Download Lesson Notes - Forests and wildlife

Buds Public School, Dubai
Social Studies - Lesson Notes – Our Forests and Wildlife
Deforestation – cutting down of trees in the forests
Afforestation – planting trees in the forests
Vana Mahotsav – A programme of planting a large number of trees
Chipko movement – The movement to prevent the cutting down of trees.
Sanctuary – an area where wild birds or animals are protected
Let’s Recall
*A forest is a large area of land covered thickly with trees. Forests are very useful to us.
*Indian forests can mainly be grouped into five types: evergreen, deciduous, coniferous, thorny and tidal
*Deciduous forests are also known as monsoon forests and tidal forests as mangrove forests.
*Coniferous forests are found in the cold Himalayan region and thorny forests in the dry areas of the
country.
*Some programmes started to save our forests are: Vanamahotsava, Chipko movement and Social
forestry movement.
* Wildlife refers to animals and birds living freely in their natural environment.
*To protect our wildlife, the government has set up many national parks and sanctuaries all over the
country.
Name the following:
1. Three trees that grow in the Evergreen forests: Ebony, mahogany and rosewood
2. Three trees that grow in the deciduous forests: Teak, sal, and shisham
3. Three trees of the Coniferous forests: pine, deodar and silver fir.
Answer the following questions:
1. Why are the forests being cut down?
The forests are being cut down for their wood, and for agriculture and for building houses.
2. Name the different kinds of forests. Also mention where they are located in India.
Evergreen forests can find in the hot and rainy areas of our country, mainly in the hilly regions.
Deciduous forests are mostly found in the Deccan plateau and the foothills of the Himalayan Mountains.
And also called monsoon forests.
Coniferous forests are found in the slopes of the Himalayas and in the Nilgiri Hills in the South.
Thorny forests are found in Rajasthan and the drier parts of the Southern Plateau.
Tidal forests are found the deltas of the Ganga and the Brahmaputra in West Bengal.
3. What is the Chipko movement?
This movement was started in 1974 by Sunderlal Bahuguna in Chamoli village in Uttarakhand, to protect
trees from being cut down. The villagers of the area put their arms around trees in this movement.
4. What is the difference between the evergreen forests and the deciduous forests?
The trees of these forests do not shed all their leaves at one time. The trees are very tall and grow very
close to each other. These forests remain green throughout the year. But the trees of deciduous forests
shed their leaves in the beginning of summer. The wood is soft and expensive.
5. What is Vanamahotsava?
Vanamahotsava is celebrated to encourage people to plant trees. Every year, Vanamahotsava is celebrated
at the beginning of the rainy season.
6. How do forests help us?
*Forests are useful to us in many ways. We get timber, firewood, pulp, herbs etc.
*Timber is one of the most important products of forests. It is used in building houses, tools, and furniture
and railway sleepers.
*Paper is made from wood pulp.
*Forests control floods and prevent soil erosion.
*Trees give us oxygen.
* Forests keep the air fresh and cool.
* Forests provide shelter to wild animals.
* Forests help in causing rainfall.
7. What is a wildlife sanctuary? Name any well-known sanctuaries.
Wildlife sanctuary is an area where wild animals and birds are protected to live in their natural
environment. No one is allowed to disturb or kill the animals in these forests areas. Some of them are
*Corbett National Parks in Uttarakhand *RanthamboreSanctuary and Sariska Sanctuary in Rajasthan.
*Kaziranga National Park and Manas Sanctuary in Assam. *Bandipur National Park in Karnataka. Periyar
Sanctuary in Kerala. And Kanha National Park in Madhya Pradesh,