A dimension within Forest & Biodiversity Loss
This theme addresses the widespread issue of deforestation and its detrimental effects on natural habitats and wildlife.
150 voices speak to this
Negative
Overall Community Sentiment
They have been living there for a long time. Now, there have been changes in the forest. Valuable trees are not found. Animals and birds are no longer in the forest. Everything is gone.
— Trinath badanayak · Malakanagiri, Malkangiri, Odisha
We have been living in this area for many years. What we see in our region is that the forest cover has also decreased. There are no animals now.
— sudhir gamanga · Gadiakhala, Ketalugurha, Rayagada
Earlier, a lot of edible items were found in the forests that could be eaten and added to midday meals, but now, due to damage to the forests, many things have become extinct.
— Kekti Tekam · Dindori, Madhya Pradesh
What our ancestors used to obtain, now 90% of the forest has been destroyed. With the destruction of forests, the hills have also been destroyed. Whatever materials we used to find, especially food items, are no longer available.
— jitendra khila · Gandhinagar, Rayagada, Odisha
Forests are disappearing, livelihoods are being destroyed. Forests are also getting depleted, herbs are disappearing. It's not like it used to be.
— Chanda · Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh
In this village, the forest has been damaged a bit more than before this time. Herbs cannot be collected, and because of that, we...
— Padmini Bhoi
Yes, damage has definitely occurred. Previously, people used to obtain two traditional food items by cutting trees from the forest. Now, these are not available. Furthermore, there has been extensive damage to medicinal plants, and those are also not available.
— gobardhan pangi
People have been living here in Amangara for many years. The forest has been much more damaged now than before. Because of this, we could not collect any medicinal herbs from the forest.
— Padmini Bhoi
We used to get honey and resin from our forest, but now we don't.
— Upendra Kumar Mahananda
It is certainly remembered. Our people are destroying forests. As a result, when they go to the forest, no forest products, including food items, can be found. It would have been better if forests were not destroyed.
— jitendra khila · Lachery, Malkangiri, Odisha
The forests, animals, birds, and springs that used to be in our forest are slowly disappearing.
— Batakrushna Sahoo
Oh, there is also a distinct language of our Gonda society. And no one speaks that language anymore, slowly it has also disappeared. And now what we used to get from the forest, we are not getting it from the forest anymore, all the forests are cut down.
— RINA BEHERA · Hemagiri, Sundargarh, Odisha
Now, honey, resin, Aainla (Indian gooseberry), Harada (chebulic myrobalan), and Baahada (beleric myrobalan) are no longer found in our forest.
— Upendra Kumar Mahananda
We have seen many changes in the forest nowadays, such as trees and plants being cut down, the forest being deforested, herbs disappearing, animals and birds going extinct, and the water level depleting.
— Sunil oraon · Ranchi, Jharkhand
Currently, in our forest, bamboo is not found, other wild produce is not found, mushrooms are not found. Also, our cashews are not doing well; the cashew cultivation that used to happen before is also not doing well.
— jitendra khila · Gandhinagar, Rayagada, Odisha
In ancient times, people used to depend on the forest for their livelihood. But now, since the forest has become depleted, they are no longer able to get tubers, leaves, fruits, and roots from the forest. Therefore, the forest in greater quantity...
— SUBASH SABHASUNDAR · Gajapati, Odisha
The various types of fruits that used to be found in the forest are no longer available.
— KARUKAR MURMU · SKIP NO LOCATION
The herbs, vegetables, fruits, and trees have been depleted from the forest.
— Kachala Choudhary
Fruit trees and vegetable plants have disappeared from our forests.
— Kachala Choudhary
Forest land has been lost.
— अमर जीत · Kon, Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh
Forest land has been lost.
— अमर जीत · Kon, Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh
Large trees have been cut down, due to which it is becoming difficult to find forest vegetables and herbs.
— Kachala Choudhary
Old, traditional foods are not available. As a result, the forest was also destroyed. The food that should be available is not available.
— Keshab Majhi · Gandhinagar, Rayagada, Odisha
We have been living in our village for 100 years. Nowadays, there are no animals. The forests are also dwindling, and songs and dances are also disappearing.
— sudhir gamanga · Bada Baridi, Rayagada, Odisha
We are not getting food to eat. Brother, the forest is completely depleted. When they destroyed everything by cutting down trees for mining, after that, now we are deprived of things like Charikuli, Barukuli, Kendu, and even bears (Bhalia), including the black bear (Kala Bhalia).
— swornalata nayak · Gandhinagar, Rayagada, Odisha
We, the Boram community, have been residing here for a long time. When our ancestors arrived, there were extensive dense forests. Elephants, wild boars, tigers, and bears were abundant. Now, nothing is left. Due to the coal mine operations, everything has been cleared.
— Parsuram Sa · Sundargarh, Odisha
Nutritious forest food items are not found in our area because very few forests are left here.
— Sunil oraon · Ranchi, Jharkhand
Death's auspicious and inauspicious beauty. Previously, we used to sustain our livelihoods by collecting various roots from the forest. Now, roots are not available, and animals...
— Sasmita Mallick · Gandhinagar, Rayagada, Odisha
What is not found in our forest. Sarbaria mushrooms used to be found in our forest before. Now they are not. Then, Bausi mushrooms, they are also not abundant. The Bausi (bamboo) plants also died out. And where are our old Kendu branches to speak of now?
— jitendra khila · Gandhinagar, Rayagada, Odisha
In earlier times, medicinal fruits were found in the forest, but now those things are becoming extinct day by day.
— Amar Lal Dhurwey · Mandla, Madhya Pradesh
In Amahei forest, most of the forest was once valuable. It seems that today, due to excessive trading of dry wood, trees are no longer found in abundance.
— S Guruteli · Mutebeda, Malkangiri, Odisha
Earlier, the forest was vast. And now, what is the forest like? The forest was good before. All these animals and birds used to get food. The forest was full and abundant.
— Kanaka Pradhan · Balangir, Odisha
Change or damage is happening, all the forest trees and creepers are getting destroyed, animals and birds have disappeared.
— Niranjan Bisi · Boudh, Odisha
The forest is depleting
— Vinita Singh Yadav · Dharura, Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh
Our village is a very ancient village. Tigers, bears, and deer used to be there but are no longer. Sandalwood trees, large birds, and peacocks are also gone. The spring is not flowing, and there is no rain.
— Anirudha Marai
Earlier, our house was next to a forest. We used to collect medicinal herbs from it. Now, it's just a forest line, as if the forest has become hidden.
— Padmini Bhoi
Even many large trees in the forest have been depleted, and there are no medicinal herbs left. Animals and birds in the forest are also disappearing. Therefore, we absolutely need the forest.
— Mukunda Majhi · Udulibeda, Malkangiri, Odisha
Humans used to have very useful things. Now, beneficial things have died out. Therefore, since those things are no longer present, our country has become very polluted. As a result, even birds are not there.
— swornalata nayak · Balangir, Odisha
Today, when we talk about forest products, things like root vegetables and fruits such as Kendu, Baheda, and Harida, which also had medicinal properties, are no longer available. They have now become extinct or are found in very small quantities.
— Debendra Suna · Gandhinagar, Rayagada, Odisha
Our medicinal herbs, vegetables, fruits, and trees are depleting from the forests.
— Kachala Choudhary
