Perception of ecotourism in state of Madhya Pradesh, India

Abstract

Madhya Pradesh is endowed with rich and diverse forest resources. One third of the state is forested and offers an exciting panorama of wildlife. To enhance the conservation value of biological diversity, there is a need to establish awareness among the general public. Moreover, it was felt that the existing staff of the Forest department is overburdened with a number of tasks beyond their core focus of protection and administration. Therefore a ˜volunteer force is proposed to be created comprising of wildlife enthusiasts who are basically citizens of civil society but dedicated to devote their time, talent and energy to help the State of Madhya Pradesh to manage its rich biodiversity in a better way. This ˜Volunteer Force can assist various Park Managements in carrying out their critical functions without compromising on their core focus of conservation and protection of the biodiversity.