NCERT Notes Class 10 Social Science Geography Chapter 2 - Forest and Wildlife Resources
Forest and Wildlife Resources Study Notes, Questions and Answers / NCERT CBSE Notes Class 10 Geography Chapter 02 Forest and Wildlife Resources
* Introduction:
We live on a biologically diverse planet. The planet is filled with interdependent organisms. From single-celled organism to mammals, all are dependent on survival and well-being. All the organisms need air to breathe, water for consumption and soil to live. Soil is of primary ecological importance to produce food and other ecological processes. In all these above states, forests play the main role. Forest is the primary producer of all.
* Flora and fauna in India
India has a variety of forest and wildlife resources. But wildlife is a significant threat. Data reports that about 10% of plants and 20% of mammals in India are critical. Categories of existing flora and fauna according to the International Union of Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources(IUCN):
* Normal Species:
Species whose populations are normal.
e.g., cattle, rodents.
* Endangered Species:
Species that are in danger of extinction
eg., Blackbuck, Lion-tailed macaque.
* Vulnerable Species:
Species whose population is decreasing and probably will get endangered if negative effects continue.
eg., Blue sheep, Gangetic Dolphin.
* Rare Species:
Species whose population is low and may slip into endangered or Vulnerable species if negative effects continue to operate.
eg., Desert fox, Hornbill.
* Endemic Species:
Species are found in a particular area with natural or geographical boundaries.
eg., Andaman teal, Nicobar pigeon.
* Extinct Species:
Species that are no longer found in that region where they used to be spotted.
eg., Pink head duck, Asiatic Cheetah.
* Reasons for Depletion of flora and fauna
● The over-extraction of resources like wood, rubber, medicines, food, fuel, fodder, manure, etc., from the forest.
● During Colonisation, for railway and agricultural developments, large forest areas were cleared. After independence, agricultural expansion is a reason for
forest degradation. Between 1951 and 1980 over 26,200 sq ft of forest area was converted into agricultural lands. In North-eastern and central India, Shifting cultivation causes deforestation. Large-scale projects are continuing to be a reason for the depletion of forests.
● Mining is another reason, hindering wildlife animals’ habitat and blocking Migration routes of animals like Great Indian Elephants. The Dolomite Mine is a threat to the Buxa Tiger Reserve in West Bengal.
● Foresters believe grassing, and fuelwood collection is a significant cause of degradation of forest resources. Still, most of the fuelwoods are collected by lopping and not chopping a tree. The industrialists are the most threatening.
● The unequal access of resources and the unwillingness to share the responsibility of conservation of the environment among communities is also a cause for prolonging these issues.
● Over-population can also lead to a degraded ecosystem.
● Other reasons include Habitat destruction, hunting, poaching, overexploitation, environmental pollution, poisoning, and forest fires.
* Impacts of Forest Degradation
Forest provides our life support systems – water, air, and soil. It also preserves the diversity of plants and animals. Apart from all the biological and environmental impacts, deforestation affects a lot of social systems too. In a
country like India, many communities depend on forest products like fuel, food medicines, and many depend on the forest for minimalistic income. Women are affected the most as they are responsible for the livelihood of their families. Children being forced to work puts forward many social implications. Deforestation also causes drought, landslides that directly affect the poor. To remove the stress of poverty, many conservation steps have to be taken. Many farmers still depend on traditional crops, and fisheries mainly depend on natural aquatic diversity.
* Conservation of Forest
In 1972, the Indian Wildlife Protection Act was implemented. The habitats of wildlife animals were protected, hunting of endangered species and trading of
wildlife were banned. A list of protected animals was made.
* Types of Forest:
● Reserved Forest - Reserved forests are of high importance concerning conservation and resources. More than half of the forests are declared reserved by the government.
● Protected Forest - Protected forests are protected from further depletion. A one-third of the forest land is protected.
● Unclassed Forest - This includes other forest lands belonging to government, private, and communities.
* Communities and Conservation
Conservative strategies are best implemented by forest associated communities without government assistance. Some incidents and movements by forest communities:
● In Sariska Tiger Reserve, Rajasthan people fought against mining.
● Five villages in Rajasthan protect forests with their own rules.
● Chipko Movement and other groups like Beej Bachao Andolan and Navdanya.
● Joint Forest Management is very efficient. In JFM villagers are allowed to form institutions to protect the Forest Department's forest land and, in turn, paid with non-timber harvests of the Forest.
* Important Questions and Answers
1. What was the list of animals that were added to the protected list?
Answer: The tiger, the one-horned rhinoceros, the Kashmir stag or hangul, three types of crocodiles freshwater crocodile, saltwater crocodile, and the Gharial, the Asiatic lion, the Indian elephant, blackbuck (chinkara), the great Indian bustard, and the snow leopard, etc. In the 1980s, insects and butterflies were added further. For the first time in 1991, plants were added too.
