Preface

I. Forest in Ecology
II. Multiple Roles of Forests
III. A historical Background
IV. The forest Acts and policies
V. Land Use Patter in India
VI. Forest In India
VII. Reasons and Consequences of Deforestation
VIII. State wise Forest coverage
IX. Conclusion

Preface

Forests have a significant role not only in ensuring the environmental stability, but also achieving economical benefits. This booklet is an attempt to present a comprehensive picture of the complex forest situation in India. This booklet describes the role of forest in ecology, types of forests. Forest policies and acts, consequences and reasons for deforestation and present forest situation of different States in India. The tables are formulated in such a way that one can update the date under each item as fresh data becomes available.
K. T. Chandy, Agricultural & Environmental Education

I. Forest in Ecology

A growing tree is a living symbol of a progressive nation” Jawahrlal Nehru.

Forest is not just a group of trees, but is a ecosystem in itself, comprising all the living and non-living components. The chief living components of a forest ecosystem are (1) plants dominated by threes, forming the primary producers, (2) animals forming the consumer element, and (3) decomposers or the microorganisms. Soil, water, air and sunlight form the non-lignin components of a forest ecosystem. These components of a forest ecosystem. These components interact with each other and evolve the ecological energy cycle which consists of two other cyclic processes, namely, water cycle and matter (organic and inorganic) cycle. These processes maintain the dynamic equilibrium between the living components and nonliving components within an ecosystem. Any imbalance or deviation in this process will lead to a total collapse of the ecosystem. Drought and flood are the two most important consequences of the imbalance in forest ecosystem caused by the indiscriminate felling of trees.

The forest ecosystem fulfils extremely important protective, regulatory and productive functions both for the environment and for the well being and development of society. The importance of forest in the ecosystem can never be overemphasized.

II. Multiple Roles of Forests

Forests have numerous roles to play both natural and man-made. Natural functions are protective and regulative services, while man-imposed functions relate to production and socio-ecological services. The various roles are enumerated as follows.

1.Forest control erosion of soil which is the store house of all inorganic and organic materials in nature. The trunk, dense foliage and intertwisting roots of trees and bushes check the movement of air and water and preserve the precious top soil. Forest is the most effective controller of landslides and other massive movement of soil.

2.Forests store water and release it slowly giving rise to springs and streams. Besides, 70-90% of a trees body weight is water. Hence the total volume of water in a forest ecosystem is considerable. No doubt such a large quantity of water has influence on the other components of ecosystem.

3.The trees maintain the water cycle in the nature. Rain water is intercepted by the leaves and later evaporated from the leaf surface. Most of the remaining water is absorbed by the decaying litter on the ground or percolate into the soil reducing the runoff to the minimum. The percolated water is absorbed by the roots and transmitted to the serial portion of the tree from where transpiration takes place or it reappears in the form of springs which ultimately join the sea from where it comes back in the form of rain.

4.Forest purify the air. Trees absorb carbon dioxide from air during the process of photosynthesis and release oxygen. This way carbondioxide-oxygen balance is maintained.


5.Forests provides the most important forest products in the form of timber and fuel. In India, 80% of population in the rural areas and 45% in the urban areas, use firewood for cooking and beating.

6.Tree generate organic matter to the soil by the shedding of their leaves and twigs which decay and mixes with the soil.

7.It also gives various minor forest products like fruits, seeds leaves, barks, roots, gums and resins for purposes which range from food to medicine, clothing, paints, dyes, etc.

8.Forestry generates employment opportunities in rural areas and business opportunities to urban people. National Commission on Agriculture estimated that about 5.5 million people can be employed in the forestry sector alone during the of 20 years.

9.Forests harbour wildlife which are essential for maintaining the balance of nature .

10.The trees form a protective barrier against the hot and cold winds for the habitations and agricultural fields on the sheltered side.

11.Forests provide esthetic and recreational facilities.

III. A historical Background

The history of forests in India, as anywhere else in the world, is linked with the history of civilization. The 400 year old Agnipurana mountins that a man should protect trees to ensure material prosperity and religious merit. 2500 years ago, Gautam Buddha preached that a man must plant trees every five years. The great epics Ramayana and Mahabharata give attractive descriptions of forests like Dandakarany, Nandavana and Khandavan. The supreme God of Indus Valley was supposed to live in papal (Ficus) trees. Pipal and babul were plants believed to have descended on earth from heaven. The people in the ancient times was , the forest. They did not cut the trees recklessly and the forests produced more than enough for every body.

The first indication of forestry administration is found in 300 BC during Chandra Gupta Maurya’s reign, when a superitendent of forest was appointed to protect forests and wild life.

The Moughuls made no attempts on forest conservation. The forest shrank steadily during the reign. But even then the forest produced much more than the people required. Forest were protected to certain extent, Moughuls because of their fondness for hunting. However, Akbar did evince keen interest in the planting of trees along canals and highways.

The forest scene however changes rapidly after the advent of the British. For the British administrators, Indian forests were an inexhaustible source of durable and ornamental timber and other forest products. Teak forests along the coast of Malabar were over exploited to meet the requirements of the British navy. The sandal wood trees of South India were exploited for the European markets. The two world wars were also the periods of great devastations of Indian forests. Forest were cut recklessly to meet the increased demand. As a result , rich productive forest vanished, causing an irreparable damage to the ecosystem and to the Indian people, specially, the tribals. Unfortunately, the forest destruction did not stop after the Britishers left and it is estimated that India is losing about 1.5 million hectres of forest manually.