Class 10 Geography Ch 2

Forest and wildlife Resources

NCERT Solutions:
1. Multiple choice questions.

(i) 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.
Answer:
Grazing and fuelwood collection

(ii) Which of the following conservation strategies do not directly involve community
participation?
(a) Joint forest management
(b) Beej Bachao Andolan
(c) Chipko Movement
(d) Demarcation of wildlife sanctuaries
Answer:
Demarcation of wildlife sanctuaries

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

Answer:
Animals/Plants Category of existence
Black Buck Endangered
Asiatic Elephant Vulnerable
Andaman wild pig Endemic
Himalayan Brown Bear Rare
Pink Head Duck Extinct
3. Match the following.
Answer:
Reserved Forests are regarded as most valuable as far as the conservation of forest and wildlife
Forests resources is concerned
Protected Forest lands are protected from any further depletion
Forests
Unclassed Other forests and wastelands belonging to both government and private individuals
Forests and communities
4. Answer the following questions in about 30 words.
(i) What is biodiversity? Why is biodiversity important for human lives?
Answer:
Biodiversity refers to the variety of life forms found on earth. It is a measure of variation at
the ecosystem, species and genetic level. Biodiversity is abundant in tropical areas. Tropical
areas cover 10 per cent of the earth surface, but they host 90% of the world‘s species.
Contribution of biodiversity in human lives

1. Agriculture – A variety of plant species meet our needs for food.

2. Its contribution to business and industry
3. Leisurely activities
4. Ecological processes
(ii) How have human activities affected the depletion of flora and fauna? Explain
Answer:

1. Various river valley projects have affected the flora and fauna.
2. Many illegal mining projects have depleted the flora and fauna.
3. Too many development projects for leisure activities in the forests have negatively
affected them.
4. Too many human activities in the forest area due to rising population and lack of
space has created human-animal conflict.
5. Answer the following questions in about 120 words.
(i) Describe how communities have conserved and protected forests and wildlife in India.
Answer:
Chipko Movement:
The famous Chipko movement in the Himalayas has not only successfully resisted
deforestation in several areas, but has also shown that community afforestation with
indigenous species can be enormously successful.
Certain societies revere a particular tree which they have preserved from time immemorial.
The Mundas and the Santhals of Chota Nagpur region worship mahua (Bassia latifolia) and
kadamba (Anthocaphalus cadamba) trees. The tribals of Odisha and Bihar worship the
tamarind (Tamarindus indica) and mango (Mangifera indica) trees during weddings. Many
people also consider peepal and banyan trees sacred.
In Sariska Tiger Reserve, Rajasthan, villagers have fought against mining by citing the
Wildlife Protection Act. In many areas, villagers themselves are protecting habitats and are
explicitly rejecting government involvement. The inhabitants of five villages in the Alwar
district of Rajasthan have declared 1,200 hectares of forest as the Bhairodev Dakav
‗Sonchuri‘, declaring their own set of rules and regulations which do not allow hunting and
are protecting the wildlife against any outside encroachments.

(ii) Write a note on good practices towards conserving forest and wildlife.
Answer:
In India, joint forest management (JFM) programme is a good example for the involvement
of local communities in the management and restoration of degraded forests. The programme
has been in formal existence since 1988 when the state of Odisha passed the first resolution
for joint forest management. JFM depends on the formation of local (village) institutions that
undertake protection activities mostly on degraded forest land managed by the forest
department. In return, the members of these communities are entitled to intermediary benefits
like non-timber forest produces and a share in the timber harvested by ‗successful protection‘.
The clear lesson from the dynamics of both environmental destruction and reconstruction in
India is that local communities everywhere have to be involved in some kind of natural
resource management. But there is still a long way to go before local communities are at the
centre stage in decision-making. Accept only those economic or developmental activities that
are people-centric, environment-friendly and economically rewarding.

___________________________________________________________________________

Extra Questions: Question 5

Write four major reasons for the depletion of forest cover.
Answer:

1. Deforestation for agricultural purposes.

2. Shifting cultivation which is still practised in substantial parts of tribal belts.
3. Large-scale development of river valley projects.
4. Mining activities have also resulted in deforestation. For example, the tiger reserve in
West Bengal is seriously threatened by the ongoing dolomite mining.
5. Environmental pollution and forest fires have also led to depletion of forests.

Question 6.
Write three adverse impacts of dolomite mining in the Buxar Tiger Reserve on the
ecosystem.
Answer:
Adverse effects of dolomite mining in the Buxar Tiger Reserve:

1. It has caused ecological damage.

2. It has blocked the migration route of several species.
3. It has disturbed the natural habitat of many species.

Question 7.
List six factors which have led to the decline in India‘s biodiversity.
Answer:

1. Habitat destruction
2. Over-exploitation
3. Environmental pollution
 4. Forest fires
5. Hunting and Poaching
6. Poisoning

Question 8.
Write four most important causes of environmental destruction/degradation.
Answer:

1. Unequal access to resources.

2. Inequitable consumption of resources.
3. Differential sharing of responsibility for environmental well being.
4. Over-population.

