AP Board 10th Class Social Geography Notes 2nd Lesson Forest and Wildlife Resources
→ We humans along with all living organisms form a complex web of ecologocial system in which we are only a part and very much dependent on this system for our own existence.
→ Biological diversity is immensely rich in wildlife and cultivated species, diverse in form and function but closely integrated in a system through multiple network of interdependencies.
→ India is one of the world’s richest countries in terms of its vast array of biological diversity. 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.
→ Conservation preserves the ecological diversity and our life support systems – water, air and soil. It also preserves the genetic diversity of plants and animals for better growth of species and breeding. For example, in agriculture, we are still dependent on traditional crop varieties.
→ “Project Tiger” one of the well publicised wildlife campaigns in the world, was launched in 1973. Tiger conservation has been viewed not only as an effort, to save an endangered species, but with equal importance as a means of preserving biotypes of sizeable magnitude.
→ In the notification under Wildlife Act of 1980 and 1986, several hundred butterflies, moths, beetles and one dragonfly have been added to the list of protected species. In 1991, for the first time plants were also added to the list, starting with six species.
→ In India, much of its forest and wildlife resources are either owned or managed by the government through the Forest Department or other government departments. These are classified under three categories such as Reserved forest, Protected forests and Unclassed forests.
→ 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.
→ Farmers and citizen’s groups like the Beej Bachao Andolan in Tehri and Navdanya have shown that adequate levels of diversified crop production without the use of synthetic chemicals are possible and economically viable.
→ Nature worship is an age old tribal belief based on the premise that all creations of nature have to be protected. Such beliefs have preserved sev¬eral virgin forests in pristine form called Sacred Groves (the forests of God and Goddesses).
→ Indian society comprises several cultures, each with its own set of tradi¬tional methods of conserving nature and its creations. Sacred qualities are often ascribed to springs, mountain peaks, plants and animals which are closely protected.
→ JFM (Joint Forest Management) depends on the formation of local (village) institutions that undertake protection activities mostly on degraded forest land managed by the forest department. In return these communities are entitled to intermediary benefits like non-timber forest produces and share in the timber harvested by successful protection.
→ Biodiversity : Refers to diverse form of plants and animals which are closely integrated and interdependent.
→ Ecological diversity : Refers to the diverse array of ecosystems being seen in a huge geographical location.
→ Normal species : Species whose population levels are considered to be normal for their survival such as cattle, sal pine, rodents, etc.
→ Endangered species : These are species which are in danger of extinction. Example : Indian Wild ass, Blackbuck, etc.
→ Natural vegetation : Refers to a plant community which has grown naturally. Forests, grasslands etc., are its kind
→ Chipko movement : It was a non-violent movement aimed at protection and conservation of trees and forests from being destroyed People stood hugging the trees, hence got its name.
→ National Park : A national park is ap area set aside by a national government for the preservation of the natural environment.
→ Sacred groves : Sacred groves are forest fragments of varying sizes, which are communally protected and which usually have a significant religious cannotation for the protecting community.
→ Gharial : The gharial or gavial is a specific type of Asian crocodile with a distinctive long and thin snout. The Chambal River holds the largest breeding subpopulation of gharial, with an estimated 48% of its total adult population.
→ Flora and Fauna : The term flora a relates to all plant life and the term fauna represents all animal life.