Class 10 Geography Chapter 2, Forest and Wildlife Resources, examines biodiversity in India, the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972 and Project Tiger (1973), the administrative classification of forests into Reserved, Protected and Unclassed forests, and community-led conservation movements.
What Class 10 Social Science — Geography (Samkalin Bharat II) Chapter 2 Covers
Conservation of Forest and Wildlife in India details the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 (banning hunting, protecting habitats and restricting wildlife trade), Project Tiger launched in 1973 (Corbett, Sundarbans, Bandhavgarh, Sariska, Manas and Periyar tiger reserves), and the addition of insects (butterflies, moths, beetles, dragonflies) and six plant species to the protected list in 1980, 1986 and 1991.
Types and Distribution of Forests and Wildlife Resources divides forests into (1) Reserved Forests (more than half of total forest land, most valuable for conservation), (2) Protected Forests (almost one-third of total forest area, protected from further depletion), and (3) Unclassed Forests (other forests and wastelands belonging to both government and private individuals/communities, high in North-Eastern states and parts of Gujarat).
Community and Conservation highlights Sariska Tiger Reserve villagers fighting mining, Bhairodev Dakav ‘Sonchuri’ (1,200 hectares in Alwar, Rajasthan), sacred groves, the Chipko movement in the Himalayas, the Beej Bachao Andolan in Tehri and Navdanya, and the Joint Forest Management (JFM) programme launched in Odisha in 1988.
Exercises in Chapter 2
- Chapter Exercises test biodiversity definitions, how human activities have depleted flora and fauna, and how communities have conserved and protected forests and wildlife in India.
Read Class 10 Social Science — Geography (Samkalin Bharat II) Chapter 2 Online
More Chapters
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FAQ
How are forests classified in India for conservation and management?
India’s forests are classified into three categories: (1) Reserved Forests (more than half of total forest land, most strictly protected); (2) Protected Forests (about one-third of total forest area, protected from further depletion); and (3) Unclassed Forests (forests and wastelands owned by government, individuals or communities).
What is the Joint Forest Management (JFM) programme?
Launched formally in 1988 when the state of Odisha passed the first resolution, JFM involves local village institutions and the Forest Department working together to restore degraded forest land in return for intermediary benefits like non-timber forest produces and a share in timber harvested by ‘successful protection’.