NATURAL VEGETATION AND
WILDLIFE CONSERVATION
What is ‘BIODIVERSITY’?
Biodiversity or
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.
Importance Of Wild Life
• To maintain ecological balance of nature and maintain food
chain and nature cycles.
• It has economic value. Many wild plants provide useful
substances like timber, paper , gums etc. And they also
have wide applications in Ayurveda and other branches
of medicine Wild animals products are tusk, ivory ,leather,
honey etc
• Most important contribution of wild life for human
progress is availability of
• Large gene pool for the scientists to carry breeding
programmes in agriculture, animal husbandry and fishery
• Wild life provides a esthetic value to man.
• Wildlife of a country is its cultural asset
•
•
•
•
•
•
India’s rich biodiversity
India has nearly 8 per cent of the total number of species in the world
(estimated to be 1.6
million).
Over 81,000 species of fauna and 47,000 species of flora are found in this
country so far!
Of the estimated 47,000 plant species, about 15,000 flowering species are
endemic (indigenous) to India.
Among the larger animals in India, 79 species of mammals, 44 of birds, 15
of reptiles, and 3 of amphibians are threatened.
Nearly 1,500 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.
Forest has been of great importance to mankind since
prehistoric days.
60% of the earth once covered with forest. With the
development of civilization, large areas have been cleared to
make way for farms, mines, towns and roads.
Today about 30% of earth is still forested.
FOREST PROVIDES MULTIPLE BENEFITS TO
ENVIRONMENT, PEOPLE, AND ANIMALS
BENEFITS
TO
ANIMALS
BENEFITS
TO MAN
BENEFITS TO
ENVIRONMENT
BENEFITS OF FORESTS
• Forest cool air temperature by release of water vapour into the air.
• They are the lungs of the planet and the only natural source of free oxygen.
At day time trees generate oxygen and store carbon dioxide, which helps to
clean air.
• Forest attracts wild life and offer food and protection to them.
• Forests help in controlling the level floods.
• Forest help in giving the direction of wind and its speed.
• Forest helps in keeping environment healthy and beautiful.
THE ECONOMIC VALUE OF FORESTS:
• They supply many products like wood from trees as
lumber, plywood and fuel wood or charcoal. Timber is
used in furniture making, building houses, ships and
railway sleepers.
• Pulp and paper are made from the cellulose of trees.
• Processed wood products include cellophane, plastics,
synthetic fibres like rayon and nylon.
• Latex from trees such as the rubber tree goes to make
tyres, tunes and a wide range of rubber goods.
• Other uses; fruits, nuts(balls) and spices are gathered
from the forest.
• Many medicinal plants such as camphor, cinchona, coca
(from which the drug cocaine is extracted) also come
from the forests.
• Cork from the thick bark of the cork oak is stripped for
making bottling cork.
TYPES OF SPECIES
NORMAL SPECIES
Species whose population levels are considered to be
normal for their survival, such as cattle, sal, pine,
rodents, etc.
Cattle and pine
Rodents
Lion tailed macaque
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, Indian wild ass, Indian rhino, lion tailed
macaque, sangai (brow anter deer in), etc.
Black Buck
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.
Asiatic Elephant
Hornbill
Gangetic Dolphin
Himalayan Brown Bear
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 Arunchal Pradesh.
Andaman Teal
Nicobar Pigeon
Pink Head Duck
Asiatic Cheetah
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.
Negative Factors that have caused fearful
depletion of flora and fauna
Direct
dependence on
forest for wood,
leaves, grazing
of animals …
Primitive
agricultural
practices like
shifting
agriculture
Developmental
activitiesconstruction,
infrastructure…
Changes in forest
policy under the
British
MAN
Agriculture to
meet the
increasing food
requirements
EFFECTS OF DEPLETION IN FOREST COVER
1. Loss of cultural diversity especially of the various
forest dependent communities
2. Direct effect on women who have the
responsibility of collection of fuel, fodder, water
and other basic subsistence needs
3. Severe droughts
4. Deforestation induced floods
5. Deforestation results in the loss of habitat for
many rare or endangered species,
6. Environmental degradation like air pollution,
lowering of water table, lesser rainfall
7. Fewer forests means larger amounts of
greenhouse gases entering the atmosphere—and
increased speed and severity of global warming.
8. Poverty is a direct outcome of environmental
destruction
Why do we need to CONSERVE?
To preserve the ecological diversity and our life support system- water,
air, soil
Preserve the genetic diversity of plants and animals for better growth
and breeding.
As the earth heats up, oceans expand causing sea levels to rise, flooding
coastal cities. Storms and droughts will become more frequent in places
they were nonexistent
Cutting down trees, or deforestation, will cause global warming increase
at a faster rate.
To ensure sustainable development- using the finite resources in a
judicious manner
TYPES OF FORESTS
RESERVED
FORESTS
PROTECTED
FORESTS
• A reserved forest is a specific term for designating forests and
other natural areas which enjoy judicial and / or constitutional
protection under the legal systems of many countries
• a reserved forest is a one where the species are protected in
their natural habitat and no human interference is allowed any
kind of human activity is strictly prohibited.
