Chapter - 5
Natural Vegetation
️ Introduction :-
In this chapter we are going to read about natural plants.
️ Natural Vegetation :-
Natural vegetation includes those plants which grow without the direct or indirect help of human beings and which adapt their size, structure and their needs according to the natural environment .
️ Types of Natural Vegetation :-
On the basis of major vegetation types and climatic conditions, Indian forests have been kept in five categories.
- Tropical evergreen and semi-evergreen forests.
- Tropical deciduous forest.
- Tropical thorn forest.
- mountain forest.
- Velachali and Anoop Van.
️ Sholas Forest :-
The temperate zone found on the Nilgiris and other Malai and Palani hills is called Sholas .
️ Tropical Evergreen Forest :-
Tropical evergreen forests are found in humid and warm parts . The average annual rainfall in these regions is more than 200 cm and relative humidity is more than 70 percent with an average temperature of 24 °C. it happens . These forests are found in the Western Ghats, North Eastern hills and Andaman and Nicobar in India.
️ Tropical deciduous forest :-
These are those forests which are 100 to 200 cm. Found in areas with annual rainfall . Expansion of these forests is found in the middle and lower valley of the Ganges ie Bhabar and Terai Pradesh, eastern Madhya Pradesh, northern part of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and some parts of Kerala . The main trees are Sal, teak, rosewood, sandalwood, mango etc.
These trees shed their leaves in summer . That's why they are also called autumn forests . Their height ranges from 30 to 45 meters. They provide timber . Due to which their economic importance is more. These forests are spread over 25 percent of our total forest area .
️ Tropical Thorny Forest :-
Thy forests and shrubs are found in areas where rainfall is less than 70 cm .
This type of vegetation is found in the north-west part of the country, which includes some areas of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Haryana .
Acacia date hawthorn is the main plant species here, the trees of these forests are scattered, their roots are long and spread in search of water.
The size of the leaves is very small. Rats, rabbits, foxes, wolves, lions, lions, wild donkeys and horses and camels are found in these forests.
️ Deciduous Forest :-
This forest is 100 to 200 cm. Found in rainfed areas. They are found on the eastern slopes of the Sahyadris, the north-eastern plateau of the peninsula, the Bhabar and Terai regions of the Himalayan foothills and in north-east India .
These forests shed their leaves in summer . They are less dense . The height of the trees is relatively less .
The wood of these forests is less hard . These forests are found almost all over India.
The wood of these forests is very useful.
️ Anoop One :-
In those areas of India where the land is always wet or wet , the natural vegetation there is called Velanchal or Anoop Van . There are eight such wetlands in India which are famous for their dense forests and biodiversity.
The beautiful forest delta of West Bengal in India is world famous for its mangrove forests . Large and small animals are found in these forests, from tigers to reptiles .
There is a need to protect the existence of these forests for the protection of environment, biodiversity and natural flora .
️ Forest area :-
These are the areas where according to the revenue department there should be forests. Under this , a certain area is notified as a forest area .
️ Actual Forest Cover :-
This includes the area which is actually covered with a clump of natural vegetation. The actual forest cover in India in 2001 was only 20.55 percent.
Meaning of social forestry :-
Social forestry means determining the role of society in the management of forests and planting forests on waste land with the aim of helping in environmental, social and rural development .
️ Social Forestry :-
The term social forestry was first used by the National Commission on Agriculture (1976-79 AD) .
️ Objectives of Social Forestry :-
- Availability of firewood for the population.
- small timber.
- Increase fruit production.
- To supply minor forest products.
️ Parts of Social Forestry :-
It has three parts :
Urban Forestry :- Planting and management of trees along private and public land like green belt, parks, roads and railways and industrial and commercial sites in cities.
Rural forestry :- Under this promotion of agro-forestry and community agro-forestry.
Farm forestry: - Under this, planting trees on arable and barren land and growing crops so that food grains, fodder, fuel and fruits and vegetables can be found.
️ Decrease in the number of wild animals :-
Exploitation of forests due to industrial and technological development.
Clearing of forests from the land for farming, human settlement, roads, mines, water bodies etc.
felling of trees for fodder, fuel and timber for the local people.
Humans destroyed wildlife and their habitats in search of new pastures for domesticated animals.
The princes and the nobles made hunting games and hunted hundreds of wild animals in one go / are still being killed for commercial importance.
