Question.2. Answer the following questions in about 30 words.

(i) What is natural vegetation? Under what climatic conditions are tropical evergreen forests develop?
Answer. Natural vegetation is a term used to describe a plant community that has been undisturbed over an extended period of time to allow each species to adapt as fully as possible to the climate and soil conditions.

Tropical Evergreen forests are found on the western slope of the Western Ghats, hills of the northeastern region and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. They are found in warm, humid regions with an average annual temperature above 22°C, over 200 cm of precipitation, and high annual rainfall.

(ii) What do you understand by social forestry?
Answer. Social forestry refers to the management, preservation, and reforestation of forests and arid areas to promote rural, social, and environmental development. The National Commission subdivides social forestry on Agriculture (1976) into three areas, which are:

(a) Urban Forestry
(b) Rural forestry
(c) Farm Forestry

(iii) Define Biosphere reserves.
Answer. Within the framework of UNESCO’s Man and Biosphere (MAB) Programme, a biosphere reserve is a distinct and representative ecosystem comprising land and coastal areas that have gained worldwide recognition.

The three goals of the Biosphere Reserve are as follows:

1. Conservation of biodiversity and ecosystem;
2. Association of the environment with development.
3. Providing an international network in research and monitoring.

(iv) What is the difference between forest area and forest cover?
Answer. Differences between forest area and forest cover are:

1. Meaning: the actual forest cover is the area inhabited by forests with a canopy. The forest area is the area reported and documented as forest land regardless of the presence of trees.
2. Estimation: The forest area is based on State Revenue Department information, while the forest cover is based on satellite and aerial
   images.
3. India facts: State data show that 23.28 percent of the nation’s total land area is covered by forests. Only 21.67 per cent of India’s land is really covered in forests, according to the 2019 India State of Forest Report.

Question.3. Answer the following questions in not more than 150 words.

(i) What steps have been taken up to conserve forests?
Answer. Social forestry refers to the management, preservation, and reforestation of forests and arid areas to promote rural, social, and environmental development. The National Commission subdivides social forestry on Agriculture (1976) into three areas, which are:

1. Urban forestry: The cultivation and maintenance of trees on public and privately held properties in and around urban centres, such as greenways, parks, avenues along roadways, industrial and commercial greenways, etc., is referred to as urban forestry.
2. Rural forestry: Rural forestry lays emphasis on the promotion of agroforestry and community-forestry.
   
   • Agro forestry: Agro forestry is the practice of growing food and trees on the same land, including waste areas. It alters the simultaneous production of food, fodder, fuel, lumber, and fruit by combining forestry and agriculture.
   • Community forestry: Community forestry is growing trees on public or communal land, such as schoolyards, roadway medians, canal banks, pastures, and temple grounds in rural communities. The goal of community forestry programmes is to benefit the entire community.
3. Farm forestry: This word refers to farmers growing trees on their farms for both commercial and non-commercial uses. Small and medium farmers can obtain free tree seedlings from the forest departments of several states.

(ii) How can people’s participation be effective in conserving forests and wildlife?
Answer. The involvement of the public can help to conserve forests and animals extremely effectively. Ordinary people cause the majority of damage to forests and animals. They chopped down trees to relocate farming. Animals are killed for amusement. As a result, the Indian government passed the Wildlife Protection Act in 1972, declaring hunting prohibited. Since that time, hunting and poaching have significantly decreased.

The act’s two major goals are to preserve the endangered species listed in its schedule and give legal backing to the nation’s conservation areas designated as national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, and closed regions. This act was completely revised in 1991, increasing penalties and adding measures for protecting certain plant species and preserving wild animal species that are at risk of extinction. The nation’s 15.67 million hectares are home to 553 wildlife sanctuaries and 101 national parks. Although the government takes these measures, the public’s participation and cooperation is also necessary for their implementation and maintenance.