation of nature and natural resources have given us a classification of existing plants and animal kingdom based on their characteristics and the threat they are facing due to human intervention and many other specific factors causing their loss: • - Normal Species: species whose population levels are considered to be normal for their survival, such a cattle, Sal, pine, rodents, etc. • - Endangered Species: these are species which are in danger of extinction. The survival of such species is difficult if the negative factors that have led to a decline in their population continue to operate. The examples of such species are black buck, crocodile, etc. • - Vulnerable Species: These are species whose population has declined to levels from where it is likely to move into the endangered category in the near future if the negative factors continue to operate. The examples of such species are blue sheep, Asiatic elephant, Gangetic dolphin, etc.

10. -Rare Species:Species with small population may move into the endangered or vulnerable category if the negative factors affecting them continue to operate. The examples of such species are the Himalayan brown bear, wild 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 wild pig, mithun in Arunachal Pradesh. • -Extinct Species:These are species which are not found after searches of known or likely areas where they may occur. A species may be extinct from a local area, region, country, continent or the entire earth. Examples of such species are the Asiatic cheetah, pink head duck.

11. A Few extinct, rare and endangered species

12. Asiatic Cheetah The world’s fastest land mammal, the cheetah (Acinonyx jubantus), is a unique and specialized member of the cat family and can move at the speed of 112 km./hr. The cheetah is often mistaken for a leopard. Its distinguishing marks are the long teardrop shaped lines on each side of the nose from the corner of its eyes to its mouth. Prior to the 20th century, cheetahs were widely distributed throughout Africa and Asia. Today, the Asian cheetah is nearly extinct due to a decline of available habitat and prey. The species was declared extinct in India long back in 1952.

13. Impact of human beings in transforming the Nature Impact of human beings in transforming nature into a store house of forest and animal resource such as wood, leaves, fodder, fuel wood, barks, rubber, dyes, organic manure and medicinal plants on one hand and animal skin, hair, hide, milk (dairy farm) meat, animals used in agricultural and transport activities. One of the historical factors causing damage to our forest resource was during British time when they started expanding commercial agriculture, mining activity, railways and roadways to exploit Indian resources. It continued to expand even after independence as our population grew over a period of time. Data given shows the zone. Between 1951 and 1980, according to the forest survey of India, over 26,200 sq. km of forest area was converted into agricultural land all over India. Substantial parts of the tribal belts, especially in the north-eastern and central India, have been deforested or degraded by shifting cultivation, a type of slash and burn agriculture.

14. Tribal girls using bamboo saplings in a nursery at Mukhali near Salient Valley Tribal women selling minor forest produce Leaf litter collection by women folk

15. Another biggest factor contributed significantly to the loss of flora and fauna, have been developmental projects such as big housing projects of private builders like D.L.F. or Omaxe, multipurpose river valley projects like Tehri Dam, big thermal power projects like Badarpur in Delhi. Since 1951, over 500 sq. km. of forest was cleared for river valley projects. Clearing of forests is still continuing with projects like the Narmada Sagar Project in Madhya Pradesh, which would inundate 40,000 hectares of forests. Mining is another important factor behind deforestation. The buxa tiger reserved in west Bengal is seriously threatened by the ongoing dolomite mining. It has disturbed the natural habitat of many species and blocked the migration route of several others, including the great Indian elephant. Many ecologists and environmentalists have the opinion that over-grazing and fuel wood cutting and collection in the forest area have also degraded our forest resources. Though, there may be some substance in their argument, yet, the fact remains that a substantial part of the fuel-fodder demand is met by lopping rather than by felling entire trees. The forest ecosystems are repositories of some of the country’s most valuable forest products, minerals and other resources that meet the demands of the rapidly expanding industrial-urban economy.

16. Forest and Wildlife Conservation Strategy Conservation standas for active and judicious utilization of natural resources. It also preserves the ecological diversity and life support systems teased on water, soil and air. Genetic diversity of plants and animals for their better growth and breeding conservation is necessary. The way our Biodiversity has declined over the years it is but natural to evolve a conservation strategy in India where it can become a mass-movement. For example, in agriculture we are still dependent on traditional crop varieties. Fisheries too are heavily dependent on the maintenance of aquatic biodiversity. A national level wildlife protection program came into being in the year 1960s and 1970s as demanded by conservation of that time. Setting up of national park and wildlife sanctuary were one of the steps in this direction. The Indian wildlife Act was implemented in 1972, with various provisions for protecting habitants. An all-India list of protected species was also published. The thrust of the programme was towards protecting the remaining population of certain endangered species by banning hunting, giving legal protection to their

17. Habitats, and restricting trade in wildlife, subsequently, central and many states governments established national parks and wildlife sanctuaries about which you have already studied. The central government also announced several projects for protecting specific animals, which were gravely threatened, including the tiger, the one-horned rhinoceros, the Kashmir stag, three types of crocodiles- fresh water crocodiles, salt water crocodiles and the Gharials, the Asiaticlion, and others. Most recently, the Indian elephant, black buck (chinkra), the great Indian bustard (godawan) and the snow leopard, etc. have been given full or partial legal protection against hunting and trade throughout India.

18. INDIA Dachigam Jim Corbett Kaziranga Sariska Dudwa Manos Ranthambor Shivpuri Rajdewra Kanha Sunder Bans Kanheri Simlipal Pocharam Bandipur Guindy National Park Periyar

19. Project Tiger Tiger is one of the key wildlife species in the faunal web. In 1973, the authorities realized that the tiger population had dwindled to 1,827 from an estimated 55.000 at the turn of the century. The major threats to tiger population are numerous, such as poaching for trade, shrinking habitat, depletion of prey base species, growing human population, etc. the trade of tiger skins and the use of their bones in traditional medicines, especially in the Asian countries left the tiger population on the verge of extinction. Since India and Nepal provide habitat to about two-thirds of the surviving tiger population in the world, these two nations became prime targets foe poaching and illegal trading.

20. “Project Tiger” one of the well-publicized wildlife campaigns in the world, was launched in 1973. initially, it showed success as the tiger population went up to 4,002 in 1982 and 4,334 in 1989. but in 1993, the population of the tiger had dropped to 3600. there are 27 tiger reserves in India covering an area of 37,761 sq. km. tiger conservation has been viewed not only as an effort to save an endangered species, but when equal importance as a means of preserving biotypes of sizeable magnitude. Corbett national park in, Uttaranchal, Sunder bans national park in West Bengal, Bandhavgarh national park in Madhya Pradesh, Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary in Rajasthan, Manas Tiger Reserve in Assam and Periyar Tiger Reserve in Kerala in Kerala are some of the tiger reserves of India.

21. Types Of Forests And Wildlife Resources • The forests and wildlife found in the country are being controlled and managed by the govt. through forest department. It is rather difficult to regulate and manage. Our forest wildlife resource without studying them properly for which they are categories in the following manner: • Reserved forests: More then half of the total forest land has been declared reserved forest. Reserved forests are regarded as the most valuable as far as the conservation of forest and wildlife resources are concerned. • (II) Protected forests: Almost one-third of the total forest area is protected forest, as declared by the Forest Department. This forest land are protected from any further depletion.

22. (III) Unclassed forest: These are other forests and waste lands belonging to both government and private individuals and communities. Reserved and protected forests are also referred to as permanent forest estates maintained for the purpose of producing timber and other forest produce, and for protective reasons. Madhya Pradesh has the largest area under permanent forests, constituting 75 per% of its total area. Jammu and Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh. Uttaranchal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Maharashtra have large percentages of reserved forests of its total forests are there whereas Bihar, Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Orrisa and Rajasthan have a bulk of it under protected forests. All North-eastern states and parts of Gujarat have a very high percentage of their forests as un-classed forests managed by local communities.

23. Role Of Community In Conservation Many local and traditional communities are living amidst forest area for centuries with perfect understanding of the habitat. Over the years they have evolved their over-conservation methods to protect wildlife and plants. In some areas they are co-protecting and co-coordinating with govt. official in this regard to secure their livelihood. In Sariska Tiger Reserve, Rajasthan, villagers have fought against mining by citing the Wildlife Protection act. In many areas, villagers themselves are protecting habitats and explicitly rejecting government involvement. The inhabitants 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 regulations which do not allow hunting, and are protecting the wildlife against any outside encroachments. In Uttaranchal state, deforestation has been a grim problem causing lots of ecological imbalance, then came a local resident and conservationist called S.L. Bahuguna who started

24. Chipko Movement. It has been a successful community based afforestation programme. Attempts to revive the traditional conservation methods or developing new methods of ecological farming are now widespread. Farmers and citizens’ groups like Beej Bachao Andolan in Tehri andNavdanya have shown that adequate levels of diversified crop production without the use of synthetic chemicals are possible and economically viable. In India joint forest management (JFM) programme furnishes a good example for involving local communities in the management and restoration of degraded forests. The programme has been in formal existence since 1988 when the state of Orrisa passed the first resolution for joint forest management. JFM depends on the formation of local (village) institutions that undertake protection activities mostly on degraded forest land managed by the forest department. In return, the members of these communities are entitled to intermediary benefits like non-timber forest produces and share in the timber harvested by ‘successful protection’. The clear lesson from the dynamics of both environmental destruction and reconstruction in India is that local communities everywhere have to be involved in some kind of natural resource management. But there is still a long way to go before local communities are at the centre-stage in decision-making. Accept only those economic or developmental activities, that are people centric, environment-friendly and economically rewarding.

26. KENDRIYA VIDYALAYA, PUNE- 25 This project is presented to you by Kritika Ojha of X 'B'