1. Multiple choice questions.

    Which of these statements is not a valid reason for the depletion of flora and fauna?

    a. Agricultural expansion.

    b. Large scale developmental projects

    c. Grazing and fuelwood collection.

    d. Rapid industrialisation and urbanisation.

    Explanation:

    The right response is (c): gathering fuelwood and grazing.

    Due to the growth of mining activities, scientific and commercial forestry, farming activities, and railroads, the British era caused the most harm to the Indian woods. Even after India gained its freedom, mining operations, large-scale agricultural expansion, and development initiatives led to the extinction of both plants and animals. Forest fires, environmental pollution, excessive resource use, poaching, hunting, and habitat devastation in India are some of the factors that have led to the decrease in the country's flora and wildlife.

    The Incorrect Options are: (a), (b), (d)

    1. Agricultural Expansions - According to the Forest Survey of India, over 26,200 sq. km. of forest territory was turned into agricultural land throughout India between 1951 and 1980. Significant portions of the tribal forests, particularly in northeaster and central India, have been cleared of trees or otherwise degraded by shifting farming, or "slash and burn" agriculture.

    2. Large scale developmental projects - The loss of woodlands has also been greatly impacted by large-scale development initiatives. For river valley initiatives, more than 5,000 sq. km of woodland have been cleared since 1951. With initiatives like the Narmada Sagar Project in Madhya Pradesh, which would submerge 40,000 hectares of woodland, the clearing of woods is still ongoing.

    d) Rapid industrialisation and urbanisation - The fortifications, houses, and industrial sections of the city grew quickly. The harbour was the centre of trade and commerce and the primary factor in the increase in metropolitan population, along with the Na'aman River fluvial system. Agriculture, industry, and commerce were concentrated in one area, which increased the pressure on the region's ecosystems and caused the till’s native biotopes to expand upon and disappear. Within a matrix of urban and agrarian growth, fragmented proto-urban environments only survived in small areas, if at all, or even vanished entirely.

    2. Which of the following conservation strategies do not directly involve community participation?

    1.  Joint forest management

    2.  Beej Bachao Andolan

    3.  Chipko Movement

    4.  Demarcation of wildlife sanctuaries


      Explanation:

      The Correct Option is (d): Demarcation of Wildlife Sanctuaries.

      Incorrect Options are: (a), (b), (c)

      1. Joint Forest Management - Over the past 20 years, the Joint Forest administration Programme (JFM) has been a key focus of forest administration. The program's primary goals are to manage forests and give local people more authority by utilizing resources sustainably. By tying socioeconomic incentives and forest development together, the Joint Forest Management system in India has tried to engage local people in a useful and successful way.

      2. Beej Bachao Andolan - Since the beginning of the "Green Revolution" in the 1960s, traditional, agro ecological agricultural knowledge, practices, and seed diversity have all been vanishing. Beej Bachao Andolan ("Save the Seeds Movement") has been working in the Indian state of Uttarakhand to re-establish these elements.

      3. Chipko Movement - The Chipko movement, also known as the Chipko andolan, was a peaceful social and environmental movement organized by rural Indian peasants, especially women, in the 1970s. Its goal was to defend forests and trees from government-sponsored logging. In 1973, the campaign began in the Indian Himalayan area of Uttarakhand, which was at the time a portion of Uttar Pradesh.

      Joint forest management is a strategy for preserving woodlands in which the federal government works with local groups to do so. The Chipko Movement was an Indian initiative to protect forests. It started in 1973. People were worried by the Alaknanda floods because deforestation was the cause of the disruption. The Beej Bachao Andolan is a campaign for woodland conservation that not only aims to preserve indigenous seeds but also to uphold the regional customs of the local populations. The initiatives mentioned above all engaged communities. However, the government and forest department demarcate wildlife reserves to restrict local people' access to forest regions.

