Andhra gets its first biosphere reserve

Express news service Tags : Seshachalam hill, Andhra Pradesh Posted: Thu Sep 09 2010, 02:29 hrs New Delhi: The government has decided to designate the Seshachalam hill ranges of Andhra Pradesh as a biosphere reserve, making over 8,000 square km of Eastern Ghats in the southern part of the state a protected area devoted to conservation of rich biodiversity of the area. Seshachalam will thus become the 16th biosphere reserve in the country and the first one in the state. Biosphere reserves are large contiguous landscapes, having rich biodiversity and unique ecosystems.

13th Dec, 2010: Union Minister Of State For Environment And Forests (Independent Charge) Jairam Ramesh on Monday revealed that the hill ranges which spread in parts of Chittoor and Kadapa districts have been designated as Seshachalam Biosphere Reserve. Ramesh said that orders to this affect were issued on September 20th, 2010. The Environment Minister revealed that his Ministry took the decision based on the proposal submitted by the Andhra Pradesh government. The Seshachalam Biosphere Reserve will cover an area of 4755.997 Km. Ramesh's revelation came in the form of a written reply to a question by KVP Ramachandra Rao in Rajya Sabha.

Biosphere reserves of India

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biosphere_reserves_of_India Jump to: navigation, search

MAB Biosphere Reserves in India[1] The Indian government has established 17 Biosphere Reserves of India, (categories roughly corresponding to IUCN Category V Protected areas), which protect larger areas of natural habitat (than a National Park or Animal Sanctuary), and often include one or more National Parks and/or preserves, along buffer zones that are open to some economic uses. Protection is granted not only to the flora and fauna of the protected region, but also to the human communities who inhabit these regions, and their ways of life. Seven of the fifteen biosphere reserves are a part of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves, based on the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme list[2].

Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve Sundarbans national park Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve Nokrek Biosphere Reserve Simlipal Biosphere Reserve

The last three are among the 22 new sites recently added by UNESCO to its World Network of Biosphere Reserves. Their inclusion raises the number of Indian sites on the World list to seven, from a total of 15 Biosphere Reserves across the subcontinent.Recently India has added one more area as bsr namely cold desert of Himachal Pradesh taking the total count to 16.

[edit] List of Biosphere Reserves

Biosphere reserves of India (area wise) Year Name Location State Gujarat Type Desert Area (km) 12454

1 2008 Rann of Kuchch/ Part of Kuchh, Rajkot and

gyan bharati Reserve 2 1989 Gulf of Mannar

Surendranagar District Tamil Nadu West Bengal Uttarakhand Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka Arunachal Pradesh Madhya Pradesh Orissa Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh Coasts Gangetic Delta West Himalayas Western Ghats East Himalayas Semi-Arid Deccan Peninsula Maikala Range East Himalayas East Himalayas 10500 9630 5860

Indian part of Gulf of Mannar between India and Sri Lanka Part of delta of Ganges and 3 1989 Sunderbans Barahamaputra river system Parts of Chamoli District, Pithoragarh District & 4 1988 Nanda Devi Bageshwar District Part of Wynad, Nagarhole, Nilgiri Biosphere Bandipur and Mudumalai, 5 1986 Reserve Nilambur, Silent Valley and Siruvani Hills 6 1998 Dehong Deband Pachmarhi 7 1999 Biosphere Reserve 8 1994 Simlipal 9 2005 Part of Siang and Debang valley Parts of Betul District, Hoshangabad District and Chhindwara District Part of Mayurbhanj district

5520

5112 4926 4374 3835

Aruchanakamar - Part of Annupur, Dindori and Amarkantak Bilaspur districts

10 1989 Manas 11 2000 Kanchanjunga Agasthyamalai 12 2001 Biosphere Reserve Great Nicobar 13 1989 Biosphere Reserve 14 1988 Nokrek 15 1997 Dibru-Saikhowa

