Question

Why community conservationinitatives are helpfulnarrate the case study of binjgriforest conservation in odisha

Answer 1

Answer:

The state of Orissa is one of the most resource-rich states in Eastern India, with diverse ecosystems that boast a wide variety

of flora and fauna. In a way, Orissa symbolizes the contradictions in modern India between very high ecological and social

diversity and extreme poverty and destructive processes of industrialization. Efforts by Government agencies to conserve

wildlife in strictly protected national parks and sanctuaries often create conflicts with local communities who reside in and

around these areas, because the physical presence of humans is considered to be harmful. This exclusionary approach to

protected areas not only inhibits the fair and equitable sharing of benefits of conservation with local communities, but also

disproportionately imposes the costs of conservation upon them. Lack of recognition of or respect for their fundamental

rights contributes to hostility towards Government

conservation initiatives, which reduces the overall efficacy

of conservation efforts and, ironically, further exacerbates

degradation and local poverty.

Despite these complex challenges, local communities

are driving their own initiatives to conserve wildlife and

biodiversity in general and to generate sustained livelihoods

(see Box 1)1

. Across community-owned lands, government-

owned lands, and lands whose ownership is disputed, these

initiatives are helping conserve a variety of ecosystems

and habitats of wild flora and fauna through a wide range

of institutional mechanisms, rules, and regulations. Even

though these Community Conservation Initiatives (CCIs)

are much older than the Government-managed protected

areas, they remain unrecognized in federal and state law.

While they have been functioning effectively without legal

recognition, there are arguably some instances in which

recognition of CCIs would further enable them to support

biodiversity conservation and sustainable livelihoods.