Community reserves

• Meghalaya government has notified several sacred forests as Community Reserves.

About Community reserves

• Community reserves fall under protected areas, along with marine protected areas, national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and conservation reserves, according to the Wild Life (Protection) Act (WLPA), 1972.
• It denotes protected areas that typically act as buffer zones between established national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, etc.
• Conservation reserves and community reserves are protected area categories were first introduced in the Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Act of 2002 — the amendment to WLPA, 1972.
• The provisions of the WLPA apply to an area once it has been declared a community reserve.
• State Government may designate any community land or private land as a Community Reserve if the members of that community or individuals involved agreed.
• Chief Wildlife Warden of the State becomes the governing authority of such forest.
• Once a forest area is designated as a community reserve, it becomes a no-hunting zone.
  • Similarly it cannot be used it for agricultural practices.