Conservation reserves and community reserves of India
Encyclopedia
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. Administration of such reserves would be through local people and local agencies like the gram panchayat, as in the case of communal forests. (See Communal forests of India
)
Community reserves are the first instances of private land being accorded protection under the Indian legislature. It opens up the possibility of communally owned for-profit wildlife resorts, and also causes privately held areas under non-profit organization
s like land trust
s to be given protection. (See Private protected areas of India
)
These protected area categories were first introduced in the Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act of 2002 - the amendment to the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972
. These categories were added because of reduced protection in and around existing or proposed protected areas due to private ownership of land, and land use. A case in point was the Melghat
Tiger Reserve where a large area was left unprotected due to private ownership.
Amendments to the Wild life protection act in 2003, provided a mechanism for recognition and legal backing to the community initiated efforts in wildlife protection. It provides a flexible system to achieve wildlife conservation
without compromising community needs. Tiruvidaimarudur Conservation Reserve
, declared on February 14, 2005, is the First Conservation Reserve to be established in the country. It is an effort of a village community who wanted to protect the birds nesting in their village.
These categories roughly correspond to IUCN Category V (conservation reserves) and VI (community reserves) protected areas.
Keshopur Chhamb Community Reserve in Gurdaspur District of Punjab, declared in 2007, is the first Community Reserve in the country.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
are terms denoting protected areas of India
Protected areas of India
As of May 2004, the protected areas of India cover , roughly 4.95% of the total surface area.-Classification:India has the following kinds of protected areas, in the sense of the word designated by IUCN:-National Park:...
which typically act as buffer zones to or connectors and migration corridors between established national parks
National parks of India
This is a list of all national parks of India. India's first national park was established in 1936 as Hailey National Park, now known as Jim Corbett National Park. By 1970, India only had five national parks...
, wildlife sanctuaries
Wildlife sanctuaries of India
India has over 441 animal sanctuaries, referred to as Wildlife Sanctuaries . Among these, the 28 Tiger Reserves are governed by Project Tiger, and are of special significance in the conservation of the tiger. Some wildlife sanctuaries are specifically named Bird Sanctuary, eg. Keoladeo National...
and reserved and protected forests
Reserved forests and protected forests of India
A reserved forest or a protected forest in India are terms denoting forests accorded a certain degree of protection. The terms were first introduced in the Indian Forest Act, 1927 in British India, to refer to certain forests granted protection under the British crown in British India, but not...
of India. Such areas are designated as conservation areas if they are uninhabited and completely owned by the Government of India
Government of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
but used for subsistence by communities, and community areas if part of the lands are privately owned. Administration of such reserves would be through local people and local agencies like the gram panchayat, as in the case of communal forests. (See Communal forests of India
Communal forests of India
A "Important Common Forests" in India is a specific term which refers to forests governed by local communities in a way compatible with sustainable development, and can be of various types...
)
Community reserves are the first instances of private land being accorded protection under the Indian legislature. It opens up the possibility of communally owned for-profit wildlife resorts, and also causes privately held areas under non-profit organization
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
s like land trust
Land trust
There are two distinct definitions of a land trust:* a private, nonprofit organization that, as all or part of its mission, actively works to conserve land by undertaking or assisting in land or conservation easement acquisition, or by its stewardship of such land or easements; or* an agreement...
s to be given protection. (See Private protected areas of India
Private protected areas of India
Private protected areas of India refer to protected areas inside India whose land rights are owned by an individual or a corporation / organization, and where the habitat and resident species are offered some kind of protection from exploitative activities like hunting, logging, etc...
)
These protected area categories were first introduced in the Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act of 2002 - the amendment to the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972
Wildlife Protection Act of 1972
The Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 refers to a sweeping package of legislation enacted in 1972 by the Government of India. Before 1972, India only had five designated national parks...
. These categories were added because of reduced protection in and around existing or proposed protected areas due to private ownership of land, and land use. A case in point was the Melghat
Melghat
Melghat was declared a Tiger Reserve and was among the first nine Tiger Reserves notified in 1973-74 under the Project Tiger. It is located in northern part of Amravati District of Maharashtra State in India. The Tapti River and the Gawilgadh ridge of the Satpura Range form the boundaries of the...
Tiger Reserve where a large area was left unprotected due to private ownership.
Amendments to the Wild life protection act in 2003, provided a mechanism for recognition and legal backing to the community initiated efforts in wildlife protection. It provides a flexible system to achieve wildlife conservation
Wildlife conservation
Wildlife conservation is the preservation, protection, or restoration of wildlife and their environment, especially in relation to endangered and vulnerable species. All living non-domesticated animals, even if bred, hatched or born in captivity, are considered wild animals. Wildlife represents all...
without compromising community needs. Tiruvidaimarudur Conservation Reserve
Tiruvidaimarudur Conservation Reserve
Tiruvidaimarudur Conservation Reserve is an IUCN Category V protected bird nesting area in the compound of the Mahalingha Swamy Siva temple in Tiruvidaimarudur village, Thanjavur District, Tamil Nadu, South India, at: . It was declared Feb 14, 2005 and is the first Conservation Reserve to be...
, declared on February 14, 2005, is the First Conservation Reserve to be established in the country. It is an effort of a village community who wanted to protect the birds nesting in their village.
These categories roughly correspond to IUCN Category V (conservation reserves) and VI (community reserves) protected areas.
Keshopur Chhamb Community Reserve in Gurdaspur District of Punjab, declared in 2007, is the first Community Reserve in the country.