From hugs to rights: The Chipko Movement’s legacy in forest conservation and governance

On this day more than 50 years ago, the Chipko Movement kindled a new imagination in environmental activism in India. It continues to be as relevant to the cause in the country as it was then.

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ON March 26, 1974, Gaura Devi with 27 other women from Reni village in the Chamoli district of Uttar Pradesh (now Uttarakhand), took a stand that would mark a significant chapter in India's environmental history.

They began the Chipko Movement by hugging trees to protect them from being cut down. This act of resistance quickly caught the attention of nearby villages, inspiring more people to join the cause. It became a watershed movement in India's journey towards environmental awareness.

The Chipko— literally meaning 'to stick to' or 'embrace'— Movement is a symbol of non-violent environmental activism that resonates deeply in India's social and ecological culture.

What started as a grassroots effort to safeguard their own livelihood transformed into a powerful movement advocating for the preservation of forests. Fifty-one years later, its impact is still felt, providing valuable lessons for environmental movements in India and around the world.

Commemorating the Chipko Movement Day, this article reflects on its lasting relevance, especially in the context of forest governance in India. Delving into prevalent issues and challenges, it argues that the Chipko Movement's spirit is still crucial in addressing today's environmental struggles in the country.

Reconciling community forest rights

The Chipko Movement laid the groundwork for future environmental campaigns in India and influenced significant policy changes, including the 1980 Forest (Conservation) Act, which aimed to limit deforestation and conserve biodiversity.

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However, while the Chipko Movement might seem like a conservation effort, a closer examination reveals its underlying aim, i.e., advocacy for community-based management.

The movement underscored the importance of local knowledge and community management in environmental conservation, principles that continue to resonate in contemporary environmentalism.

As Ramachandra Guha has pointed out, the Chipko movement was "first and foremost, a peasant movement in defence of community rights". Chandi Prasad Bhatt— who was one of the pioneers of the movement, has shared in his memoir that the struggle was about self-reliance and self-respect of forest communities.

Therefore, beyond conservation, the movement symbolised a broader struggle against dispossession and dislocation, encapsulating the pursuit of self-determination for tribal and forest communities.

Despite legislative changes following the movement, forest dwellers continue to struggle with the deprivation of property rights and bear the inevitable cost of 'development'.

Even with legal reforms post-movement, challenges continue to persist. Forest dwellers frequently lose their property rights to facilitate development projects, revealing a sluggish recognition of their rights under the historic Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 (Forest Rights Act).

The due process in recognising and assigning rights to such communities is often overlooked. Tribal communities and forest dwellers have had to endure recurrent ordeals to assert their rights.

This is evident in the 2019 Supreme Court Order that directed the eviction of almost two million forest dwellers across 17 states from reserved forests. This Order was later stayed by the court. However, the Supreme Court's intervention, prompted by widespread rejection of applications, underscores systemic disregard for legal mandates.

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This ongoing struggle highlights the enduring relevance of the Chipko Movement, emphasising the imperative to protect and uphold forest dwellers' rights amidst contemporary socio-political challenges.

Inclusive forest governance

The Chipko Movement, marked by significant female participation and leadership, highlighted the crucial role of women in grassroots environmentalism. Today, its impact still resonates, promoting the question of whether approaches to environmental activism that are informed by gender are more prevalent than 50 years ago.

While women continue to play a crucial role in environmental activism, their inclusion goes beyond mere token representation; it involves navigating complex social norms. Progress depends on sustained efforts to educate, recognise rights and promote women's autonomy in conservation dialogues.

The movement shed light on how capitalism and forest exploitation disproportionately affect women, a reality exacerbated by the sluggish implementation of the Forest Rights Act.

Without these rights, women face not only economic losses but also diminished well-being. If case studies of women's participation in forest governance are indicative, upholding women's rights is essential not only for equity but also for effective environmental stewardship.

Furthermore, the Chipko Movement epitomised the importance of decentralised decision-making through community-based frameworks. A notable example is the Joint Forestry Management Programme.

Initiated in the late 1980s, this policy aimed to establish a collaborative partnership between the government or forest department and local communities for mutually beneficial forest management practices.

However, despite its widespread recognition and potential advantages, the Joint Forestry Management Programme in India faces numerous challenges, including governance and policy hurdles, as well as socio-economic issues within local communities.

Additionally, the representation of tribal groups and forest communities is being diluted through legislative amendments. Participatory rights guaranteed under the Forest Conservation Act are being overpowered by other parallel legislations.

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For example, the Amended Forest (Conservation) Rules of 2022 have omitted a clause from the erstwhile 2014 and 2017 Rules that explicitly required any proposal to mandatorily have the consent of local tribespeople and other traditional forest dweller of the area before proceeding with Stage 1 clearance of forests.

Re-envisioning development

The Chipko Movement also called for a reassessment of the notion of 'development' beyond mere economic gains, emphasising its ecological implications.

Primarily focused on forest conservation, the movement symbolised how forests cannot be governed through a narrow economic approach. This idea continues to resonate even today.

For example, the current widespread encouragement of monocultures contradicts its principles. However, contemporary compensatory afforestation initiatives and the recently introduced Green Credit Rules challenge its ideals.

Compensatory afforestation, intended to mitigate deforestation's impact, has shown questionable efficacy. This raises concerns about whether current laws misinterpret the value of the forests, viewing them solely as a means to economic progress.

It prompts reflection on whether modern approaches truly uphold their environmental ethos or perpetuate a false narrative of development.

The Chipko Movement's legacy continues to inspire and guide environmental movements globally. Its focus on community-based management, gender inclusivity and redefined notions of development remain as pertinent today as they were during its inception.

As we navigate complex socio-ecological challenges, the principles and lessons of the Chipko Movement serve as a guiding light, reminding us of the enduring importance of grassroots activism and the imperative of placing people and the planet at the forefront of environmental governance.