Question 9.
―The destruction of biodiversity is highly correlated with the loss of cultural diversity.‖ Give
four facts to support this statement.
Answer:
Such losses have:

1. Increasingly marginalised and impoverished many forest dependent communities.

2. Among the poor, women are affected more than men, for women bear the major
responsibility of basic subsistence needs. With the depletion of these resources, the
drudgery of women increased for they had to walk for more than 10 km to collect these
resources which, in turn, affected their health and negligence of home and children.
3. The indirect impact of degradation, eg. drought or floods etc. also hits the poor the
hardest.
4. Poverty is a direct outcome of environmental destruction.

Question 10.
Why do we need to conserve our biodiversity?
Answer:
Conservation of biodiversity is necessary because it:

1. Preserves the ecological diversity.

2. Preserves our life support systems, i.e., water, air and soil.
3. Preserves the genetic diversity of plants and animals for better growth and breeding of
species.
4. Fisheries too are heavily dependent on the maintenance of aquatic biodiversity.

Question 11.
List various provisions made by ―The Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972‖ for protecting
habitats.
Answer:

1. An All India list of protected species was published.

2. The thrust was on protecting the remaining population of certain endangered species
by-
 banning hunting;
  giving legal protection to their habitats and
 restricting trade in wildlife.

Question 12.
Write four steps taken by the Government for conservation of wildlife.
Answer:
Five steps that have been taken to protect the wildlife in India:

1. Under the Indian Wildlife Protection Act 1972, an All India list of protected species
was published. The thrust was on protecting the remaining population of certain
endangered species by –
 banning hunting,
 giving legal protection to their habitats and
 restricting trade in wildlife.
2. Many wildlife sanctuaries have been developed and National Parks have been set up.
3. Many projects have been started for protecting specific animals which were gravely
threatened, eg. Project Tiger, One-horned Rhino, the Kashmir Stag (hangul), three
types of crocodiles —the fresh water, salt-water and Gharials, the Asiatic Lion, etc.
4. Most recently, some animals have been given full or partial legal protection against
hunting and trading throughout India, eg., Indian elephant, black buck, great Indian
bustard and the snow leopard, etc.
5. Setting up of biosphere reserves for conserving flora and fauna in their natural
surroundings and protection of wetland ecosystems is another step taken in this
direction.

Question 13.
Which agency manages forests in India? Name three broad categories in which the forests are
classified.
Answer:
The forests in India are owned and managed by the Government through the Forest
Department.
They are classified under the following categories:

1. Reserved Forests
2. Protected Forests
3. Unclassed Forests

Question 14.
What are ‗Permanent Forest Estates‘ and why? Which state has maximum forest cover falling
under this category? Write its percentage share in the total forest area of this state.
Answer:
Reserved and protected forests are referred to as the Permanent Forest Estates maintained for
the purpose of producing timber and other forest produce.
Madhya Pradesh has the largest area under permanent forests, constituting 75% of its total
forest area.

Question 15.
Write the major differences between reserved and protected forests.
Answer:
Difference between Reserved and Protected forests

Reserved forests Protected forests

1. They cover more than half of the total forest area. 1. Almost V3 of the total forest area is protected fo

2. They are most valuable from the point of view of forest 2. These forest lands are protected from any furthe

and wildlife conservation. depletion.

Question 16.
Name five states which have large reserved and protected forests respectively.

Answer:
Five states having large percentages of reserved forests are: Jammu and Kashmir, Andhra
Pradesh, Uttrakhand, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Maharashtra.
Protected Forests: Bihar, Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Orissa and Rajasthan.

Question 17.
What are unclassed forests? Name two areas which have high percentages of their forests as
unclassed forests.
Answer:
Unclassed forests are the other forests and waste lands belonging to both Government and
private individuals as well as local communities.
Two areas with high percentage of unclassed forests are: North-Eastern states and parts of
Gujarat.

Question 18.
Write three examples of conservation of biodiversity at community level. (2025)
Answer:
Three examples of community participation:

1. In ‗Sariska Tiger Reserve‘, Rajasthan, villagers have fought against mining by citing
the Wildlife Protection Act. In many areas, villagers themselves, are protecting habitats
and explicitly rejecting Government involvement.
2. The inhabitants of five villages in the Alwar District of Rajasthan have declared 1200
hectares of forest as the ‗Bhairodev Dakav Sonchuri‘, declaring their own set of rules
and regulations, which do not allow hunting, and are protecting the wildlife against any
outside encroachments.
 3. The famous Chipko Movement in the Himalayas has successfully resisted deforestation
and has also shown that community afforestation with indigenous species can be a
great success.

Question 19.
Explain the ‗Beej Bachao Andolan‘ and ‗Navdanya‘ concept.
Answer:
Farmers and Citizens‘ groups like the Beej Bachao Andolan in Tehri and Navdanya have
shown that adequate levels of diversified crop production without the use of synthetic
chemicals are possible and economically viable.

