Why in the news?

• Forest fire in the Similipal Biosphere Reserve was brought into control after a week’s effort.

What is Biosphere Reserve?

• Biosphere reserves are areas of terrestrial and coastal ecosystems promoting solutions to reconcile the conservation of biodiversity with its sustainable use. 
• They are internationally recognized (by UNESCO), nominated by national governments and remain under sovereign jurisdiction of the states where they are located.
• Biosphere reserves serve in some ways as “living laboratories” for testing out and demonstrating integrated management of land, water and biodiversity. 

Core Areas

• It comprises a strictly protected zone that contributes to the conservation of landscapes, ecosystems, species and genetic variation

Buffer Zones

• It surrounds or adjoins the core area(s), and is used for activities compatible with sound ecological practices that can reinforce scientific research, monitoring, training and education.

Transition Area

• The transition area is where communities foster socio-culturally and ecologically sustainable economic and human activities.

About Similipal Biosphere Reserve 

• Similipal, which derives its name from ‘Simul’ (silk cotton) tree, is a national park and a tiger reserve situated in the northern part of Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district.
• Similipal and the adjoining areas, was declared a biosphere reserve by the Government of India in 1994. It lies in the Eastern Ghats.
• Sal is a dominant tree species and is home to a large biodiversity. 

Similipal and Forest Fires

• The Similipal forest area remains vulnerable to forest fires during the onset of Summer.
• This duration coincides with the shedding of deciduous forests in the forest areas. The fallen leaves are more vulnerable to catching fire and facilitate the spreading of these forest fires quickly over the entire forest area.

Main factors of Forest fires in Similipal

• Natural causes such as lighting or even soaring temperatures.
• Instances of poaching and hunting wherein the poachers set a small patch of forest on fire to divert the wild animals can lead to such fires.
• Forest areas are also set on fire by villagers to clear the dry leaves on the ground for easy collection of mahua flowers. These flowers are used to prepare a drink which is addictive in nature.
• Villagers also believe burning patches of sal trees will lead to better growth.

How is forest fire controlled?

• By creating fire lines: The forest fire lines which are strips kept clear of vegetation, help break the forest into compartments to prevent fires from spreading
• Clearing sites of dried biomass, 
• Crackdown on poachers. 
• Awareness programmes are also being initiated at a community level to prevent such incidents.

References:

1. http://www.fundy-biosphere.ca/en/what-is-a-biosphere-reserve/what-is-a-biosphere-reserve.html
2. https://en.unesco.org/biosphere/about