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FOREST AND WILDLIFE RESOURCES

PREVIOUS YEARS' QUESTIONS 2016

Short Answer Type Question [3 Marks]

1. Describe the steps taken by the government to protect the species from becoming extinct.

Ans. The following are the steps taken by the government to protect the species from being extinct.
[CBSE)

(a) Implementation of Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act in 1972. According to it a list of protected species
in India was published to protect the endangered species,

(b) Hunting and trade in wildlife has been banned to give legal protection to their habitat.

(c) Various national parks and wildlife sanctuaries have been established to give natural habitat to the
species facing extinction.

2015

Short Answer Type Questions [3 Marks]

2. How are forests classified under different categories? Explain with examples. [CBSE]

Ans. Forests are classified under different categories as follows.

(a) Reserved forests: More than half of the total forest land has been declared as reserved forests. They
conserve forest and wildlife resources and are regraded as the most valuable,

(b) Protected forests: As declared by the Forest Department, one-third of the total forest area is
declared as protected forests. They are protected from any further depletion.

(c) Unclassed forests: They are forests and wastelands belonging both to the government and private
individuals and communities.

3. How has the destruction of forests diversity? Explain. and wildlife resulted into the loss of culturalAns.
The destruction of forests and wildlife resulted into the loss of cultural diversity in the following ways.

(a) The destruction of forests and wildlife has affected the liveliood of the communities, who are
dependent on forests.

(b) In some areas women are involved in fuel collection, fodder for their animals and water for their
domestic needs. Due to deforestation these products are not available to them. It adversely affects the
lives of such people.
(c) The destruction of forests has resulted in severe droughts and floods, which has affected forest-
dependent communities. People live in extreme poverty.The conservation of forests and wildlife is
essential to provide a better quality of life.

4. When was the Indian Wildlife Protection Act implemented? Describe its main objectives.

Ans. The Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act was implemented in 1972 for protecting habitats. An all India
list of protected animals was also published.

Its main objectives are as follows.

(a) To protect the remaining population of certain endagered species by banning hunting, giving legal
protection to their habitats and stopping trade in wildlife.

(b) The central and state governments established national parks and wildlife sanctuaries.

(c) The central government also announced various projects like Project Tiger and Project Rhino for
protecting specific animals, which were gravely threatened.

2014

Short Answer Type Questions [3 Marks]

5. Nature worship is an old-age belief. Explain how it has helped in the conservation of forest and
wildlife.

Ans. Nature worship has helped in the conservation of forest and wildlife in the following ways

(a) The tribals believe in nature worship, which is based on the fact that all creations of nature have to
be protected. Such beliefs have protected several forests from decay, cutting and felling of trees. They
are called Sacred Groves. Sacred qualities are also ascribed to mountains, springs and plants.

(b) Certain communities revere a particular tree like Mundas and Santhal of Chota Nagpur region
worship mahua and kadamba trees respectively.

(c) The tribals of Bihar and Odisha worship the tamarind and mango trees respectively during weddings.

6. Distinguish between endangered species and vulnerable species of wild animals. Give one example of
each.

Ans. Endangered species: Endangered species are the species which are in danger of extinction. If the
negative factors, which have caused their decline, continue to operate, then survival of such species is
difficult. For example, blackbuck. Vulnerable species: Vulnerable Species are the species whose
population has declined so much that they may move into the category of endangered species in the
near future, if the negative factors continue to operate. For example, blue sheep.

7. Evaluate the role of large-scale development projects in accelerating the loss of forests in India.

Ans. Large-scale developmental projects have contributed significantly to the loss of forests. [CBSE]
(a) Since 1951, over 5,000 sq km of forests were cleared for river valley projects.

(b) Clearing of forests is still continuing because of new projects like the Narmada Sagar Project in
Madhya Pradesh.

(e) Mining activities are also disturbing the national habitats of major species, who live in forests.

8. Distinguish between rare species and vulnerable species of animals with examples. [CBSE]

Ans. Rare species: Rare species have a small population and can move into endangered or vulnerable
category, if the negative factors affecting them continue to exist, For example, Asiatic buffalo.
Vulnerable species: Vulnerable Species are the species whose population has declined so much that they
may move into the category of endangered species in the near future, if the negative factors continue to
operate, for example, blue sheep.

9. Evaluate the role of large-scale developmental projects in accelerating the loss of forests in India.

Ans. Refer to Ans. 7

2013

Short Answer Type Question [3 Marks]

10. Distinguish between rare species and endemic species. Give one example of each category.

Ans. Rare species: Rare species have a small population and can move into the category of endangered
or vulnerable species, if the negative factors affecting them continue to exit. For example: Asiatic
buffalo.

Endemic species: Endemic species are only found in certain areas, which are isolated by geographical or
natural barriers. For example: Nicobar pigeon.

Long Answer Type Question 15 Marks]

11. Why do we need to conserve our forests and wildlife? Explain any two steps taken (CBSE)

Ans. We need to conserve our forests and wildlife because of the following reasons.