2. What is biodiversity?
Answer: Biodiversity or Biological Diversity is being immensely rich in wildlife and cultivated species, diverse in form and function but closely integrated into a system through multiple networks of interdependencies.
3. Brief about Project Tiger.
Answer: 'Project Tiger' was an international, well-established wildlife campaign. It was started in the year 1973 when officials noticed a significant drop in the population of tigers. The tigers' population dropped from the expected value of 55,000 to 1827 in just about a century. It was observed that the major reason for this was poaching for trade, shrinking habitat, depletion of prey base species, growing human population, etc. The skin and bones of tigers had a high medicinal value. In regards to this project, many laws were brought up to protect not only tigers but also all biotypes. It initiated many reserves and sanctuaries establishments.
4. What are permanent forests?
Answer: Reserved and Protected forests are together represented as permanent forest estates maintained to produce timber and other products for protective reasons.
5. Why is aquatic diversity important for human communities?
Answer: Many communities depend on fisheries for their livelihood. A rich aquatic diversity would mean a stable living for the fishermen. Apart from this, humans and every other animal depend on water resources. An aquatic diversity would mean a rich water resource and a healthy one.
6. What were the impacts of the Chipko movement?
Answer: Apart from re-treating afforestation in the Himalayas, the Chipko movement proved the power of communities. It gave the idea of involving the community in the conservation of forests and implementing traditional methods.
7. What are the reasons for the depletion of flora and fauna?
Answer:
● Agricultural expansion
● Large scale development projects
● Rapid industrialization and urbanization.
8. Expand: IUCN, JFM
Answer:
IUCN- International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources
JFM- Joint Forest Management.
9. What is Bhairodev Dakav 'Sonchuri'?
Answer: The villagers of Alwar District protect their 1200 hectares of forest land as Bhairodev Dakav 'Sonchuri'. They established their own rules which banned poaching or any sort of encroachments. This initiative protects the wildlife and the forest of that region without any help from the government.
* TextBook Exercise Page No 22
1. Multiple choice questions.
(i) Which of these statements is not a valid reason for the depletion of flora and fauna?
(a) Agricultural expansion.
(b) Large scale developmental projects.
(c) Grazing and fuelwood collection.
(d) Rapid industrialisation and urbanisation.
Answer: Grazing and fuelwood collection
(ii) 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: Demarcation of wildlife sanctuaries
2. Match the following animals with their category of existence.
| Animals/Plants | Category of existence |
| Black Buck | Extinct |
| Asiatic Elephant | Rare |
| Andaman wild pig | Endangered |
| Himalayan Brown Bear | Vulnerable |
| Pink Head Duck | Endemic |
Answer:
| Animals/Plants | Category of existence |
| Black Buck | Endangered |
| Asiatic Elephant | Vulnerable |
| Andaman wild pig | Endemic |
| Himalayan Brown Bear | Rare |
| Pink Head Duck | Extinct |
3. Match the following.
| 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 |
4. Answer the following questions in about 30 words.
(i) What is biodiversity? Why is biodiversity important for human lives?
Answer:
Biodiversity is made up of various types of life forms found on earth. It is a measure of variation at the ecosystem, species and genetic level. Biodiversity is abundant in Tropical areas. Tropical areas cover 10 per cent of the earth surface, but they host 90% of the world species.
Contribution of biodiversity in human lives
Agriculture – Variety of Plant species meet our needs for food.
Their contribution to business and industry
Leisurely activities
Ecological services
(ii) How have human activities affected the depletion of flora and fauna? Explain
Answer:
Various river valley projects have affected the flora and fauna
Many illegal Mining projects have depleted the flora and fauna
Too many development projects for leisure activities in the forests have negatively affected.
Too many human activities in the forest area due to rising population and lack of space has created human-animal conflict.
5. Answer the following questions in about 120 words.
(i) Describe how communities have conserved and protected forests and wildlife in India.
Answer:
Chipko Movement:
The famous Chipko movement in the Himalayas has not only successfully resisted deforestation in several areas but has also shown that community afforestation with indigenous species can be enormously successful.
Certain societies revere a particular tree that they have preserved from time immemorial. The Mundas and the Santhal of Chota Nagpur region worship mahua (Bassia latifolia) and kadamba (Anthocaphalus cadamba) trees. The tribals of Odisha and Bihar worship the tamarind (Tamarindus indica) and mango (Mangifera indica) trees during weddings. To many of us, peepal and banyan trees are considered sacred.
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 are 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.
(ii) Write a note on good practices towards conserving forest and wildlife.
Answer:
In India, joint forest management (JFM) programme furnishes a good example of involving local communities in the management and restoration of degraded forests. The programme has been in formal existence since 1988 when the state of Odisha 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.
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