Due to fire in the forest.
️ Wildlife Conservation in India :-
Wildlife Act :-
Wildlife Act 1972 in India. I passed.
The main objectives of the Wildlife Act :-
The following are the two main objectives of the Wildlife Act :-
To provide protection to some listed endangered species according to this act.
To provide legal aid to protected areas like national parks, animal sanctuaries as determined by the government.
️ Forest Conservation Policy :-
After independence, for the first time in India, the Forest Policy was implemented in 1952. In 1988, the new National Forest Policy was formulated to check the reduction in the area of forests.
The main objectives of the Forest Conservation Policy :-
Planting forest on 33 percent of the country.
Maintaining environmental balance and planting forests in ecologically unbalanced areas.
Conservation of the country's natural heritage, biodiversity and genetic origin.
Preventing soil erosion and desertification and controlling floods and droughts.
Expansion of forest cover through social forestry and afforestation on degraded land.
Providing timber, fuel, fodder and food to the rural tribes dependent on forests by increasing the productivity of forests and using other commodities in place of wood.
To promote the planting of trees and to stop the felling of trees, to run a mass movement, in which women are also involved so that the pressure on the forests is reduced.
People's participation in forest and wildlife conservation.
️ Jeevan Mandal Nichay :-
Biosphere reserves (reserved areas) are special types of terrestrial and coastal ecosystems, which have been recognized by UNESCO under the Human and Biosphere Program.
️ The main objectives of the Biosphere Reserve :-
There are three main objectives of biosphere reserve
- Protection
- Development
- Arrangement
In this the area is kept in its natural state. All types of flora and fauna are protected. For example Nanda Devi, Nilgiris, Sundar Forest etc.
️ Those biosphere reserves of India whose names are recognized on UNESCO's Biosphere Reserve World Network :-
India has 14 biosphere reserves, out of which 4 biosphere reserves
- eucalyptus
- Nanda Devi
- beautiful forest
- The Gulf of Mannar is recognized by UNESCO on the Biosphere Reserve World Network.
️ Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve :-
Establishment :- 1986 (India's first biosphere reserve)
It includes Wayanad Wildlife Reserve, Nagarhole, Bandipur, Madumalai and Nilambur's entire forest covered slopes, Upper Nilgiri Plateau, Silent Valley and Sidhuvani Hills.
Total Area :- 5,520 Sq. Kilometers
Natural Vegetation : Dry/wet deciduous forests, semi evergreen and wet evergreen forests, evergreen shoals, grasslands and swamps.
Threatened animal :- Nilgiri Tahr / Lion with tail like monkey.
Other Animals :- Elephant, Tiger, Gaur, Sambhar, Chital
Its topography is rough.
80% of flowering plants found in the Western Ghats are found in this niche.
️ Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve :-
Location :- Uttarakhand (Chamoli, Almora, Pithoragarh Bageshwar)
Temperate forests are found.
Species: - Silverwood, Latifoli - Orchid and Rhododendron.
Wildlife :- Snow leopard, black bear, brown bear, musk deer, snow-rooster golden eagle and black eagle.
️ Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve :-
Location:- West Bengal, on the marshy delta of the Ganges river
Area :- 9,630 square kilometer
Forest :- Mangrove, Anoop, Forest covered island
Around 200 Royal Bengal Tigers
More than 170 bird species in mangrove forests
Adapting themselves to the saline and fresh water environment, tigers swim in the water and take on rare prey such as chitals, barking antelope, wild boar and even langurs.
In the mangrove forests here, a timber named Herisiera fomis is found, which is very valuable.
️ Farm Forestry :-
In this, farmers plant trees of commercial importance or other trees in their fields.
(i) Forest Department provides free saplings to small and medium farmers for this.
(ii) Trees are planted in the meadows of the fields, pastures, grasslands, vacant land near the house and cattle sheds.
️ Project Tiger and Project Elephant :-
Project Tiger (1973 AD) and Project Elephant (1992 AD) were initiated to conserve these species and save their natural habitat. Their main objective is to maintain the population level of tigers and elephants in India.
️ National Park :-
National Parks are given a high level of security from the point of view of security. Pastoralism is prohibited within its limits. Also, no person gets land rights within its limits.
️ Sanctuary :-
It has a low security provision. In this, along with the protection of forest life, controlled human activities are allowed. In this the land can be used for some good work.
