Forests are 'biodiversity hotspots' due to the sheer number as well as the variety of species of flora and fauna that live in them.
Stakeholders:
Stakeholders are
(1) The people who live in or around forests are dependent on forest products for various aspects of their life.
(2) The forest department of the government which owns the land and controls the resources from forests.
(3) The industrialists who use various forest products but are not dependent on the forests in any one area.
(4) The wild life and nature enthusiasts who want to conserve nature in its pristine form.
We have to conserve forests which are of greater use to the environment. The conservation of forests by the Bishnoi community in Rajasthan became well known because of Amrita Devi Bishnoi, who sacrificed her life in 1731 for the protection of the Khejri trees in Khejrali village near Jodhpur Rajasthan.
We need to accept that human intervention has been very much a part of the forest landscape. Forest resources ought to be used in a manner that is both environmentally and developmentally sound. The environment must not be regarded as a pristine collection of plants and animals. It is a vast and complex entity that offers a range of natural resources for our use. We need to use these resources with due caution for our economic and social growth and to meet our material aspirations.
