Whose Forests?

Whose Forests?

1.What do you think is a forest?

Ans. Forest is a large area thickly covered with varieties of trees. It is home to different animals, insects and birds.

 

2.If someone grew lots of trees close to each other, would this become a forest?

Ans. No, this would not become a forest because a forest is more than thick green cover.

 

3. Other than trees what all is there in a forest?

Ans. Apart from trees; there are different types of animals, insects and birds in a forest.

 

4.Do all forests have similar types of trees? How many trees can you identify?

Ans. Different forests have different types of trees. We can identify some trees like peepal, banyan, neem, etc.

 

5. Suryamani says, “If the forests are not there, we too will not remain”. Why so?

Ans. Forests are essential for us. They help in maintain the balance in the environment. Green plants absorb harmful gases and release oxygen. Forests provide wood, herbs, many raw materials for us. Many tribal depend on forests for their livelihood. Hence, Suryamani is right in her statement.

 

6.The contractor did not allow Suryamani’s people to go into the forest. Why?

Ans. The contractor may have been in the forest for cutting the trees to sell somewhere. He may not want local people to use forest resources and hence did not allow Suryamani’s people to go into the forest.

 

7.Who do you think the forest belongs to?

Ans. Forests belong to everyone.

 

8.Bhudhiyamai said—“Forest is our ‘collective bank’—not yours or mine alone”. Are there other things which are our collective wealth? So if someone uses more, everyone would suffer?

Ans. Yes, there are some other things which are our collective wealth.

Some examples are as follows:

(a) Groundwater

(b) Fish in the rivers and sea

(c) Minerals

(d) Fossil fuels such as coal and petroleum.

 

9.What do you know about how adivasis live? Write and draw a picture.

Ans. Adivasis live a simple life.

a) They wear simple clothes.

b) During their traditional festivals, they wear costumes made of leaves and flower.

c) They collect firewood from forests and take their cattle into forest for grazing.

d) They have very good knowledge of medicinal herbs.

 

10. Which are the states around Mizoram?

Ans. The states around Mizoram are; Tripura, Assam and Manipur.

 

11.Chamui said they measure land using tin. Which are the other ways of measuring land?

Ans. Some of the other ways of measuring lands are in yards, in square metres, katha and bigha.

 

12.Returning from school, children drank water in a bamboo cup. Who do you think would have made this cup and kept it in the forest? Why?

Ans. The adivasis would have made the bamboo cup. They made those cups to help travellers passing through the forest.

 

13) Have you ever seen anything which people are free to use, with no one there looking after it?

Ans. Yes, I have seen some piau, baolis, etc. which people are free to use, with no one there looking after it. ”

 

14) Explain in your own words why forests are important for the people living in forests.

Ans. For people living in forests, forests are very important. Forest is an important resource. Forest provides firewood to be used as kitchen fuel. Forest provides different fruits and edible roots. Forest provides medicinal plants. The life of adivasis entirely depend on forests.

 

15) Did you find something interesting in Jhoom fanning? What is it?

Ans. Some of the interesting things in Jhoom farming are as follows:

(а) A new patch of land is cleared by slashing and burning the plants.

(b) Weeds are burnt and ashes are mixed with soil.

(c) Mixed cropping is practiced in Jhoom cultivation.