(i) The forest dependent Communities directly depend on various components of the forest and wildlife for food, drink, medicine, culture, spirituality etc.
(ii) Within the poor, women are affected more than men.
(iii) In many societies, women have the major responsibility of collection of fuel, fodder, water and other basic subsistence needs.
(iv) As these resources are depleted, the drudgery of women increases and sometimes they have to walk for more than 10 km to collect these resources.
(v) This causes serious health problems for women and negligence of home and children.
(vi) Due to increased hours of work, there are many serious social implications.
(vii) The indirect impact of degradation such as severe drought or deforestation induced floods, etc. also hits the poor hardest.
(viii) Poverty in these cases is a direct outcome of environmental destruction.

(i) Himalayan Yew is a medicinal plant found in various parts of Himachal Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh.
(ii) A chemical compound called 'taxol' is extracted from the bark, needles, twigs and roots of this tree.
(iii) This has been successfully used to treat some cancers.
(iv) The drug is now the biggest selling anti-cancer drug in the world.
(v) The spices is under great threat due to over-exploitation.
(vi) In the last one decade, thousands of yew trees have dried up in various parts of Himachal Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh.

(i) In the name of enrichment plantation, the promotion of a few favoured species, in many parts of India, has been carried.
(ii) In enrichment plantation, a single commercially valuable species was extensively planted and other species eliminated.
(iii) For example, teak manufacturer has damaged the natural forests in South India.
(iv) Chir Pine plantations in the Himalayas have replaced the Himalayan oak and Rhododendron forests.
(v) During the colonial period, the greatest damage was inflicted on Indian forests due to the expansion of the railways, agriculture, commercial and scientific forestry and mining activities.

(a) The members of the local communities were involved the management and restoration of degraded forests.
(b) The members of these communities are entitled to intermediary benefits like non-timber forest produces and share in the timber harvested by 'successful protection'.

(i) It was initiated in 1973.
(ii) Tiger population has dwindled to about 1800 from 55000 in the early 20^th century.
(iii) The main reasons for decline in the number of tigers include,
(a) Poaching for trade in tiger skin
(b) Shrinking habitat
(c) Depletion of prey species
(d) Growing human population

(a) Over-exploitation of natural resources for meeting human needs - Himalayan Yew, a medicinal plant found in various parts of Himachal Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh. A chemical compound called 'taxol' is extracted from the bark, needles, twigs and roots of this tree and has been used to treat some cancers. The species is under great threat due to over-exploitation.
(b) Large scale hunting of animals for their skin and other products such as antlers and fur.
(c) Deforestation - Substantial parts of the tribal belts, especially in the northeastern and central India, have been deforested or degraded by shifting cultivation (jhum), a type of 'slash and burn' agriculture.

Species those are very small in number which may become endangered or vulnerable in future. E.g. Hornbill, Himalayan brown bear, wild Asiatic buffalo, desert fox etc.

Vulnerable Species: The population of species which has decreased to the level into endangered category in the near future are known as vulnerable species. E.g. Asiatic elephant, blue sheep, Gangetic dolphin etc.

Based on the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN), we can classify as follows -
(a) Normal Species: Their population levels are normal for their survival. E.g. Cattle, sal, pine, rodents, etc.
(b) Endangered Species: They are in danger of extinction as their population is fast dwindling. E.g. Black buck, crocodile, Indian wild ass, Indian rhino, lion tailed macaque, sangai (brow-antlered in Manipur), etc.
(c) Vulnerable Species: Their population has decreased to the level into endangered category in the near future. E.g. Asiatic elephant, blue sheep, Gangetic dolphin etc.
(d) Rare Species: Species those are very small in number which may become endangered or vulnerable in future. E.g. Hornbill, Himalayan brown bear, wild Asiatic buffalo, desert fox etc.
(e) Endemic Species: The species that are found only in a particular region and are isolated by natural barriers are called endemic species. E.g. Andaman teal, Nicobar pigeon, Andaman wild pig etc.
(f) Extinct Species: These species no longer exist on Earth. The species may be extinct from a local area, region, country, continent or the whole earth. E.g. Asiatic cheetah, pink headed duck etc.

(a) Jammu and Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Kerala, Tail Nadu, West Bengal and Maharashtra have large percentage of reserved forests.
(b) Madhya Pradesh has the largest area under permanent forests - 75%
(c) Bihar, Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Orissa, and Rajasthan have the large areas of protected forests.
(d) All north-eastern states and parts of Gujarat have a very high % of unclassed forests.

Direct effects:
i. Many tribal communities or forest dependent communities are impoverished due to the destruction of forests and wildlife.
ii. Many species of plants and animals became endangered or extinct.
Indirect effects:
i. It destroyed the ecological balance.
ii. It leads to severe droughts in some parts and floods in other areas.
iii. It affected the health of women and negligence of home and children because of their increased hours of work to collect their requirements.

(i) The variety of flora and fauna in a given geographical area is called biodiversity of that area. Each species on this earth lives in a system of interdependencies on various biotic and abiotic factors. Human beings also depend on several biotic and abiotic factors for their survival. We may be directly taking some resources from certain species, but we indirectly depend on many other species, Hence, biodiversity is important for human lives.
(ii) Various human activities have resulted in a decline of forest cover. Vast tracts of forest had been cleared to make way for farmland and for making new houses, factories, and infrastructure. Mining is another human activity which has destroyed forest in a vast area. Thus, human activities have resulted in significant depletion of flora and fauna.

Biodiversity: 
Biodiversity refers to rich flora and wildlife. In this diversity, species with diverse forms and functions live together.
Importance of Biodiversity for Human:
Biodiversity is important for human lives because the human being, along with the biodiversity, form a complete ecological system in which we are a part and are dependent on this system for our own existence.