FOREST RESOURCES

Forest is important renewable resources. Forest vary in composition and diversity and can
contribute substantially to the economic development of any country .Plants along with trees
cover large areas, produce variety of products and provide food for living organisms, and also
important to save the environment.

It is estimated that about 30% of world area is covered by forest whereas 26% by pastures.
Among all continents, Africa has largest forested area (33%) followed by Latin America (25%),
whereas in North America forest cover is only 11%. Asia and former USSR has 14% area under
forest. European countries have only 3% area under forest cover. India’s Forest Cover accounts
for 20.6% of the total geographical area of the country as of 2005.

Types of Indian Forest

Indian forests perform an important role to make a healthy environment and it reduce air
pollutions. Near about 19.26% of total Indian areas are covered with forest. These forests can be
classified in five major groups namely:

1. Moist tropical forest-Where the amount of annual rainfall ranges between 200 and 250 cm,
the mean annual temperature lies between 24 and 27 and humidity percentage is 80, the
evergreen forests degenerate into semi evergreen forests; such forests are found along the
Western Coast, in Upper Assam, lower slopes of the eastern Himalaya, Orissa coast and
neighboring hills.

2. Dry tropical forest-This types of forests mainly found in Indian Northern Hilly regions and
some states of Southern India. Basically, these forests are generated where average annual
rainfall ranges varies from 51 cm to 151. Trees of these forests drop its leaves in winter (when
the weather remains driest) and new leaves are generated after winter. During rainy season these
types of forest completely decorate lush green leaves. Some significant trees of dry tropical
forest are sal, acacia, mangoes and bamboo.

3. Montane temperate forest-These types of forests are mainly generated in Northern middle
Himalayas ranges (1801 to 3001 m) and Southern Niligiri higher Mountain ranges. It takes about
201 cm average annual rainfalls to produce these types of forests. Some significant trees of
montane temperate forest are rhododendrons, ferns, oak, maple, juniper, deodar, chilgoza, etc.
4. Montane sub tropical forest-These types of forests mainly generated in the state of Assam,
Nagaland, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, etc. mountain ranges of Western
Ghats are also the abode of these types' forests. Some significant trees of montane sub tropical
forest are poonspar, cinnamon, rhododendron, sal, sandan, laburnum, pomegranate, olive,
oleander, etc.

5. Alpine forest-these grasslands start at an elevation of above 3000 m grow up to the region just
below the snowline. They are common in both the main Himalayan regions as well as the barren
cold deserts of the Tran Himalaya. Low alpine grasslands are common with the vegetation not
growing higher than 1.5m.

Over exploitation of forests

Forests contribute substantially to the national economy. With increasing population increased
demand of fuel wood, expansion of area under urban development and industries has lead to over
exploitation of forest .At present international level we are losing forest at the rate of 1.7 crore
hectares annually. Overexploitation also occurs due to overgrazing and conversion of forest to
pastures for domestic use.

Deforestation

1. Forest are burned or cut for clearing of land for agriculture ,harvesting for wood and
timber , development and expansion of cities .These economic gains are short term where
as long term effects of deforestation are irreversible

2. Deforestation rate is relatively low in temperate countries than in tropics If present rate of
deforestation continues we may losses 90% tropical forest in coming six decades

