Book Exercise: Geography: Class 10: Chapter 2: Forest and Wildlife Resources

1. Choose the right answer from the four alternatives given below:

(i) Which of these statements is not a valid reason for the depletion of flora and
fauna?
(a) Agricultural expansion
(b) Large scale development projects
(c) Grazing and fuel-wood collection
(d) Rapid industralisation and urbanisation

(ii) Which of the following conservation strategies doe not directly involve
community participation?
(a) Join Forest Management (c) Beej Bajo Andolan
(b) Chipko Movement (d) Demarcation of Wildlife Sanctuaries

(iii) Match the following animals with their category of existence.


Animals / Plants Category of existence
a. Black buck i. Extinct
b. Asiatic elephant ii. Rare
c. Andaman wild pig iii. Endangered
d. Himalayan brown bear iv. Vulnerable
e. Pink-headed duck v. Endemic

Answers
Animals / Plants Category of existence
a. Black buck iii. Endangered
b. Asiatic elephant iv. Vulnerable
c. Andaman wild pig v. Endemic
d. Himalayan brown bear ii. Rare
e. Pink-headed duck i. Extinct


(iv) Match the following:


a. Reserved Forests i. other forests and wastelands belonging to both government
and private individuals and communities.
b. Protected Forests ii. forests are regarded as most valuable as far as
conservation of forest and wild life resources.
c. Unclassed Forests iii. forest land are protected from any further depletion.

Answers:
a. Reserved Forests ii. Forests are regarded as most valuable as far as
conservation of forest and wild life resources.
b. Protected Forests iii. Forest land are protected from any further depletion.
c. Unclassed Forests i. other forests and wastelands belonging to both
government and private individuals and communities.

2. Answer the following questions briefly:
i. How have human activities affected the depletion of flora and fauna? Explain.

Several human activities have affected the depletion of flora and fauna and have led to
decline in Indias biodiversity. The main factors for the decline of Indias biodiversity
are:
Habitat destruction, mainly due to overpopulation leading to expansion of
agriculture, mining, industralisation and urbanisation. This has led to loss of large
forest areas.
Hunting and poaching and illegal trade of animal skin, tusk, bones, teeth, horns,
etc have led many species to the verge of extinction.
Environmental pollution, poisoning of water bodies due to discharge of industrial
effluents, chemicals, wastes, etc. leading to animal deaths.
Forest fires often induced by shifting cultivation have led to loss of forests and
wildlife.
Large scale development projects and destruction of forests.
Grazing and fuel wood collection.
Over-exploitation of forest products and depletion of flora and fauna.
Unequal access of forest resources
Inequitable consumption of forest resources
Differential sharing of responsibility for environmental protection.

ii. Define biodiversity.
Biodiversity or Biological Diversity means the diversity of living organisms (Iike
bacteria, animals, birds, plants, crops, human beings etc.) having different forms and
functions but they are closely integrated in a system and they are interdependent.

iii. Describe how communities have conserved and protected forests and wildlife in India.

Indian forests are home for some tribal communities. They depend on forests for their
livelihood. In some forest areas, these communities along with government are struggling
to conserve the forest. In some areas, the village communities themselves are protecting
habitats without government involvement.
Examples:
In Sariska Tiger Reserve, Rajasthan, villagers have fought against mining and destruction
of forest by citing the Wildlife Protection Act.

The villagers from 5 villages in Alwar District of Rajasthan have declared 1,200 hectares
of forest protected the forest. They called it as Bhairodev Dakav Sonchuri. The villagers
set their own rules and regulations to save the forest area. They do not allow hunting and
are protecting the wildlife against any outside encroachments.

Sacred Groves: Tribes worship nature. They believe that their God, Goddess and deities
live in the forest area. Such forest areas are called Sacred Groves. They do not disturb
sacred groves. So, virgin forests have been preserved in their pristine form as Sacred
Groves.
The Bishnois of Rajasthan protect black bucks (chinkara). People from this community
do not harm herds of black buck, nilgai and peacocks. So, they are even today conserved.

Chipko movement: in the Himalays led by the local communities, especially, women,
successfully resisted deforestation in several areas. They have protected and planted
indigenous species of plants successfully.

Ecological Farming: The traditional conservation methods are revived by the community
with the help of NGOs. For example, Beej Bachao Andolan and Navdanya promote
ecological farming without use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides.

The Joint Forest Management programme is also an effort by community involvement
with Government to manage and restore degraded forests. It was started in Orissa in
1988.

iv. Write a note on good practices towards conserving forest and wildlife.
Conservation of forest and wildlife

Individuals, Community and Government have worked for conserving forests and
wildlife. Such good steps, practices are to be continued in all places for conserving our
resources since it helps to preserve the biological diversity and our life support system.
The National Forest Policy outlines the following steps, practices for conservation of
forests:
i. Maintenance of environmental stability through preservation and restoration of
ecological balance.
ii. Substantial increase in forest tree cover massive afforestation and social forestry
programmes.
iii.. Steps to meet the requirements of fuel wood, and minor forest produces by increasing
the productivity of forests.
iv. Encouragement of efficient utilization of forest produce and optimum substitutes of
wood.
v. Steps to increase massive peoples movement with involvement of women to achieve
the conservation of our national heritage and minimize the pressure on existing forests.

Government steps: For conservation of wildlife the following steps are taken by the
government in India:
Development of 88 national parks, 490 wildlife sanctuaries and 13 biosphere
reserves.
Implementation of Wildlife Protection Act.
Protecting the remaining endangered species by banning hunting, giving legal
protection to their habitats and restricting trade in wild life.
Project Tiger, Project Rhino, Project Elephant, etc, for protection of threatened
species in their natural habitats. 27 tiger reserves have been set up under Project
Tiger.
Four coral reefs have been identified for conservation and management.
Wet land conservation measures are taken up.