• Also referred to a permanent forests
• Madhya Pradesh 75%, Jammu and Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh,
Uttarakhand, Kerela, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Maharashtra
• A protected forest is one in which human intervention is not
prohibited but hunting and poaching of animals is against the
law.
• They are protected from any further depletion
• Bihar, Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Orissa,
• These are other forests and wastelands belonging to both
government and private individuals or communities
UNCLASSED
FORESTS • All north eastern states have unclassed forests managed by local
communities
CONSERVATION
PROJECTS
GOVERNMENT
COMMUNITY
PROJECT TIGER
PROJECT
RHINO
SACRED
GROVES
CHIPKO
AANDOLAN
PROJECT SAVE
THE RIDLEY
TURTLE
SAVE THE
GHARIAL
BEEJ BACHAO
AANDOLAN
NAVDANYA
SACRED GROVES
• Typically, such groves are associated with the concept of a
"presiding deity“
•Sacred groves of India are forest fragments of varying sizes,
which are communally protected, and which usually have a
significant religious connotation for the protecting community.
• Hunting and logging are usually strictly prohibited within these patches. Other
forms of forest usage like honey collection and deadwood collection are
sometimes allowed on a sustainable basis.
• Sacred groves did not enjoy protection via federal legislation in India.
• Some NGOs work with local villagers to protect such groves.
Traditionally, and in some cases even today, members of the community take
turns to protect the grove.
• However, the introduction of the protected area category community
reserves under the Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act of 2002 has introduced
legislation for providing government protection to community held lands, which
could include sacred groves.
CHIPKO MOVEMENT
The Chipko movement or Chipko Andolan is
a movement that practised
the Gandhian methods of satyagraha and
non-violent resistance, through the act of
hugging trees to protect them from being
felled.
The modern Chipko movement started in
the early 1970s in the Garhwal Himalayas of
Uttarakhand and then in Uttar Pradesh with
growing awareness towards rapid
deforestation.
The landmark event in this struggle took
place on March 26, 1974, when a group of
peasant women in Reni village,
Hemwalghati, in Chamoli
district, Uttarakhand,
BEEJ BACHAO AANDOLAN
The Beej Bachao Andolan, or Save the Seeds movement began in the late 1980s
as a group of activists from the Henwal River Valley in Tehri district (Uttarakhand,
India).
Led by farmer and social activist Vijay Jardhari, the 'Andolan' has made village
Jardhargaon of district Tehri in Uttaranchal state (India) famous for its unique
movement to save the traditional seeds of the hills.
The 'Beej Bachao Andolan' is not only a crusade to conserve traditional seeds but
also to promote agricultural biodiversity, sustainable agriculture and local
traditions.
The hallmark of this movement is that it is a people's campaign and flourishing
without any government financial assistance or help.
NAVDANYA
Navdanya is an Indian-based non-governmental organization which
promotes biodiversity conservation, biodiversity, organic farming, the rights of farmers,
and the process of seed saving.
Navdanya began in 1984
Navdanya is a network of seed keepers and organic producers spread across 16 states
in India.
Navdanya has helped set up 54 community seed banks across the country, trained over
500,000 farmers in seed sovereignty, food sovereignty and sustainable agriculture over
the past two decades, and helped set up the largest direct marketing, fair trade organic
network in the country.
PROJECT TIGER
Project Tiger was launched in 1973 in India.
The project aims at ensuring a viable population of tigers in their natural
habitats and preserving areas of biological importance as a natural heritage
for the people.
The selection of areas for the reserves represented as close as possible the
diversity of ecosystems across the tiger's distribution in the country.
Various tiger reserves were created in the country based on a 'core-buffer'
strategy. For each tiger reserve, management plans were drawn up based on
the following principles:
•Elimination of all forms of human exploitation and biotic disturbance from
the core area and rationalization of activities in the buffer zone.
•Restricting the habitat management only to repair the damages done to
the ecosystem by human and other interferences so as to facilitate recovery
of the ecosystem to its natural state.
•Monitoring the faunal and floral changes over time and carrying out
research about wildlife.
SAVE THE GHARIAL
SAVE THE RIDLEY TURTLE
Located on the eastern coast of India, the state of Orissa is known to host the world’s
largest olive ridley sea turtle nesting site.
Every year, between the months of December and April, thousands of olive ridleys emerge
from the cool, clear waters of the Bay of Bengal for their famed mass nesting.
In India, the rapid pace of development has had serious environmental consequences.
Orissa is no exception.
Development along and close to the shore of the Bay of Bengal includes several ports,
shipbuilding yards, petro-chemical manufacturing hubs and a Special Investment Region
(SIR) meant to spur urbanization.
Rise in sea levels have caused entire beaches to get submerged thus leading to the loss of
the turtle’s natural nesting grounds.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhsxVpZb-cQ
HOW CAN THE COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTE
TOWARDS CONSERVATION?
The government can formulate laws and policies, put various Conservation
Projects into place but the success of these projects lies with the people. It is
the community that is responsible for the effective implementation of these
initiatives.
As members of a community it is our duty to conserve and protect the Natural
Vegetation and Wildlife not just for our present but for the future generation
as well.
It also ensures sustainable development.