Question 20.
Write two characteristics of Joint Forest Management Programme and its two benefits for the
community. Which Indian state started this programme first of all and when?
Answer:
Joint Forest Management Programme involves local communities in the management and
restoration of degraded forests. It was first started in Orissa in 1988.
Two characteristics: It depends on—

1. the formation of local (village) institutions that undertake protection activities mostly
on degraded forest land managed by the Forest Department and
2. the local communities also work towards restoration of such degraded forests.

Two benefits:

1. The members of these communities are entitled to intermediary benefits like non-
timber forest products.
2. They are also entitled to share in the timber harvested by ‗successful protection‘.

Question 21.
What is biodiversity? Why is biodiversity important for human lives? Give three points.
Answer:
Biodiversity denotes variety of living beings, including all types of organisms, plants and
wildlife, diverse in form and functions but closely integrated in a system through multiple
network of interdependencies. Its importance: We humans along with all living organisms
form a complex web of ecological systems in which we are only a part and are dependent on
this system for our own existence. For example, the plants, animals and micro-organisms
recreate—

 the quality of the air we breathe,

 the water we drink and
 the soil that produces our food without which we cannot survive. Forests play a key
role in the ecological system as these are also the primary producers on which all other
living beings depend not only for food but indirectly for many other forest produces
which are used for varied purposes. So this biodiversity maintains an ecological
balance and our life support systems (air, water and soil).
Question 22.
Write a brief note on ‗Project Tiger‘.
Answer:
‗Project Tiger‘ was one of the well-published wildlife campaigns in the world, launched in
1973. Initially it had shown an increase in tiger population till 1989 but in 1993 the tiger
population dropped. There are 27 tiger reserves in India covering an area of 37,761 sq km.

Tiger conservation has been viewed not only as an effort to save the endangered species but
with equal importance as a means of preserving biotypes of sizeable magnitude. Corbett
National Park, (Uttarakhand), Sundarbans National Park (West Bengal), Bandhavgarh
National Park (Madhya Pradesh), Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary (Rajasthan) Manas Tiger
Reserve (Assam) and Periyar Tiger Reserve (Kerala) are some of the reserves in India.

Question 23.
Give an account of the forest cover in India.
Answer:
The dimensions of deforestation in India are staggering. The forest and tree cover in the
country is estimated at 79.42 million hectare, which is 24.16% of the total geographical area
(dense forest 12.2%; open forest 9.14%; and mangrove 0.14%). According to the State of
Forest Report (2015), the dense forest cover has increased by 3,775 sq km since 2013.
However, this apparent increase in the forest cover is due to conservation measures,
management interventions and plantation, etc., by different agencies.

Question 24.
Give an account of the Himalayan Yew highlighting its importance.
Answer:
The Himalayan Yew is in trouble. The Himalayan Yew (Taxuswallachiana) is a medicinal
plant found in various parts of Himachal Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh. A chemical
compound called ‗taxol‘ is extracted from the bark, needles, twigs and roots of this tree, and
it has been successfully used to treat some cancers-the drug is now the biggest selling anti-
cancer drug in the world.

The species is under great threat due to over-exploitation. In the last one decade, thousands of
yew trees have dried up in various parts of Himachal Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh.

Question 25.
Give the main characteristics of the Asiatic Cheetah. Where has it gone?
Answer:
The world‘s fastest land mammal, the cheetah (Acinonyxjubantus), is a unique and
specialised member of the cat family and can move at the speed of 112 km./hr. The cheetah is
often mistaken for a leopard. Its distinguishing marks are the long teardrop shaped lines on
each side of the nose from the comer of its eyes to its mouth. Prior to the 20th century,
cheetahs were widely distributed throughout Africa and Asia. Today, the Asian cheetah is
nearly extinct due to a decline of available habitat and prey. The species was declared extinct
in India long back in 1952.

Question 26.
‗33% of area should be under forests‘. Justify the statement highlighting the environmental
values of forests.
Answer:
Forest area in the country is far lower than the desired 33% of geographical area, as outlined
in the National Forest Policy (1952). Forests are considered essential for maintenance of the
ecological balance. The livelihood of millions of people who live on the fringes of these
forests depend upon it.

Forests play a key role in the ecological system as these are also the primary producers on
which all other living beings depend. The forest preserves the ecological diversity and our
life support systems—water, air and soil. It also preserves the genetic diversity of plants and
animals for better growth of species and breeding. The destruction of forests have
marginalised and impoverished many indigenous forest dependent communities. The indirect
impact of degradation is severe drought or induced floods. Poverty is a direct outcome of
environmental destruction.

Question 27.
Assess the need for the conservation of forests and wildlife in India.
Answer:
There is a need to conserve the forests and wildlife in India:

 Conservation of biodiversity is necessary because it preserves the ecological diversity.

 Forests and wildlife preserve our life support systems, i.e., water, air and soil. For
example, the plants, animals and micro-organisms recreate the quality of the air we
breathe, the water we drink and the soil that produces our food without which we
cannot survive.
 It also preserves the genetic diversity of plants and animals for better growth and
breeding of species. For example, in agriculture we are still dependent on traditional
crop varieties.
 Fisheries too are heavily dependent on the maintenance of aquatic biodiversity.
 Forests are primary producers on which all other living beings depend not only for food
but indirectly for many other forest produces which are used for varied purposes.