Removing 'locals' won't save forests: Environment Minister

New Delhi: Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav on Wednesday said forests cannot be protected by "removing local" communities and that there is a need to take a fresh look at forest management in the country to prevent human-wildlife conflicts.

Addressing the Indian Conservation Conference at the Wildlife Institute of India in Dehradun, the minister said there is a need to bring a more humanitarian approach into conservation policies.

"We should combine our scientific approach and traditions... Don't even imagine that the forest will be protected once you make everyone vacate it," Yadav said.

"I am the forest minister, but I am saying this with utmost seriousness, if you remove all the local people, does that make the forest safe? And then later, if you bring in 10,000 tourists, is the forest still fine? If the forest is safe with 10,000 tourists, then how is it harmed by people who have been living there for thousands of years?" he said.

The minister said building a developed India means caring for the people connected to the land and for the animals, too.

"I am talking about moving forward with an open mind. Both ecology and economy are important," Yadav said.

He emphasised the need to take a relook at the country's forest management.

"This review must also be done in the context of the Godavarman judgment. What were the practices before this judgment? We need to consider this in light of the new and changing pressures," he said.

"In Dudhwa, tigers have entered sugarcane fields; in Karnataka, elephants are coming into coffee plantations; and wild boars are regularly destroying crops. So, we need to think in a new way. The solution is not just wire fencing. We must move forward with coexistence, new approaches, traditions and our traditional knowledge," Yadav said.

He said people who have been living in forests for thousands of years are repositories of this traditional knowledge, but this knowledge has not yet been documented or codified.

"There is the Soliga tribe in the forest areas of Karnataka, the Meenas in Sariska and the Maldharis in the Gir forest of Gujarat. Tribal communities in Arunachal Pradesh have coexisted with elephants for a long time. The Baiga people in the Amarkantak region of Madhya Pradesh can recall more herb names than a student of botany. The traditional knowledge of tribal communities in India's forest areas is our heritage," he said.

Yadav said the government will organise a conference focusing on the documentation of traditional knowledge in Kolkata on June 30.

"Their practices, way of life, and experiences, combined with a scientific approach, can help resolve many conflicts. For example, if you go south of Bandipur in Karnataka, it is not as if the Soliga people face wildlife attacks every day. They understand animal movements and other related aspects very well," he said.

The minister also said that India has added 11 tiger reserves in the last 11 years, taking the total number to 58, despite all the challenges.

"This reflects our commitment to wildlife conservation. Otherwise, why would we declare more areas as tiger reserves despite such immense population pressure," he said.

The number of Ramsar sites, which are wetlands of international importance, has increased from 25 to 91 in the last 11 years, he said, adding that the government is also working to conserve dolphins, elephants, tigers and sloth bears.

Yadav said India has proved to the world that ecological responsibility can go hand in hand with economic progress.

"From the launch of the International Big Cat Alliance to our contributions at COP28, we are proving to the world that ecological responsibility can walk hand in hand with economic progress," he said.

Initiatives like MISHTI, Amrit Dharohar and the Green Credit Programme reflect the Centre's commitment to a development model rooted in tradition, technology, and trust in communities, the minister said.