Sacred Groves

Forests or natural vegetation/few trees dedicated to local deities and are considered sacred
Garo and Khasi tribes of north eastern India completely prohibit any human interferences in sacred groves while Gonds of central India prohibit cutting of tree but allow fallen parts to be used
Traditional sacred groves, temple groves, groves around burial or cremation grounds
Till 2002, no legal protection. WPA amendment in 2003, a provision was provided through which state government can confer legal protection to sacred groves

National Parks

Conservation of naturally significant/adequate ecological areas.� Ecological, faunal, floral, geomorphological, or zoological association or importance, needed to for the purpose of protecting & propagating or developing wildlife therein or its environment.
Established under Wild Life Protection Act 1972
Wild Life Protection Act 1972 empowers state govt to notify national parks and in some special cases Central Govt can also notify National Parks
No alteration of boundaries shall be made except on a resolution passed by the Legislation of the State with prior approval of National Board of Wildlife [Note: Notified by State but alteration by National Board]

NOTE: In case of Tiger reserves, No alternation of boundary can be done without the recommendation of National Board for Wild Life and without the advice of the Tiger Conservation Authority.

No grazing or hunting allowed [While it is allowed for local communities in case of WLS]
No human activity is permitted inside the national park except for the ones permitted by the Chief Wildlife Warden of the state under the WPA Act
If territorial waters included, consult with Chief Naval Hydrographer of Central Govt to protect interests of fisher man
For settlement of rights of local communities, state govt appoints Collector
Chief Wild life Warden of the state controls, manage and maintain all protected areas

Wild life Sanctuaries

Conservation of naturally significant/adequate ecological areas.� Ecological, faunal, floral, geomorphological, or zoological association or importance, needed to for the purpose of protecting & propagating or developing wildlife therein or its environment.
Less degree of Protection when compared to National Parks
Grazing and hunting allowed for local communities
Established under Wild Life Protection Act 1972
Wild Life Protection Act 1972 empowers state govt to notify sanctuaries and in some special cases Central Govt can also notify sanctuaries
Wild life sanctuaries generally created for conservation of particular species
Chief Wild life Warden of the state controls, manage and maintain all protected areas
Part of land can be owned by Private people
No alteration of boundaries shall be made except on a resolution passed by the Legislation of the State with prior approval of National Board of Wildlife [Note: Notified by State but alteration by National Board]

Conservation Reserve

These are protected areas of India which typically act as buffer zones to or connectors and migration corridors between established national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and reserved and protected forests of India.
Such areas are designated as conservation areas if they are uninhabited and completely owned by the Government of India but used for subsistence by communities
The reason for this type is because of reduced protection in and around protected areas due to communities activities
Established under Wild Life Protection(Amendment) Act 2002 to allow local communities participation in conservation
Provides mechanism and legal backing to the communities who initiated efforts to wild life protection
Area owned by Govt is notified as conservation reserve
Managed by Conservation Reserve Management Committee
Tiruppadaimarathur conservation reserve in TN is first conservation reserve (to protect birds nesting in their village)

Community Reserve

These are protected areas of India which typically act as buffer zones to or connectors and migration corridors between established national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and reserved and protected forests of India.
Such areas are designated as conservation areas if they are uninhabited and are partly/wholly owned by private
The reason for this type is because of reduced protection in and around protected areas due to communities activities
Established under Wild Life Protection(Amendment) Act 2002 to allow local communities participation in conservation
Provides mechanism and legal backing to the communities who initiated efforts to wild life protection
Managed by Community Reserve Management Committee

Coastal Protected Areas/Marine Protected Areas MPAs

Area of intertidal/sub tidal terrain for protecting the enclosed environment.
There are total 31 marine protected areas covering 33 national parks and wild life sanctuaries
Aims to conserve and protect the natural marine ecosystems in their pristine condition
MPAs declared by State Govts under Wild Life Protection Act 1972
In India, MPAs are classified under 3 categories

Category I	National parks and Wild life sanctuaries and having entire areas in intertidal/subtidal/mangroves, coral reefs, creeks, seagrass beds, algal beds, estuaries, lagoons
Category II	Includes islands which have major parts in marine ecosystem and some part in territorial ecosystem
Category IIIA	Include sandy beaches beyond intertidal line but occasionally interacting with sea water
Category IIIB	Include evergreen or semi ever green forests of islands

*Subtidal- lowest of low tide

Biosphere Reserves

Natural and Cultural Landscapes over large areas of terrestrial or coastal/marine or both
Established by countries and recognised by International Coordinating Council ICC of MAB Man And Biosphere Programme

MAB Man and Biosphere Programme

UNESCO Intergovernmental scientific programme
For improvement of relationship b/w people and their environment globally
Interdisciplinary research agenda and capacity building that target ecological, social, economic dimension of biodiversity loss and its reduction
Main governing body - International Coordination Council ICC
Relies of World Network of Biosphere Reserves WNBR

Biospheres designated by ICC of MAB but are managed by respective countries
BRs are internationally recognised with in UNESCO framework only after the consent of participating country
Biosphere structure

BIOSPHERE RESERVE ZONING
Area
Core
EDUCATION
MONITORING
SETTLEMENT

How Biosphere is different from protected areas(NP, WS)

