(N/A) The Government of India has recently instituted the $Amrita Devi Bishnoi Wildlife Protection Award$ for individuals or communities from rural areas that have shown extraordinary courage and dedication in protecting wildlife.
$Chipko Movement$: In $1974$, local women of the Garhwal Himalayas showed tremendous courage in protecting trees from the axes of contractors by hugging them. People all over the world have appreciated the $Chipko movement$.
Realizing the importance of participation by local communities, the Government of India in the $1980s$ introduced the concept of $Joint Forest Management (JFM)$ to work closely with local communities for forest protection.