Conservation reserves and community reserves
Topic: Biodiversity and its Conservation · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
Conservation reserves and community reserves are two kinds of protected area. They were added to the Wildlife (Protection) Act by its 2002 amendment, which also set up the National Board for Wildlife.
- Conservation reserves are on government land near national parks and sanctuaries. They act as buffers and corridors (paths animals use to move between protected areas).
- Community reserves are on community or private land, and local people manage them.
Both give people a role in conservation, not just fences and rules.
Example
In Alwar, Rajasthan, five villages protect 1,200 hectares of forest as the Bhairodev Dakav Sonchuri, using their own rules. A community reserve gives this kind of local effort legal backing.
Don't confuse with
- Wildlife sanctuary: run by the government under the same Act, with limits on people's use. A community reserve is run with local people.
Related concepts
- Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972
- Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act 2022
- Biological Diversity Act 2002
- Biodiversity Management Committees
- Eco-sensitive zone