Nature Reserves in India

This paper describes the need for conservation and protection or natural areas to preserve and maintain some or our forest ecosystems in their pristine condition to serve as benchmarks for conservation of the environment and for scientific, scenic, recreational and educational values, various definitions of nature reserves, their objectives and criteria and guidelines for their choice and establishment have been mentioned. The past history of nature reserves in India and the efforts made in establishing the same have been traced. The need for more nature reserves bas been brought out and the areas where they need to be established have been indicated.