The Chipko Movement started in the 1970s in Uttarakhand, India to prevent deforestation by hugging trees to stop them from being cut down. It was sparked by the actions of Gaura Devi and other village women who mobilized to hug trees and prevent a sports goods company from logging. The movement spread across India through the efforts of environmentalists like Sunderlal Bahuguna and Chandi Prasad Bhatt, saving over 100,000 trees from being felled. The non-violent tactic of embracing trees to protect forests drew international recognition and influenced environmental movements.

1. CHIPKO MOVEMENT
By Pronay Sarkar
BOTANY 1ST YEAR

2. The Chipko Movement
• Deforestation is the clearance of naturally occurring forests by the
processes of humans' logging and/or burning of trees in a forested
area.

3. INTRODUCTION
• Chipko means tree hugging or “embrace” as the villagers hugged the
trees.
• The movement is best known for its tactic of hugging trees to prevent
them being cut down and to prevent commercial timber harvesting.

4. ORIGIN
• The Chipko Movement started in 1970s Uttar Pradesh (now
Uttrakhand)
• Birth place - Gopeshwar in District Chamoli.
• First Chipko action March 1974 in Reni village.
• Locally it is called as Angwal
• Sunderlal Bahuguna and 84 villagers risked their lives to protect the
forest trees from being felled on the order of the MahaRaja.

5. BACKGROUND
• Government's decision to allot forest trees to a sports goods
company.
• The local residents in Gopeshwar were denied the similar demand of
getting few trees, required for making farm tools.
• Organized rallies to protect the forest from mass destruction.
• Idea of Chipko Movement originated.

6. BIRTH OF CHIPKO MOVEMENT
• Gaura Devi (an elderly woman)
• Head of the village Mahila Mangal Dal
• Mobilized village women for the movement when company men
marched to cut the trees.
• She declared : “The forest nurtures us like a mother; you will only be
able to use your axes on it but you have to use them first on us.”

7. THE SPREADING OF MOVEMENT
• Sunder Lal Bahuguna (Environmentalist)
• Enlightened the country and out world about the movement, its
success and environmental impact.
• Padmabhushan winner for his contribution in the movement
Sunderlal Bahuguna

8. SPARKING OFF THE MOVEMENT
• Chandi Prasad Bhatt
• Sunder Lal Bahuguna
• Sarla Bahen from Lakshmi Ashram
• Women groups
• the Uttarakahand Sangharsh Vahini (USV)

9. SUCCESS OF CHIPKO MOVEMENT
• The movement has spread to many states in the country.
• It stopped felling of trees in the Western Ghats and the Vindhyas
• More than 1,00,000 trees have been saved from excavation
• By 1981, over a million trees had been planted through their efforts.

10. RECOGNITIONS
• Chandi Prasad Bhatt- Raman Megasessey award
• Sunder Lal Bahuguna- Padma Bhusan Award

11. QUOTES
• “Today Himalaya is calling you, Wake up my son, Do not allow my
auction, Protect me from being slaughtered.”
• “Embrace the trees and Save them from being felled; The wealth of
our hills,
• Save them from being looted.”