        3.  Match the following animals with their category of existence.

        Animals/Plants

        Category of Existence

        Black Buck

        Extinct

        Asiatic Elephant

        Rare

        Andaman Wild Pig

        Endangered

        Himalayan Brown Bear

        Vulnerable

        Pink Head Duck

        Endemic

        Animals/Plants

        Category of Existence

        Black Buck

        Endangered

        Asiatic Elephant

        Vulnerable

        Andaman Wild Pig

        Endemic

        Himalayan Brown Bear

        Rare

        Pink Head Duck

        Extinct


        1. Match the Following:

        Reserved Forests

        Other Forests and Wastelands Belonging to both Government and Private individuals and communities.

        Protected Forests

        Forests are regarded as most valuable as far as the conservation of forest and wildlife resources is concerned.

        Unclassed Forests

        • Forests lands are Protected from any further depletion

        Reserved Forests

        Forests are regarded as most valuable as far as the conservation of forest and wildlife resources is concerned.

        Protected Forests

        Forests lands are Protected from any further depletion

        Unclassed Forests

        Other Forests and Wastelands Belonging to both Government and Private individuals and communities.

        5. Answer the following questions in about 30 words.

        What is biodiversity? Why is biodiversity important for human lives?

        Explanation:

        The range of living forms on earth is referred to as biodiversity. It is a gauge of DNA, species, and ecosystem-level diversity. Tropical regions are rich in biodiversity. 90% of all species are found in tropical regions, which make up 10% of the planet's territory.

        Biodiversity’s impact on human life

        Agriculture - We get our sustenance from a range of plant types. Its value to industry and commerce Affluent pursuits Ecological mechanisms


        6. How have human activities affected the depletion of flora and fauna? Explain

        Explanation:

        Projects in the river basin have an impact on the vegetation and fauna.

        The vegetation and wildlife have been severely depleted by numerous illegal mining operations.

        The forests have suffered because there are too many construction initiatives for recreational purposes there.

        Human-animal conflict has been caused by too many human activities in the forest region as a result of population growth and a shortage of room.


        7. Answer the following questions in about 120 words.

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

        Explanation:

        Chipko Movement

        The well-known Chipko movement in the Himalayas has not only effectively halted deforestation in a number of locations, but it has also demonstrated how effective community afforestation using native species can be.

        Some cultures have a special relationship with a tree that they have protected for ages. The mahua (Bassia latifolia) and kadamba (Anthocaphalus cadamba) trees are sacred to the Munda and Santhal people of the Chota Nagpur area. During marriages, the tribal people of Odisha and Bihar revere the tamarind (Tamarindus indica) and mango (Mangifera indica) plants. Banyan and peepal trees are revered by many people as well.

        Villagers in Rajasthan's Sariska Tiger Reserve have battled against mining by referencing the Wildlife Protection Act. Many communities have locals who actively oppose government participation while defending ecosystems. People living in five communities. 1,200 hectares of woodland in the Alwar district of Rajasthan have been designated as the Bhairodev Dakav "Sonchuri," with the district establishing its own rules and regulations that forbid hunting and guard against any intrusions from the outside.

          8 Write a note on good practices towards conserving forest and wildlife.

          Explanation:

          The joint forest management (JFM) initiative in India is a great illustration of how local people can be involved in the administration and restoration of degraded woodlands. Since the state of Odisha approved the first motion for combined forest management in 1988, the program has officially existed. JFM is reliant on the creation of regional (village) organizations that carry out security tasks primarily on degraded forest property under the control of the forest department. In exchange, the residents of these towns are eligible to intermediary advantages like non-timber forest products and a portion of the timber that is collected through "successful protection". The dynamics of both environmental deterioration and rebuilding in India provide an obvious lesson that local people everywhere must participate in some form of natural resource management. However, it will be a while before local groups take center stage in the decision-making process. Accept only people-centered, environmentally favorable, and financially gratifying economic or developmental endeavors.