The Appiko Movement

     Inspired by the Chipko Movement, the Appiko Chalewali movement was started in the Uttar Kannada region of Kamataka. In November 1983, the commercial felling of trees for timber extraction caused much disturbance in the surrounding communities. The destruction of the natural forest resulted in soil erosion and caused much of their water resources to be dried up. In the Saklani village of Sirsi, the people were prohibited to the natural resources, restricted from gathering timber, dried branches, and non timber forest products used for the purpose of fuelwood, fodder, etc. Essentially the people were denied their right to their land and its resources.

     In September 1983, a few women decided to begin a movement similar to that of the Chipko movement, but in South India. Many women gathered together from all different villages, walked five miles to the nearby forest, and hugged the trees, not allowing the contractors to cut them down. Frustration grew and negotiation drew on for 38 days before the contractors were finally forced to withdraw and stop felling the trees in the forest. While this did initially stop the government from further destroying the forest, they eventually picked up where they left off and continued to cut down the forest. As a result, a stronger wave of the movement came again, and it was backed by all the local people. Even the daily laborers hired by the contractors ceased to do their work.

     In October, the movement went into the second phase, spreading on to the Bengaon forest. Here, the forest was a mix of tropical and evergreen, mostly on hilly terrain. The indigenous peoples that lived in this forest thrived and depended on their surroundings for livelihood. Due to the commercial felling of the forest, bamboo began to disappear in the ecology of this population. This was detrimental to the surrounding societies because they used bamboo to weave baskets and mats; things that were used and sold in everyday life. Once again the peoples in the region hugged the trees, thus forcing the contractors to abandon the felling of trees. 

     It did not take long before this movement caught on and people began to realize that they have the ability to make changes and protect the world around them. The Appiko movement became a symbol of people's power for their rights to natural resources. The victories won in these movements showed that the people not only successfully protected their forests, they also took steps to regenerating the trees in already felled areas, and continued to utilize the resources with proper consideration to conservation. 

-Daniel L.