India’s Forest Policy: Balancing Forest Conservation and Community Needs

Forest conservation maintains a complex connection with life and the environment, offering various direct and indirect benefits to our economy and society. Therefore, the preservation of forest conservation is crucial for the well-being and progress of humanity. 

Consequently, the Government of India introduced a nationwide forest conservation policy, implementing a forest policy in 1952 with the dual objectives of safeguarding and expanding forest reserves while also addressing the requirements of local communities.

National Forest Policy 1952: Balancing Ecology and Community Needs

• The National Forest Policy 1952 classified forest conservation functionally into four categories:
  • Protection Forests: those forests which must be preserved or created for physical and climatic considerations.
  • National Forests: Those which have to be maintained and managed to meet the needs of defence, communications and other general purposes of public importance. 
  • Village Forests:  Those which have to be maintained to provide firewood, to release cow dung for manure and to yield small timber for agricultural implements.
    • Other forests produce for local requirements, and to provide grazing for cattle.
  • Tree-lands: Those areas which though outside the scope of the ordinary forest conservation management are essential for the amelioration of the physical conditions of the country.
• Proportion of the Forests Areas: Bringing 33 percent of the geographical areas under forest conservation cover.
  • About 60 per cent should be kept under forest conservation for their protective functions in the Himalayas, the Deccan and other mountainous tracts liable to erosion.
  • In the plains, where the ground is flat and erosion is normally not a serious factor, the proportion to be attained should be placed at 20 per cent
• Other feature: India’s Forest Policy Initiatives
  • Maintaining environmental stability and to restore forest conservation where ecological balance was disturbed;
  • Conserving the natural heritage of the country, its biological diversity and genetic pool;
  • Checks soil erosion, extension of the desert lands and reduction of floods and droughts;
  • Increasing the forest cover through social forestry and afforestation on degraded land;
  • Increasing the productivity of forests to make timber, fuel, fodder and food available to rural population dependent on forest conservation, and encourage the substitution of wood;
  • Creating a massive peoples movement involving women to encourage planting of trees, stop felling of trees and thus, reduce pressure on the existing forest conservation. 
• Based on the forest conservation policy the many steps were initiated, few of which are discussed in following sections. 

Social Forestry: Rural, Urban, and Community Initiatives

• Social forestry means the management and protection of forests and afforestation on barren lands with the purpose of helping in the environmental, social and rural development.
• The National Commission on Agriculture (1976) has classified social forestry into three categories:
  • Urban forestry: It pertains to the raising and management of trees on public and privately owned lands in and around urban centers such as green belts, parks, roadside avenues, industrial and commercial green belts, etc.
  • Rural forestry: It lays emphasis on promotion of agroforestry and community-forestry.
    • Agroforestry: It is the raising of trees and agriculture crops on the same land inclusive of the waste patches;
      • It combines forestry with agriculture, thus, altering the simultaneous production of food, fodder, fuel, timber and fruit;
    • Community Forestry: Raising of trees on public or community land such as the village pasture and temple land, roadside, canal bank, strips along railway lines, and schools etc.;
      • Aim: It aims at providing benefits to the community as a whole, under which the people of landless classes can associate themselves in tree raising and thus, get those benefits which otherwise are restricted for landowners.
  • Farm Forestry: Farmers grow trees for commercial and non-commercial purposes on their farm lands, the margins of agricultural fields, grasslands and pastures, land around homes and cow sheds may be used.
    • Forest departments of various states distribute seedlings of trees free of cost to small and medium farmers.

Wildlife Conservation: India’s Wildlife Diversity and Conservation Challenges

Statistics: A Global Biodiversity Hub

• India possesses a rich natural heritage in its wildlife, with approximately 4-5% of all known plant and animal species worldwide being present in the country. 
• India also boasts significant biodiversity, including 13% of the global bird population, 12% of bird species, and 5-8% of amphibians, reptiles, and mammals.

Notable India’s Wildlife in India: From Elephants to Tigers and More

• It includes elephants in the hot, wet forests of Assam, Karnataka, and Kerala; 
  • One-horned rhinoceroses in the swampy lands of Assam and West Bengal; 
  • Wild ass in the Rann of Kachchh; and camels in the Thar Desert. 

• India is unique for having both tigers and lions,.
  • Indian lions primarily reside in the Gir forest in Gujarat and tigers found in Madhya Pradesh, the Sundarbans of West Bengal, and the Himalayan region. 
• In Ladakh’s high-altitude regions, one can find yak, Tibetan antelope, bharal (blue sheep), wild sheep, and kiang (Tibetan wild ass).

Causes of Concern: Urgent Need for conservation

• Disruption of Diverse Ecosystems: Despite this remarkable diversity, human activities have significantly disrupted these ecosystems.
• Decline in Wildlife: Factors like industrialization, land clearance for agriculture and settlements, deforestation for resources, grazing by domestic cattle, hunting, and forest fires have led to a decline in wildlife numbers. 
• Urgency for Conservation of Endangered Species: This exploitation has resulted in the endangerment and extinction of numerous plant and animal species, making conservation efforts imperative.

Wildlife Conservation in India: Laws, Legacy, and Progress

• Cultural Legacy: India has a rich tradition of valuing wildlife, evident in timeless tales like Panchtantra and Jungle Books, which instill a deep love for wildlife, particularly in young minds.
• The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972: In 1972, India introduced a comprehensive Wildlife Act, serving as the primary legal framework for wildlife conservation and protection. This legislation has two main objectives:
  • Safeguarding endangered species listed in the Act’s schedule.
  • Providing legal support for the preservation of designated conservation areas such as National Parks, sanctuaries, and closed areas.
• Strengthened Provisions: The 1972 act underwent substantial amendments in 1991, resulting in stricter penalties and provisions for safeguarding specific plant species and the conservation of endangered wild animals(Refer Figure).

Wildlife Reserves