Chipko movement
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The Chipko movement was a group of villagers in the Uttarkhand region of India who opposed commercial logging. The movement is best known for its tactic of hugging trees to prevent them being cut down. This gave rise to the term tree hugger for environmentalists. Also, it was notable in that the movement was led by women who were influenced by Gandhi.
Their opposition to deforestation was motivated by a combination of environmental and economic concerns. The felling of forests of Banj (Himalayan Oak), and their replacement by Chir Pine, reduced the amount of undergrowth and hence led to increased flooding. Among the movement's economic demands were that no forest-exploiting contracts be given to outsiders, a miniumum wage for forest labourers, and the provision of low-cost materials for local small-scale industries.
The movement denied any formal hierarchy, but particularly influential members included Sunderlal Bahuguna and Chandi Prasad Bhatt. The writer and activist Vandana Shiva was also involved in the Chipko movement in the 1970s.
References
- Thomas Weber, Thomas. Hugging the Trees ISBN 0670823538