Management of forest and wildlife resources is a very challenging task. Why? Give any two reasons.

Managing forests and wildlife is challenging because it requires balancing the conflicting needs of different groups of people with the long-term goals of conservation and sustainable development.

Here are two major reasons why this task is so difficult:

1. Conflicting Interests of Different Stakeholders

Forests are a resource for many different groups, and their interests often clash, creating a complex management problem.

• Local Communities: People living in or near forests depend on them for their survival and livelihood. They need resources like firewood, fodder for their cattle, bamboo for construction, and other minor forest produce.
• Industrialists and Corporations: They view forests as a source of raw materials for their industries, such as timber for furniture, pulp for paper, or minerals that lie beneath the forest land for mining.
• Conservationists and Wildlife Activists: Their primary goal is the protection of biodiversity. They advocate for preserving habitats in their natural state with minimal human interference to protect endangered species.

Balancing the survival needs of local people, the profit motives of industries, and the critical need for conservation is a constant challenge for the government and forest departments.

2. Pressure from Development and Population Growth 

As the human population grows, the demand for land and resources increases, putting immense pressure on forests and wildlife.

• Deforestation: Forests are often cleared to make way for agriculture, housing, and industrial projects. Large-scale development projects like the construction of roads, railways, and dams also require clearing vast tracts of forest land.
• Habitat Fragmentation: These development activities often lead to habitat fragmentation, where large, continuous forest areas are broken up into smaller, isolated patches. This is extremely harmful to wildlife, especially large animals like tigers and elephants, as it shrinks their living space, disrupts their migration routes, and increases human-animal conflict.

Managing the unavoidable need for development while preventing irreversible damage to our natural ecosystems is a very difficult and ongoing task.