3. For ecological balance 33% area should be under forest cover but our nation has only
20.6% forest cover.

Causes of deforestation

Forest area in some developed area has expanded. However in developing countries area under
forest is showing declining trend particularly in tropical region. Main causes of deforestation are
a) Shifting cultivation or jhum cultivation
This practice is prevalent in tribal areas where forest lands are cleared to grow subsistence crops.
It is estimated that principle cause of deforestation in tropics in Africa, Asia and tropical
America is estimated to be 70, 50, and 35% respectively. Shifting cultivation which is a practice
of slash and burn agriculture are posses to clear more than 5 lakh hectares of land annually. In
India, shifting cultivation is prevalent in northeast and to limited extent in M.P, Bihar and
Andhra Pradesh and is contributing significantly to deforestation.
b) Commercial logging
It is a important deforestation agent. It may not be the primary cause but definitely it acts as
secondary cause, because new logging lots permits shifting cultivation and fuel wood gatherers
access to new logged areas.
c) Need for fuel wood
Increased population has lead to increasing demand for fuel wood which is also acting as an
important deforestation agent, particularly in dry forest.
d) Expansion for agribusiness
With the addition of cash crops such as oil palm, rubber, fruits and ornamental plants, there is
stress to expand the area for agribusiness products which results in deforestation.
e) Development projects and growing need for food
The growing demand for electricity, irrigation, construction, mining, etc. has lead to destruction
of forest. Increased population needs more food which has compelled for increasing area under
agriculture crops compelling for deforestation.
f) Raw materials for industrial use
Forest provides raw material for industry and it has exerted tremendous pressure on forest.
Increasing demand for plywood for backing has exerted pressure on cutting of other species such
as fir to be used as backing material for apple in J&K and tea in northeast states.
Major effects of deforestation
Deforestation adversely and directly affects and damages the environment and living
beings .Major causes of deforestation are

 Soil erosion and loss of soil fertility

  Decrease of rain fall due to affect of hydrological cycle
Expansion of deserts

 Climate change and depletion of water table

 Loss of biodiversity ,flora and fauna

 Environmental changes and disturbance in forest ecosystems

Case studies

1. Jhum cultivation
Jhum Agriculture or shifting agriculture has destroyed large number of hectare of forest tracts in
North-Eastern states and Orissa. Jhum agriculture is subsidence agriculture in which tract of
forest land is cleared by cutting trees and it is used for cultivation. After few years, when
productivity of the land decreases, cultivators abandon the land and clear next tract. As a result
of this practise, combined with increasing population there is rapid deforestation as more and
more cultivators clear forest to cultivate land. Also, with increase in population there is
cultivators are forced to return to previous tracts of land in relatively shorter durations, not
allowing the land to regain its productivity.

2. Chipko movement
The Chipko movement or Chipko Andolan is a social-ecological movement that practised the
Gandhian methods of satyagraha and non-violent resistance, through the act of hugging trees to
protect them from being felled. The modern Chipko movement started in the early 1970s in the
Garhwal Himalayas of Uttarakhand,with growing awareness towards rapid deforestation. The
landmark event in this struggle took place on March 26, 1974, when a group of peasant women
in Reni village, Hemwalghati, in Chamoli district, Uttarakhand, India, acted to prevent the
cutting of trees and reclaim their traditional forest rights that were threatened by the contractor
system of the state Forest Department. Their actions inspired hundreds of such actions at the
grassroots level throughout the region. By the 1980s the movement had spread throughout India
and led to formulation of people-sensitive forest policies, which put a stop to the open felling of
trees in regions as far reaching as Vindhyas and the Western Ghats.
3. Western himalayan region.
Over the last decade, there has been widespread destruction and degradation of forest resources
in Himalayas, especially western Himalayas. This has resulted in various problems such as
erosion of top soil, irregular rainfall, changing weather patterns and floods. Construction of roads
on hilly slopes, have not only undermined their stability, but also damaged protective vegetation
and forest cover. Tribes in these areas are increasingly facing shortage of firewood and timber,
due large scale tree cutting. Increased traffic volumes on these roads leads to increased pollution
in the area.

Forest conservation and management

Forest is one of the most valuable resources and thus needs to be conserved. To conserve forest,
following steps should be taken.

1. Conservation of forest is a national problem, thus it should be tackled with perfect

coordination between concerned government departments.

2. People should be made aware of importance of forest and involved in forest conservation
activities.

3. The cutting of trees in the forests for timber should be stopped.

4. A forestation programmes should be launched

5. Grasslands should be regenerated.

6. Forest conservation Act should be strictly implemented to check deforestation.

7. Awards should be instituted for the deserving.