In the 1970s, an organised resistance to the destruction of forests spread throughout India and came to be known as Chipko Movement. The name of the movement comes from the word 'Embrace', as the villagers hugged the trees, and prevented the contractors' from felling them.

The main aim of the Chipko Movement or Chipko Andolan was to protect the trees of the forests to be cut. It was basically a forest conservation movement.

Not many people know that over the last few centuries many communities in India have helped save nature. One such is the Bishnoi Community of Rajasthan. The original Chipko Movement was started around 260 years ago in the early part of the 18th century in Rajasthan by this community. A large group of them from 84 villages led by a lady called Amrita Devi laid down their lives in an effort to protect the trees from being felled on the orders of Maharaja (King) of Jodhpur.

In the 20th century, it began in the hills where the forests are the main source of livelihood, since agricultural activities cannot be carried out easily. The Chipko Movement of 1973 was one of the most famous among them