Context:
Government of Karnataka notified Hesaraghatta Grassland Conservation Reserve
Hesaraghatta Grassland:
- Located near Hesaraghatta Lake, Karnataka.
- Acts as a catchment area for the Arkavathy River.
- Supports endangered wildlife such as leopards, jackals, foxes, and otters.
Grassland Ecosystem:
- Grasslands cover 20–40% of the Earth’s land surface and 24% of India’s geographical area.
- Ecotone between desert and forest biome
- Types of Grasslands –
- Tropical Savannas: Seasonal rainfall (e.g., Shola grasslands).
- Temperate Grasslands: Extreme weather variations (e.g., Prairies).
- Steppes: Semi-arid grasslands with low rainfall.
Conservation Reserve:
- Term denoting protected areas which act as buffer zones to connect migration corridors between established national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and reserved and protected forests
- Designated as conservation areas if they are uninhabited and completely owned by the Government of India but used for subsistence by communities.
- 1st introduced in the Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act of 2002 − the amendment to the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972.
- The State Government may, after having consultations with the local communities, declare any area owned by the Government, particularly the areas adjacent to National Parks, Sanctuaries etc and those areas which link one protected area with another, as a conservation reserve.
- The State Government shall constitute a conservation reserve management committee to advise the Chief Wildlife Warden to conserve, manage and maintain the conservation reserve.
- Residents of conservation reserves are not subject to any restrictions on their privileges that does not threaten the conservation objectives.
- 1st conservation reserve – Thiruvidaimarudur, Tamil Nadu.
Read more about: Community Reserve
Source: TH
Previous Year Question
Consider the following statements:
Once the Central Government notifies an area as a ‘Community Reserve’
1. the Chief Wildlife Warden of the State becomes the governing authority of such forest
2. hunting is not allowed in such area
3. people in such areas are allowed to collect non-timber forest produce
4. people of such areas are allowed traditional agricultural practices
How many of the above statements are correct?
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2023 Prelims]
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) Only three
(d) All four
Answer: (c)
Explanation:
Statement 4 is not correct:
Community Reserve is meant for the conservation of wildlife and their habitat, and these activities may be restricted if they pose a threat to the conservation objectives.