Conservation Reserves in India

What is Conservation Reserves?

· Conservation reserves in India are those protected areas of India which normally act as buffer zones or as a migration corridors between established national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and reserved and protected forests of India.

· These protected area categories were first introduced in the Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act, 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.

· These categories roughly correspond to IUCN Category V (conservation reserves) and VI (community reserves) protected areas.

Declaration of Conservation Reserves

· An area cab be designated as Conservation Reserve, if they are uninhabited and completely owned by the Government of India but used for subsistence by communities.

· The state government may after having consultations with the local communities, declare any area owned by the government as a conservation reserve for protecting the fauna and flora, as well as traditions, cultures and practices of any nearby Community.

· No change in land use pattern shall be made within the Conservation reserve, except in accordance with a resolution passed by the management committee and approval of the same by the state government.

Objective of Conservation Reserves

· The declaration of such an area is aimed at –

o  Improving the socio-economic conditions of the people living in such areas.

o  Conserving wildlife and diversity of the area.

• • Conservation reserves are used for subsistence by communities.

o  It provided for the mechanism to provide recognition and legal backing to the community initiated efforts in wildlife protection.

o  It provides for a flexible system wherein the wildlife conservation is achieved without compromising the community needs.

· Conservation Reserve Management Committee conserves and manages the conservation reserves.

List of Conservation Reserves in India

· There are a total of 86 Conservation Reserves in India spread across 11 states and 2 UTs currently (2020).

· Jammu and Kashmir has most number of conservation reserves, i.e., 30.

· Garpanchkot Conservation Reserve in West Bengal is the largest (1340.34 sq km) among all conservation reserves. 

· Tiruvidaimarudur Conservation Reserve, declared on February 14, 2005, is the First Conservation Reserve to be established in the country.

You may also like to learn about the Protected Areas for Wildlife in India. Following is the Complete State-wise List of Conservation Reserves of India as of 2020.

  Source : Wiienvis

 

So this was all about the Complete List of Conservation Reserves in India. To read more such notes on Wildlife of India – Click Here.

Similar Notes – Tiger Reserves in India & Project Tiger

If you find this article useful, than do share it with your friends and family and do like our Facebook Page to get regular updates. Sharing is Caring.