Eco devolopment Jim Corbett National Park

Support from neighbouring communities is crucial for protection and long-term survival of any protected area. Although there are no human settlements in the main park but 19 villages are situated inside the buffer zone reserve forest areas of Corbett. An additional two hundred villages are situated all around the reserve. These villages depend on the forest resources for fuel-wood, fodder and non-timber forest produce. Also, nomadic Gujjar tribals visit Corbett and use the pastures for grazing large herds of buffaloes.

Ecodevelopment, Jim Corbett National Park In such circumstances it is impossible to avoid human-animal conflicts. A settlement of gujjar tribalsThe forest department has initiated an Ecodevelopment Programme to involve villagers in conflict reduction and biodiversity conservation. Ecodevelopment committees consisting of representatives of both villagers and the forest department are being encouraged to enable communities to plan and implement programmes for resource conservation and generate livelihood. In the unfortunate case a human casualty caused by wild animals ex-gratia relief is given to the affected villagers. Also, adequate compensation is provided for livestock kills and crop damage by wild elephants.

The matrix of diverse geological features of Corbett has given rise to an equally varied set of communities of life forms that live in them. Such habitats, along with their resident flora and fauna, form distinct ecosystems that are recognizable when you travel through Corbett.
The local population should be concerned leading to the generally economic development of the area. The likely conflicts between resource use for ecotourism and the livelihood of local inhabitants should be recognized and attempts made to minimize the same. The type and scale of eco-tourism development should be friendly with the environment and socio-cultural individuality of the local community, and it should be considered as a division of the overall region development approach, guided by an integrated land-use plan avoiding inter-sectoral conflicts and ensuring sectoral integration, associated with equal expansion of community services.

Eco tourism is a fast emerging concept in tourism industry all over the world. The real theme of eco tourism is to sponsor values like sensitivity to the environment, active contribution in conservation efforts, education, and support for community. Eco tourism encourages preserving the flora and fauna as well as cleanliness of environment by making as little environmental impact as possible when visiting an ecological habitat. Key to sustainable ecological development, Eco tourism also encourages making use of natural products in every aspect of life.

Today the "Green Laws" of conservation are making community aware of how man and the environment can live symbiotically for extra time to come and ecotourism is the only ways maximize the economic, environmental and social profit of tourism. Everyone is a stakeholder in the development and we clearly need to avoid our past shortcomings and negative impact that they have had.
For safety and long-term endurance of any sheltered region, support from neighbouring communities is very important. Even if there are no human defrayal in the main reserve area but Ninteen villages are positioned within the buffer zone areas of Corbett Nnational Park. An added 200 villages are located all just about the reserve. These villages depend on the jungle resources for fuel-wood, feed and non-timber jungle produce. Also, itinerant Gujjar tribals visit Corbett and use the fodders for grazing big groups of buffaloes.

This is not easily possible to keep away human-animal clashes in such conditions. It was started an Ecodevelopment Programme to engage villagers in clash reduction and biodiversity preservation by the forest department. Ecodevelopment groups consisting of legislative body of both villagers and the forest division are being encouraged to allow society to plan and apply programmes for resource preservation and create source of revenue. In the inopportune case a human casualty caused by wild animals ex-gratia aid is given to the affected villagers. In addition, sufficient recompense is provided for domestic animals kills and crop damage by wild elephants.