In the dense forests of Madhya Pradesh, wild honeybees create massive hives on towering trees like Arjun, Sal, and Mahua, as well as on rocky cliffs. These natural colonies produce thick, flavourful honey, which commands high prices in local markets due to its exceptional quality and the difficulty associated with harvesting it.
The tribal communities living near these forests have developed traditional methods to extract honey. They tie green leaves to wooden sticks, set them on fire, and use the smoke to drive the bees away from their hives. Once the bees leave, collectors carefully remove the honeycomb and squeeze out the precious honey. Interestingly, the honeycomb itself serves various purposes beyond just honey extraction.
However, this practice often involves careless methods that harm the ecosystem. Some collectors destroy entire hives, cut down branches to make extraction easier, or let their fires spread uncontrolled, leading to forest fires. Most critically, if the queen bee dies during these operations, it affects thousands of worker bees and can destroy entire colonies.
Due to these concerns, the Forest Department has unofficially banned honey collection from forests, though no written law exists. Despite some arrests in Madhya Pradesh, the practice persists, with open markets throughout the state selling wild honey.
The declining population of wild bees is now affecting the pollination of forest plants like Mahua and Palash, which directly impacts the livelihoods of tribal communities who depend on these forest products. There is an urgent need to develop sustainable harvesting practices that allow tribal communities to benefit from forest resources while preserving the delicate ecological balance of these vital ecosystems.
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