Conservation of overall biodiversity but not an specific species
BR uniqueness lies in the aspect of biological, social, economical, cultural while protected areas is purely biological perspective
BR principle is relation of people with environment and sustainable development
BR would not replace NP, WS but widens the scope of conventional approach in conservation and strengthens protected area network
Biosphere reserves might spread across states while protected areas generally within a state
People are integral component of BR

World Network of Biosphere reserves WNBR

Facilitates cooperation
610 world biospheres including 12 transboundary biospheres
Presently in India, there are 18 notified biosphere reserves. Of them only, 11 are recognised under MAB

Indian BR criteria

Primary - Minimally disturbed core area of value of nature conservation and viable population of all trophic levels
Secondary - rare and endangered species; diversity; potential for preservation of traditional rural or tribal life

One of the vision of Biosphere Reserve is poverty reduction.
18 notified Biosphere reserves in India. Out of them, 11 Biosphere Reserves are in the UNESCO‟s MAB World Network

Biodiversity Hotspots
- Concept by Norman Myers in 1988
- Each hotspot represents a universe of extraordinary floral and fauna endemicity struggling to survive in rapidly shrinking ecosystems
- Conservational International (American NGO) designates biodiversity hotspot
- Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) provides fund for management of hotspot
- Two criteria to qualify as hotspot
- Hottest Hot Spots
World Heritage Sites
- Established by UNESCO's
- Convention Concerning Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage provides framework
- Preserving and protecting natural areas and cultural treasuries around the world
- Outstanding Universal value sites
- UNESCO funds these sites in developing countries in preserving them
- 10 criteria
- It maintains a List of World Heritage Sites in developing nations.
- It maintains also a List of World Heritage in danger facing threat of pollution and other natural hazards.
Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas IBA

Significance
- Birds are excellent indicators of ecosystem health
What
- IBA conceptualized by Bird's Life International
- IBA programme aims to identify, monitor and protect a global network of IBAs for conservation of the world's birds and associated biodiversity.
- The IBAs serve as conservation areas for protection of birds at the global, regional or sub-regional level
- Includes Terrestrial, fresh water, marine areas
- No legal basis in India
Criteria

Designating an IBA is based on atleast one of the following criteria
1. A1. Globally threatened species - hold significant numbers of one or more globally threatened bird species,
1. A2. Restricted-range species - restricted-range species of an Endemic Bird Area (EBA) or a Secondary Area (SA) are present in significant numbers in at least one site and preferably more.
2. A3. Biome-restricted species
3. A4. Congregations- have exceptionally large numbers of migratory or congregatory birds
Key Biodiversity Areas KBA
- Created in 2004 and supported by IUCN, BirdLife International, Plantlife International, Conservation International, Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund, and over 100 national/regional civil society and governmental conservation agencies.
- Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) is an umbrella term commonly used to include areas that contribute to the global persistence of biodiversity, including vital habitat for threatened plant and animal species in terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems
- Represent the most important sites for diversity conservation world wide
- KBA is an umbrella designation that includes
- Criteria- The Global Standard for the Identification of Key Biodiversity Areas (IUCN 2016) sets out globally agreed criteria for the identification of KBAs worldwide.
- IUCN identifies 531 KBA sites in India but these have no legal basis in India
Important Coastal and Marine Biodiversity Areas ICAMBs
- Designated by Wildlife Institute of India
- Better management, in addition to the existing Marine Protected Areas
- Criteria called Conservation Amplifiers
- Conservation Priority Index (CPI)
- Total identified sites -106;
BiodiversityHeritageSitesBHS

Definition

As per Biological Diversity Act 2002,

Biodiversity Heritage Sites” (BHS) are well defined areas hat are unique, ecologically fragile ecosystems - terrestrial, coastal and inland waters and, marine having ric biodiversity comprising of any one or more of the following components:
- richness of wild as well as domesticated species or intra-specific categories,
- high endemism, presence of rare and threatened species, keystone species, species of evolutionary significance,
- wild ancestors of domestic/ cultivated species or their varieties,
- past pre-eminence of biological components represented by fossil beds and
- having significant cultural, ethical or aesthetic values and
- are important for the maintenance of cultural diversity,
- with or without a long history of human association with them
Administrative framework
- Under Biological Diversity Act 2002,
Criteria

a. Areas that contain a mosaic of natural, semi-natural, and man-made habitats, that contain a significant diversity of life forms.

b. Areas that contain significant domesticated biodiversity component and /or representative agro-ecosystems with ongoing agricultural practices that sustain this diversity.

c. Areas that are significant from a biodiversity point of view as also are important cultural spaces such as sacred groves/trees and sites, or other large community conserved areas.

d. Areas including very small ones that offer refuge or corridors for threatened and endemic fauna and flora, such as community conserved areas or urban greens and wetlands.

e. All kinds of legal land uses whether government, community or private land could be considered as Biodiversity Heritage Site under the above categories.

f. As far as possible those sites may be considered which are not covered under Protected Area network under the WPA 1972.

g. Areas that provide habitats, aquatic or terrestrial, for seasonal migrant species for feeding and breeding.

h. Areas that are maintained as preservation plots by the research wing of Forest department.

i. Medicinal Plant Conservation Areas.
- Ameenpur Lake, Telangana has become the first water body in the country to be declared a Biodiversity Heritage Site.

Detailed