12. People's participation in the management of forests - Chipko movement

There have been numerous examples of local people working for forest management and conservation. In this theory, let us look at examples of people's active participation in the conservation of forests.

 

The Chipko movement was started in the early \(1970\)s to protect, conserve trees, and preserve the forests from being destroyed for logging and commercial purposes. It was originated in a remote village called Reni in Garhwal, Himalayas. The villagers initiated the movement, particularly the women of Reni village, to prevent commercial wood contractors from chopping down the trees.

 

The movement was a non-violent agitation aiming to protectand conserve trees. "Chipko" in Hindi means to "to stick" or "to hug" or "to cling to". The term "Chipko" derives from the word "embrace", as the villagers (locals) hugged and encircled the trees to prevent them from being cut down. They hugged the trees to prevent the loggers from cutting the trees.

 

 

The movement was against the people who destroy trees and cause ecological imbalance. It resulted in the ban on cutting trees. In \(1980\), the protest of the Chipko movement achieved a victory with a \(15\)-year ban on tree cutting in Himalayan forests. The movement quickly received attention in communities and the media, forcing the government to reconsider its objectives in the use of forest produce.