Protected areas

PROTECTED AREAS

PROTECTED AREAS CATEGORIZED BY THE WORLD CONSERVATION UNION / INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR CONSERVATION OF NATURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES (IUCN).

· Ia - Strict Nature Reserve

An area of land or sea possessing some outstanding or representative ecosystems, geological or physiological features and/or species, available primarily for scientific research or environmental monitoring.

· Ib - Wilderness Area

A large area of unmodified or slightly modified land, and/or sea, retaining its natural character and influence, without permanent or significant habitation, which is protected and managed so as to preserve its natural condition.

· II - National Park

A natural area of land and/or sea, designated to:

- protect the ecological integrity of one or more ecosystems for present and future generations;

- exclude exploitation or occupation inimical to the purposes of designation of the area;

- provide a foundation for spiritual, scientific, educational, recreational, and visitor opportunities, all of which must be environmentally and culturally compatible.

· III - Natural Monument

An area containing one or more, specific natural or natural/cultural feature which is of outstanding or unique value because of its inherent rarity, representative or aesthetic qualities or cultural significance.

· IV - Habitat/Species Management Area

An area of land or sea subject to active intervention for management purposes so as to ensure the maintenance of habitats and/or to meet the requirements of specific species.

· V - Protected Landscape/Seascape

An area of land, with coast and sea as appropriate, where the interaction of people and nature over time has produced an area of distinct character with significant aesthetic, ecological, or cultural value, and often with high biological diversity. Safeguarding the integrity of this traditional interaction is vital to the protection, maintenance, and evolution of such an area.

· VI - Managed Resource Protected Area

An area containing predominantly unmodified natural systems, managed to ensure long term protection and maintenance of biological diversity, while providing at the same time a sustainable flow of natural products and services to meet community needs.

PROTECTED AREAS OF INDIA

India has the following kinds of Protected Areas, in the sense of the word designated by IUCN. As of May 2004, India has 156,700 km² of surface area designated as protected areas, roughly 4.95% of the total surface area.

1. National Parks (IUCN Category II): India's first National Park was Hailey National Park, now Jim Corbett National Park, established in 1935. By 1970, India had 5 National Parks; today it has over 90.

2. Animal Sanctuary (IUCN Category IV): India has over 500 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 Park before it attained National Park status. Many National Parks were initially Wildlife Sanctuaries.

3. Biosphere Reserve (UNESCO designation roughly corresponding to IUCN Category V): The Indian government has also established Biosphere reserves, which protect larger areas of natural habitat, and often include one or more national parks and/or preserves, along buffer zones that are open to some economic uses.

4. Reserved Forest and Protected Forest (IUCN Category IV or VI, depending on protection accorded): These are forested lands where logging, hunting, grazing and other activities may be permitted on a sustainable basis to members of certain communities. In reserved forests, explicit permission is required for such activities. In protected forests, such activities are allowed unless explicitly prohibited. Thus, in general reserved forests enjoy a higher degree of protection with respect to protected forests.

5. Conservation Reserve and Community Reserve (IUCN Category V and VI respectively): These are areas adjoining existing protected areas, which are of ecological value and can act as migration corridors, or buffer zone. Conservation reserves are designated government owned land from where communities may earn subsistence, while community reserves are on mixed government/private lands. Community reserves are the only privately held land accorded protection by the Government of India.

6. Village Forest and Panchayat Forest (IUCN Category VI): These are forested lands administered by a village or a panchayat on a sustainable basis, with the habitat, flora and fauna being accorded some degree of protection by the managing community.

7. Private protected areas: These are regions which are owned by an individual or an organization / corporation not affiliated to the government or a communal body. Even though Indian legislation does not provide for protection of such areas, some NGOs are using land trusts to help in the conservation effort, and providing limited means of protection.

8. Conservation areas: Conservation areas are large, well-designated geographical entities where landscape conservation is undergoing, and usually contains different kinds of constituent protected areas, as well as privately owned land.

WORLD NETWORK OF BIOSPHERE RESERVES

A biosphere reserve is an international conservation designation given by UNESCO under its Programme on Man and the Biosphere (MAB). The World Network of Biosphere Reserves is the collection of all 507 biosphere reserves in 102 countries (as of December 2006). According to “The Statutory Framework of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves,” biosphere reserves are created “to promote and demonstrate a balanced relationship between humans and the biosphere.” Under article 4, biosphere reserves must “encompass a mosaic of ecological systems,” and thus consist of combinations of terrestrial, coastal, or marine ecosystems.

Through appropriate zoning and management, the conservation of these ecosystems and their biodiversity is sought to be maintained. The World Network of Biosphere Reserves was established at the International Conference on Biosphere Reserves in Seville in 1995. The concept of Biosphere Reserves was evolved with the following objectives :-

a) To conserve for present and future use, the diversity and integrity of biotic communities of plants and animals within natural ecosystems, and to safeguard the genetic diversity of species on which their continuing evolution depends.

b) To provide areas for ecological and environmental research, including baseline studies, both within and adjacent to these reserves.

c) To provide facilities for education and training.

A Biosphere Reserve is a specified area where there is controlled land utilization for specific activity in specific zones. The zones are:-

a) Core zone : at the centre of the Biosphere Reserve, where there is no human interference.

b) Buffer zone : limited human activity permitted.

c) Transition zone : multiple human activity permitted.

The concept of Biosphere Reserve is of immense value to conserve the gene pool resources of flora and fauna in the country and to serve as benchmarks for future studies. This requires a detailed survey and classification of natural ecosystems for proper identification of their biological diversity and pristine attributes.

The Indian government has established 14 Biosphere Reserves of India, (categories roughly corresponding to IUCN Category V Protected areas), which protect larger areas of natural habitat (than a National Park or Animal Sanctuary), and often include one or more National Parks and/or preserves, along buffer zones that are open to some economic uses. Protection is granted not only to the flora and fauna of the protected region, but also to the human communities who inhabit these regions, and their ways of life. Four of the fourteen biosphere reserves are a part of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves, based on the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme list :

§ Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve

§ Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve

§ Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve

§ Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve

Biosphere Reserves of India (area wise)