Residents as the Protective Shield of Forests

Forests are the resources that not only provide habitats for animals and livelihoods for humans, but they also offer watershed protection, prevent soil erosion and balance the climate change. Protecting the forests from the poachers has been a difficult task for the governments. A research has shown that when property and management rights are given to local residents by the government in forested land, trees are protected well and environmental also gets benefited.

“Chipko movement” is a great example of protecting forests with the help of local people.  A research has proven that, forests were conserved more effectively where community management was done in comparison to the areas where such type of management was not done. It is found that empowering local communities is the best way to conserve resources in many places. When a forest property is allocated to the local community or groups of people like from 30 residents to hundreds of people, they organize themselves and manage the land very well. Trees are cut due to the evergreen timber industry and also for residential purposes; however, it directly affects the life of animals, pollutes the environment as it gives out Oxygen and reduces the level of Carbon Dioxide and causes soil erosion. Local people are very much attached to the forests and take care of forests.

By: Anita Aishvarya

Content: www.sciencedaily.com