(a) Conservation preserves the ecological biodiversity and our life support systems water, air and soil.

(b) It also preserves the by the government to protect forest and wildlife resources,species and
breeding. genetic diversity of plants and animals for better growth
(c) If protection is not given then many plants and animals can move into the categories of vulnerable
and endangered species.

(d)To protect forests and wildlife resources the government has taken the following steps

(a) Central and state governments established natural parks and wildlife sanctuaries They also took up
projects like Project Tiger.

(b) In 1972, the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act was implemented, with various tprovisions of protecting
habitats.

(c) Steps have been taken to protect the remaining population of certain endangered species by banning
hunting, giving legal protection to their habits and restricting trade in wildlife. (any two)

2012

Short Answer Type Questions [3 Marks]

12. Analyse the involvement of different traditional communities to conserve their own natural habitats
in India.

Ans. Conservation strategies are not new to India. Local communities have been struggling to conserve
their natural habitat. In Sariska Tiger Reserve, Rajasthan, villagers have fought against mining by citing
Wildlife Protection Act. They themselves protect their habitats. Villagers in Alwar district of Rajasthan
have declared 1,200 hectare of forest as Bhairodev Dakav Sonchuri and do not allow hunting. The
famous Chipko Movement in Himalayas is the result of community participation in protecting their
habitat.

13. How have human activities affected the depletion of flora and fauna? Explain with three examples.

Ans. The following points sum up the role of human activities in the depletion of flora and fauna.

(a) People directly or indirectly collect wood, barks, leaves, rubber, medicines, dyes, fuel, fodder,
manure, etc. For them forests are resource-obtaining areas.

Mining has contributed largely to the depletion of flora and fauna.

(c) Development projects also have played an important role in the depletion of flora and fauna.

(d) Effluents from the industries make the soil degradable

14. Enumerate the features of Joint Forest Management Programme.

(any three)

Ans. The following are the features of Joint Forest Management Programme, which came into existence
in 1988.

(a) Formation of local or village institutions, that undertake activities on degraded forest land, managed
by the forest department.
(b) Local communities involved in the management and restoration of degradedforests

(c) Intermediary benefits like non-timber forest produce and the share in the timber harvested given to
the members of the communities in return

2011

Short Answer Type Questions [3 Marks]

15. How have human activities affected the depletion of flora and fauna? Explain with three examples.

Ans. Refer to Ans. 13

16. Describe the methods of forest conservation.

Ans. The different methods of forest conservation are as follows.

(a) Stop the cutting of trees in the forests.

(b) Afforestation or special programmes like Vana Mahotsava launched on grand scale.

(c) Forests categorised as reserved, protected and unclassed forests are managed by the Forest
Department or other government departments.

(d) Conservation of forests by local communities. In India joint forest management programme furnishes
a good example for involving local communities in the management and restoration of degraded forests.

(e) Preserving forests in form of Sacred Groves.

17. Write a brief note on 'Project Tiger

Ans. 'Project Tiger' was one of the well-publicised wildlife campaigns in the world, launched in 1973.
Tiger conservation has been viewed not only as an effort to save an endangered species but with equal
importance as a means of preserving biotypes of sizeable magnitude. Corbett National Park,
(Uttarakhand), Sunderbans 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 tiger reserves in India.

Long Answer Type Question [5 Marks]

18. How is biological loss of forest and wildlife correlated with loss of cultural diversity?

Ans. The Biological loss of forest and wildlife correlated with loss of cultural diversity as-

(a) Destruction of forests and wildlife has affected the livelihood of many communities following ways.
which are directly dependent on forests.

(b) They depend on forests for their food, medicine, water, livelihood and c à cultural traits

(c) In certain societies, women are involved in fuel collection, fodder for animals and water for their
basic needs. Due to large-scale deforestation these forest products are not available to them and the life
of these people, especially Women have to go in search of food, water and fuel over long distances
leaving their family for a long time resulting in social tensions. (D) It has resulted in severe droughts and
floods which has affected these communities adversely. These people live in extreme poverty, which is
the direct result of the environmental degradation. Conservation of forests and wildlife is essential to
provide better quality of life and environment.

2010

Very Short Answer Type Question [1 Mark]

19. Which state has the largest area permanent forests?

Ans. Madhya Pradesh has the largest area under permanent forests.

Short Answer Type Question [3 Marks]

[Delhi]

20. Analyse any four reasons for the depletion of forest resources in India

. Ans. The following are the four reasons for the depletion of forest resources in India

(a) Large scale development projects have contributed to the loss of forest. Since 1951, 5000 sq km of
forest was cleared for river valley projects.

(b) Agricultural expansion has been one of the major causes of depletion of forest resources. According
to the Forest Survey of India, between 1951 and 1980,over 26,200 sq km of forest area was converted
into agricultural land.

(c) A large part of the tribal belts in north-eastern and central India have been deforested or degraded
because of shifting cultivation, a type of slash and burn agriculture.

(d) Rapid urbanization and industrialization have led to clearing of forests.