[Mission 2023] STATIC QUIZ, 1 November 2022 – Environment

Solution: d)

The Community Forest Resource rights under Section 3(1)(i) of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act (commonly referred to as the Forest Rights Act or the FRA) provide for recognition of the right to “protect, regenerate or conserve or manage” the community forest resource.

These rights allow the community to formulate rules for forest use by itself and others and thereby discharge its responsibilities under Section 5 of the FRA.

Why is the recognition of CFR rights important?

It is important as it recognises the community’s right to use, manage and conserve forest resources, and to legally hold forest land that these communities have used for cultivation and residence.

It also underlines the integral role that forest dwellers play in sustainability of forests and in conservation of biodiversity.

Simlipal National Park in Odisha is the first national park to recognise Community Forest Resource rights.

Solution: c)

Greater one-horned rhinoceros, is a rhinoceros species native to the Indian subcontinent. It is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary in Assam has the highest density of Indian rhinos in the world.

Solution: c)

Indian Forest Act of 1927 was enacted to make forest laws more effective and to improve the previous forest laws.

Types of Forests

Reserved Forests: 

• Reserve forests are the most restricted forests and are constituted by the State Governmenton any forest land or wasteland which is the property of the Government.
• In reserved forests, local people are prohibited, unless specifically allowed by a Forest Officer in the course of the settlement.

Protected Forests: 

• The State Government is empowered to constitute any land other than reserved forests as protected forests over which the Government has proprietary rights and the power to issue rules regarding the use of such forests.
• This power has been used to establish State control over trees, whose timber, fruit or other non-wood products have revenue-raising potential.

Village forests are protected and managed by village communities which are assigned by the state governments. The local communities may use it for timber or other forest produce, pasture, recreation, plantation and so on under prescribed conditions by state governments.

Degree of protection

Reserved forests > Protected forests > Village forests

Solution: d)

Indian government launched community volunteer programme “HimalSanrakshak” to protect snow leopards.

India has been conserving snow leopard and its habitat through the Project Snow Leopard (PSL).

Protection of snow leopard and other endangered species and their habitats is one of the key components of SECURE Himalaya.

Solution: b)

Community Reserves:

• Conservation reserves and community reserves in India are terms denoting protected areas of India which typically act as buffer zones to or connectors and migration corridors between established national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and reserved and protected forests of India.
• Such areas are designated as conservation areas if they are uninhabited and completely owned by the Government of India but used for subsistence by communities and community areas if part of the lands are privately owned.
• These protected area categories were first introduced in the Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act of 2002 − the amendment to the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972.
• It enables any state government to declare community-owned forest area as “community reserve” if locals are willing to participate in conservation efforts for same.
• Under it, community reserve receives same legal protection as National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries.