What Ails The
Forestry Of India And What Are The Basics Needed To Save “ Forest India ”
What actually is Forest ?
There is no single
correct definition for a forest, but the simplest way to describe it is as a
natural ecosystem made up of trees. What is an ecosystem, though? An
ecosystem is made up of everything that you find in a specific area. That is
both living organisms (plants and animals) and non-living (like rocks and
soil). Ecosystems are also defined by how these different components interact
with one another. Therefore, a forest ecosystem is defined by which plants and
animals you find in it, and their relationships with each other and the
non-living elements around them. Now, although we know forests are a type of
ecosystem, actually defining ‘a forest’ specifically is still not that easy.
Different groups, such as naturalists, economists, foresters and farmers each
use a different definition because they all have different types of
relationships with forests. There are actually more than 1 000 different
definitions for ‘forest’! However, having just one definition helps us
understand each other better. Plus, it gives us a common starting point for
counting trees and measuring the size of forests – which are important if we
want to be able to see how healthy a forest and it’s ecosystem actually is.
Urban parks,
orchards, agro-forestry systems and other agricultural tree crops are all
excluded from the FAO definition because they are not natural ecosystems (as
they are created by humans). However, these ecosystems are still very valuable
and are sometimes included in other definitions .
What Are Forest layers And How Do You
Describe It
Obviously, not all
trees and plant species in forests are the same size. In the diagram below you
will see that forests have different layers featuring different plant growth.
Although these layers might look different in different types of forests, they
all have some things in common.
Pic :: The Forest layer
What Is The Total Area Of Forest In India
The Total Forest and Tree cover is 24.56% of the geographical area of the country. The Total Forest cover is 7,12,249 sq km which is 21.67% of the geographical area of the country .Mizoram
Mizoram has nearly 90% area of state under forest,
followed by Arunachal Pradesh. Madhya Pradesh has
largest area under forest.
In terms of
area, Madhya Pradesh has the largest forest cover of 77,414
square km in the country, followed by Arunachal Pradesh with
66,964 square km and Chhattisgarh with 55,547 square km
Delhi is the most covered in trees city
after Lakshadweep and Chandigarh.
Three types
From the point of view of usage, forest
produce can be categorized into three types: Timber, Non
Timber and Minor Minerals. Non-timber forest products [NTFPs]
are known also as minor forest produce (MFP) or non-wood forest
produce (NWFP)
How many types of forests are found in India?
India is one of the 17 mega biodiverse regions of the world. Indian
forests types include tropical evergreens, tropical deciduous, swamps,
mangroves, sub-tropical, montane, scrub, sub-alpine and alpine forests.
These forests support a variety of ecosystems with diverse
flora and fauna.
Madhya Pradesh
Rankings - Area-wise, Madhya Pradesh has
the largest forest cover in the country. This is followed by Arunachal
Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Maharashtra. In terms of
forest cover as percentage of total geographical area, the top 5 States are:
Mizoram (85.41%)
The other four
states are Arunachal Pradesh (79.63 percent), Meghalaya
(76.33 percent), Manipur (75.46 percent) and Nagaland (75.31 percent)
What Is The
Number Of The People Involved In Forestry In India
In 2018, the total forest and
tree cover in India increased to 24.39% or 8,02,088 km2.
It increased further to 24.56 percent or 807,276 square kilometres in 2019.
...
What Is The Total GDP That Is Contributed By Forest To The Indian Economy
|
|
Which sector
contributes most to the GDP of India?
|
Agriculture |
Industry |
|
|
2019 |
15.96% |
24.88% |
|
2018 |
15.41% |
26.13% |
|
2017 |
16.36% |
26.48% |
|
2016 |
16.36% |
26.62% |
How
much of this if converted into the GDP ratio will come out in terms of the
percentage cannot be calculated by me but the forest holds the maximum to 3%
that it can contribute to the total economy of the Indian GDP. The output of
the forestry has been obtained by doing a deep study and it is here and this point of a ruly effort
that is needed and that the Government of the day requires to do to achieve the
maximum that it could achieve from the forestry .
What Are The
Basic Problems That Is Involved In The Forestry
Actually there ar TEN such intricating and TEETHING basic
problems and I suggests only EIGHT and these as such- :
Indian Forestry: 10 Main
Problems Faced by the Indian Forestry
·
Inadequate and
Dwindling Forest Cover: ...
·
Low Productivity: ...
·
Nature of Forests and
their Uneconomical Utilisation: ...
·
Lack of Transport
Facilities: ...
·
Forest Fires: ...
·
Plant Diseases,
Insects and Pests: ...
·
Obsolete Methods of
Lumbering and Sawing: ...
·
Lack of
Commercial Forests:
·
9. Lack of Scientific Techniques,
·
10. Undue Concessions to Tribals and Local
People !
·
· What are some issues regarding forest use?
·
The main issues concerning forest management
are depletion due to natural causes (fires and infestations) or human activity
(clear-cutting, burning, land conversion), and monitoring of health and growth
for effective commercial exploitation and conservation.
In
addition to creating a serious public safety risk, wildfires especially
problematic for businesses in the American forestry industry. Wildfires are among the most serious threats to forest resource
supply, according to research from the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and
Communities .
Obsolete Methods of Lumbering
and Sowing:
In most of the Indian forests, obsolete methods of lumbering, sowing etc. are practiced. This system leads to a lot of wastage and low forest productivity. Large quantities of inferior wood which could be put to better use through seasoning and preservation treatment remain unutilised or go waste. Saw miles use old obsolete machinery and do not get proper power supply.
I would rather add and try to emphasise on the Scientific technique of forestry . It says that::
Lack of Scientific Techniques:
Scientific techniques of growing forests are also lacking in India. Only natural growth of forests takes place in India whereas in many developed countries new scientific techniques are being used through which tree growth is quickened. A large number of trees are malformed or consist of species which are slow growing and poor yielders.
The GREATEST danger that the foresty faces is as follow:
What is the greatest danger to a forest?
Is Forestry A
Safe Venture In India
NO. The one
areana which can contribute to about THREE PERCENT of the GDP and can
restabilise beside OXIDISE the Indian economy is NOT at all safe and from the
view of the loss of life and the threat that the officials face it CANNOT be
construed as a safe venture.
I’m placing some real case studies of some very good Forest
Officers and cite the PLIGHT that they had to face as a Forest Officer .
However I start my study with the example of the Forest and it’s job and how it
compares with the other jobs that falls under the Government of India.
Jobs Of Being
The Forest Officer . ::
It is an All India Service.Posts are
equivalent Collector or SP,at least theoretically.Salary is same to
them.Generally you will be posted as DCF-Deputy Conservator of Forests after
probation period as ACF,same like posting as DM after probation as SDM.
Additionally,posts heading the entire territory of National Parks and/or
sanctuaries are reserved for IFoS officers.
If you love to be with nature and enjoy
its eternal beauty, this job is for you. You will have access to Forest Rest
Houses built in the most beautiful places of country. You will enjoy wild life
photography.
There are engineers and doctors in plenty in India but it is not often that one comes across an Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer. Partly due to the lure of MNCs offering high paying jobs and partly due to the fear of spending hours in remotest parts of the country, youngsters often prefer proven career options like engineering and medical than the forestry services. But those who do choose a life in the forests as a profession not only are able to live a thrilling, adventure filled life but are also lucky to observe from close quarters the many mysteries of nature.
I shall place a case study and my observation of a Forest Officer who served at Uttar Pradesh and he narrates his story which he encountered in his service career.
Jayanti Prasad Sharma, an IFS officer
(retd.) who served the Indian Forest Service for 35 years from 1963 to 1998.
Sharma retired as Chief Conservator of Forests after serving in different
districts and commissionerates of Uttar Pradesh. In his long career span he
gathered precious insight into the world of animals and nature that most modern
youngsters can only imagine.
Career in the Jungle
Born in a Brahmin farmer’s family in
village Gawan, District Bulandshahar in Uttar Pradesh Sharma did his primary
schooling in the village before completing his graduation from Khurja and post
graduation from Allahabad University. He says there is no particular incident
that lured him to forestry but he did feel naturally inclined to take this
path.
“I cannot recall any specific reason for
me to have chosen this service. In 1959 I had joined Allahabad University to do
my Masters in Mathematics. IFS exam was the first exam I wrote and got
selected. I felt that I was temperamentally suited for this service and decided
to join the IFS.”
He adds talking about the various areas
where he served,
“ After completing training I was posted in district Gorakhpur of Uttar Pradesh. From here my journey in the service took me to the districts of Gonda and Bahraich in eastern UP, Nanital and Almora in Kumaon Hills, Lalitpur and Jhansi in Bundelkhand, Pilibhit and Lakhimpur in Tarai/foothill region. From core forestry I moved to Social Forestry after doing a specialised course in Oxford University in 1982. With Social Forestry specialisation I served in Moradabad, Meerut and Agra.”
Wild Encounter
As a young officer Sharma’s first
posting was in Gorakhpur in 1965 and within days, he had his first brush with
the most feared of all.