Part of Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon, Barpeta, Nalbari, Kamrup and Assam Darrang District Parts of Kanchanjunga Hills Sikkim

2837 2620 1828

Neyyar, Peppara and Western Shenduruny Wildlife Sanctuary Kerala ghats and their adjoining areas Andaman and Southern most islands of Nicobar Islands Andaman and Nicobar Islands Islands East Part of Garo Hills Meghalaya Himalayas Part of Dibrugargh and Tinsukia Assam district Pin Valley National Park and surroundings;Chandratal and Sarchu & Kibber Wildlife Sancturary Himachal Pradesh East Himalayas Western Himalayas

885 820 765

16 2009 Cold Desert

7770

List of Protected areas in India Protected areas of India

[edit] References
1. ^ UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB) 2. ^ UNESCO, Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme list

Wildlife Institute of India webpage on India's Biosphere Reserves United Nations List of National Parks and Protected Areas: India (1993) [h_network/index.htm Ministry of Forests and Environment Protected Areas website] Ministry of Environment a saaale nd Forests

Classification
India has the following kinds of protected areas, in the sense of the word designated by IUCN:
[edit] National Park Main article: National parks of India

National Parks (IUCN Category II): India's first National Park was Hailey National Park, now Jim Corbett National Park, established in 1935. By 1970, India had 5 National Parks; today it has over 90.
[edit] Animal Sanctuary Main article: Wildlife sanctuaries of India

Animal Sanctuary (IUCN Category IV): India has over 500 animal sanctuaries, referred to as Wildlife Sanctuaries. Among these, the 28 Tiger Reserves are governed by Project Tiger, and are of special significance in the conservation of the tiger. Some wildlife sanctuaries are specifically named Bird Sanctuary, e.g. Keoladeo National Park before it attained National Park status. Many National Parks were initially Wildlife Sanctuaries.
[edit] Biosphere Reserve Main article: Biosphere reserves of India

Biosphere Reserve (UNESCO designation roughly corresponding to IUCN Category V): The Indian government has also established Biosphere reserves, which protect larger areas of natural habitat, and often include one or more national parks and/or preserves, along buffer zones that are open to some economic uses.
[edit] Reserved Forest and Protected Forest Main article: Reserved forests and protected forests of India

Reserved Forest and Protected Forest (IUCN Category IV or VI, depending on protection accorded): These are forested lands where logging, hunting, grazing and other activities may be permitted on a sustainable basis to members of certain communities. In reserved forests, explicit permission is required for such activities. In protected forests, such activities are allowed unless explicitly prohibited. Thus, in general reserved forests enjoy a higher degree of protection with respect to protected forests.
[edit] Conservation Reserve and Community Reserve Main article: Conservation reserves and community reserves of India

Conservation Reserve and Community Reserve (IUCN Category V and VI respectively): These are areas adjoining existing PAs, which are of ecological value and can act as migration corridors, or buffer zone. Conservation reserves are designated government owned land from where communities may earn a subsistence, while community reserves are on mixed

government/private lands. Community reserves are the only privately held land accorded protection by the Government of India.
[edit] Village Forest and Panchayat Forest Main article: Communal forests of India

Village Forest and Panchayat Forest (IUCN Category VI): These are forested lands administered by a village or a panchayat on a sustainable basis, with the habitat, flora and fauna being accorded some degree of protection by the managing community.
[edit] Private protected areas Main article: Private protected areas of India

Private protected areas: These are regions which are owned by an individual or an organization / corporation not affiliated to the government or a communal body. Even though Indian legislation does not provide for protection of such areas, some NGOs are using land trusts to help in the conservation effort, and providing limited means of protection.
[edit] Conservation areas Main article: Conservation areas of India

Conservation areas: Conservation areas are large, well-designated geographical entities where landscape conservation is undergoing, and usually contains different kinds of constituent protected areas, as well as privately owned land.