Sharma recollects that fateful day,
During the early days of my posting (1965)
at Gorakhpur, I was marking the trees in thick jungle for felling under
“irregular shelter wood system”. I was camping at Tehrighat Forest Rest House,
situated inside deep forest. I used to ride to my area of work on my bicycle
which was my prized possession and a compulsory asset since our training days
at Dehradun. It was the month of May. Due to the excessive summer heat, we
worked in field from 7 AM to 2PM marking the trees. One such afternoon around
2:30 PM while returning to my camp site after work, I was cycling fast through
the dense forest of Sal trees all alone.”
“Suddenly I heard some activity. During
our training, we had been given exhaustive instructions regarding the
activities of the wild animals in the jungle. I understood that now was the
first opportunity to apply all that theoretical knowledge in this practical
scenario. I reduced the pace of my cycle and suddenly a herd of panicked deers
crossed the road running from my right and disappeared into the jungle on my
left. I realised that some big wild animal was chasing them for his shikar.
This wild animal turned out to be a Tiger. He came on the road and looked on
both the sides of the open road. I stood, merely at a distance of 20-30 yards
from the dreaded beast fully visible.”
Faced with the royal beast, Sharma
literally froze.
“My cycle dropped from my hand and I barely managed to save myself from fainting. Gathering my wits about me, I moved inside the jungle on my right. I moved few feet inside and stood behind the thick trunk of an old Rohini tree. I was contemplating climbing a tree to protect myself from the attack of tiger but, to be very honest, it was just a thought. I was so nervous that I was left with no energy to execute my thought. The tiger continued on his chase. I, then, decided to wait for my orderly and other forest officials who were expected to follow me shortly. They arrived within 10 minutes of my encounter with the tiger.”
He smiles as he recalls the faces of his
fellow officials who saw his fallen cycle fearing the worst.
“They were somewhat frightened to see my
cycle lying on the road along with my bag full of marking equipments and
papers. My “Marking hammer” used for marking the most valuable tree for
commercial sale lying on the road was telling a rather scary tale. This
equipment to a Forester is what a service revolver is to a police man. Its loss
can cost a hefty sum to the government in the form of illicit felling of trees
in forest.”
“Meanwhile I saw them from my position
behind the tree and made a forest sound which is taught to us during our
training to be used when someone is lost in forest.”
Reunited with his colleagues and
spending some time in the forest guest house Sharma was back next day for work.
But after that wild encounter, no one allowed him to travel alone inside the
forest.
From that fateful day till his
retirement Sharma had the chance to see the tiger from extremely close range
thrice and he says with perhaps a renewed rush of adrenaline, that no other
animal could be his favourite after witnessing this magnificent beast.Everyday
Tussles
Life as a forest officer, Sharma says
revolved around the wilderness but the problems and challenges faced ere not
from the wildlife itself, but most often from humans. He says, apart from the
known illegal activities of poaching and felling of protected trees which the
officers had to constantly check on, one of the biggest everyday challenge was
to prevent encroachment of the forest land.
“Even if the village settlements are
outside the forest boundaries, the nearby villagers continue to use forest land
for grazing their cattle and they also keep entering the forest to collect
fuelwood.”
On the other hand, as chief protectors
of the forest and its inhabitants, forest officers are also the chief
negotiators who resolve conflict when a wild animal enters human settlements.
Sharma says, it was a part of his day-to-day job to ensure that peace was
maintained when such conflicts arose.
“I have served as Divisional Forest officer (DFO) in a number of Terai Districts of Uttar Pradesh namely Baharich, Pilibhit, Lakhimpur Khiri. Panthers, tigers, lions and other wild animals used to cross the wild zone to adjoining villages and agricultural areas. They use to attack the domestic cattle and also human life. In such situations I had to solve the problems of the villagers on amicable grounds including the compensation etc from the government. This type of problems is always there in above mentioned terai area where forest and agricultural activities
Disappearing Forests
As someone who has witnessed with his
own eyes the rapid urbanization and in turn the rapid disappearance of India’s
natural treasure, Sharma is pained to think of the state of forest land today.
He says during the sixties when he
joined the service there was lot of love and respect in the eyes of public for
forest as well as foresters. There was in general, respect for forest law.
Things have changed now. There is lots of political interference. In the name
of development the pressure on land has increased and it has becomes the
easiest prey, he adds.
“Due to such policies to please the
interests of few, the forest land has diminished a lot and is fast diminishing
from what we inherited.”
When he was in service, Sharma recalls
there were no roads. They were trained to travel on foot on hills.
“I remember touring the hills of
Chakrata, Uttarkanshi, Tons and Yamuna valley in early Sixties. It will sound
very primitive today but we actually toured on foot with our kitchen boxes,
beddings, luggage was carried on by mules on forests roads. There was no roads
to walk forget motor able roads. We were asked to camp for days which led to
lots of interaction with the locals. Things which have become virtually
nonexistent today.”
When asked if people’s bonding with
nature or forest has reduced, the forest officer has a deep insight to share,
something that only someone who has served and practically experienced the
changes can understand.
Jayanti Prasad Sharma says,
“People staying close to forests were
dependent on it[forest]. Britishers acknowledged and respected it. They
officially notified their rights for wood, timber, grazing for cattle etc. The
villagers used to love forest and the presence of many temples deep inside the
forest show that forest had attained the status of God. Their love for forest
in turn made them love the Forester. This love also arose from the fact that
forest officials used to provide above facilities judiciously and honestly.”
“Because of political dictatorship,
things have change now. I remember a couple of times I refused to obey the
unfair request made by my ministers as they were not in purview of law. When I
explained to them my limitation they followed it. I am informed by my junior
officers that this is not the case anymore.”
Choosing to Serve the Forests
Sharma hopes more youngsters choose IFS.
He advices them to join this service with a determination and zeal of serving
the country and the environment. He also importantly asks the next generation
to not stoop down to political pressures.
“ They
must make an effort to change the mindset of people and politicians who have
become anti forests, who value monetary gains over our mother nature ” .
For them forests and forest departments are obstructions in their plans of
grabbing forests land. They have to take up the task of making world aware of
the natural wealth we have inherited and teach them to pass it on to our next
generation. It should be taken up as our moral responsibility.”
Sharma give’s some vital career lessons
too.
“As you have decided to join IFS, so now
it is forests where you belong. Along with office work, field inspections are
very important. Make it a habit to visit the fields and do lots of site
inspections. Try not to be an arm chair officer but a one who is a field
officer.”
“We have inherited a chain of rest
houses in dense and remote places built by Britishers. Always stay few nights
every month in them. It helps connecting with the locals in much better way and
gives a great command over the area of one’s jurisdiction.”
As a parting message to readers, the
keen forest lover advices,
“Please don’t disturb the climatic
climax and static equilibrium of the nature. Nature achieve them in hundreds
and thousands of decade. Once this setting of nature is disturbed by human
factors, calamities and tragedies are bound to happen. Environment and forests
are interrelated and these play a very important role in the formation of”
climatic climax”. For all this you have to work towards the conservation of
soil, forest and fauna.”
What Can Be Done To Improve The Overall Condition Of The Forestry At India
At present there is an urgent need of undertaking silvicultural
operations on a large scale. This can be done through the following measures:
1. Intensive development schemes for afforestation should be
adopted. High yielding varieties should be planted in suitable areas.
2. Improved techniques of logging and extraction should be used.
3. Proper transport facilities should be provided to remote and
inaccessible forest areas.
4. Saw mills should get uninterrupted power supply.
5. Latest techniques of seasoning and preservation are necessary
to avoid wastage.
6. Proper arrangements to save forests from fires and plant
diseases can go a long way to solve several problems.
7. A thorough inventory of forest resources is necessary to make
an accurate assessment of our forest resources and make plans for their proper
use.
8. Shifting cultivation should be discouraged and tribals
depending on this type of cultivation should be provided with alternate sources
of livelihood.
9. People associated with forest protection should be properly
trained.
Human
Being That Has Affected The Forestry::
How humans affect the forest?
What is the greatest danger to a forest?
What are some of the
biggest threats to animals in forests?
·
Pollution. Every day the byproducts of our daily lives
make their way via the air and water into the natural environment and become
pollutants.
·
Invasive Species. ...
·
Overexploitation. ...
·
Habitat
Loss. ...
·
Climate
Change. ...
·
Disease. ...
·
Pollution. ...
·
Invasive Species
Regards and Thanks
Pics
Shyamal Bhattacharjee
Mr Shyamal
Bhattacharjee, the author was born at West Chirimiri Colliery at
District Surguja, Chattisgarh on July 6th 1959 He
received his early education at Carmel Convent School Bishrampur
and later at Christ Church Boys' Higher Secondary School at
Jabalpur. He later joined Hislop College at Nagpur and
completed his graduation in Science and he also added a degree
in B A thereafter. He joined the HITAVADA,
a leading dailies of Central India at Nagpur
as a Sub-Editor ( Sports ) but
gave up to complete his MBA in 1984 He thereafter
added a Diploma In Export Management. He has authored THREE books
namely Notable Quotes and Noble Thought published by Pustak
Mahal in 2001 Indian Cricket : Faces That Changed It
published by Manas Publications in 2009 and Essential Of Office
Management published by NBCA, Kolkatta in 2012. He has a
experience of about 35 years in Marketing
Signature Of Shyamal Bhattacharjee
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