prepare a report on the forest cover in India.... for class 11th isc
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Answer :-
Ever since humans evolved, we have changed the land cover of the earth gradually. Consequently, one of the most pressing issues today is the conservation of forest. However, we need to understand the definition of the forest first:
“Forests are defined as large areas of land with trees.”
There are over 800 definitions of forest that are used around the world. And it is not necessary that an area has to be populated with trees for it to be deemed as a forest. And in some cases, an area can be legally designated as a forest, regardless of the type of local vegetation. Overall, forests are the natural habitat of large scale wildlife, growth of trees, shrubs and different variety of plants which, unfortunately, are dwindling every year. Hence, conservation of forest is an important responsibility that all of us have to undertake.
Almost 31% of the earth’s land surface is covered by forests. According to a 2015 report, 23% of India’s land cover consists of the forest region. Trees and plants in the forest are an integral part of the ecosystem. It sustains life on the planet, provides clean air and shelter. Also, forests help conserve biodiversity.
Forests provide many resources such as food, medicine, fabric, and raw materials. Apart from keeping a check on the global temperature, forests also contribute towards preventing soil from getting eroded and shelters more than 80% of the animal species and terrestrial biodiversity. They also aid in improving the socioeconomic aspects of a country.
Wildlife refers to the animal species that are not domesticated. So, any living organism that lives in the forest region is associated with wildlife. It is found in almost all ecosystems such as rainforests, boreal forests, plains, grasslands, deserts etc. Wildlife provides great stability to our environment wherein they are involved in natural processes either directly or indirectly. Each living organism is placed in the food chain and is equally important, they may be a producer, a consumer or a decomposer, all these are interlinked and depend on each other for their survival.
Let us have a detailed look at the conservation of forest and wildlife.
Conservation of Forest
Conservation of forest is the practice of planting more trees and maintaining the forested areas for the sustainability for future generations. Forests are an important natural resource and are beneficial to humans in several ways. But due to increasing deforestation activities, it has become essential to conserve forests throughout the world. Deforestation is the permanent destruction or loss of forests for the expansion of lands for agriculture, livestock, etc. The process of destructing forests for the expansion of agricultural land is referred to as shifting cultivation.
Following are some of the major steps for conservation of forest:
With the advent of industrialization, several trees have been cut at an alarming rate for raw materials and various other purposes. This felling of trees can be regulated by selective cutting, clear-cutting and shelterwood cutting.
Forest fires are one of the common causes of loss of forests. Sometimes the forest land is set on fire to make the land available for commercial purposes. Once cleared, there can be no vegetation. Natural forest fires are also responsible for the destruction of huge forest covers. Latest fire fighting techniques should be adopted to conserve the forest. However, forest fires are an important part of the ecosystem and it helps replenish nutrients in the soil from dead and decaying matter.
More trees should be planted to increase the forest cover. Trees should be selected according to the geographical conditions of a particular region and proper care should be taken during the growth of trees.
Prevention of exploitation of forestry and forest products is necessary for the conservation of forest.
The existing forests should be protected from diseases by spraying chemicals, antibiotics or development of pest-resistant strains of trees.
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Explanation:
Introduction
Forests provide renewable raw material;
and energy, maintain biological diversity,
mitigate climate change, protect land and
water resources, provide recreation facilities,
improve air quality and help alleviate poverty.
At the same time forests are affected by fire,
grazing, pest and invasive species and are also
the primary targets for agricultural and urban
expansion.
The forest wealth in our country is
extremely diverse as a result of the huge
variation in the topography of the country. Due
to the impact of biotic pressure on our forests,
many forest areas spread across the country has
been depleted and degraded which is a serious
concern.
The role of India’s forests in the national
economy and in ecology was further emphasized
in the 1988 National Forest Policy, which
focussed on ensuring environmental stability,
restoring the ecological balance, and preserving
the remaining forests. Other objectives of the
policy were meeting the need for fuel wood,
fodder and small timber for rural and tribal
people while recognising the need to actively
involve local people in the management of
forest resources. A new target was to increase
the forest cover to 33 percent of India’s land
area. While adequate protection and
afforestation activities has contributed to the
increase in the extent and quality of forest
cover in some parts of the country, it is
extremely important that the spatial
distribution of the changes in forest cover and
growing stock be monitored on a regular basis
for effective planning. It is imperative for this
purpose to conduct regular assessment of forest
cover.
Forest Survey of India (FSI), is a premier
national organization for forest resource
assessment working under the Ministry of
Environment and Forests, Government of India.
Besides, carrying out forest and tree cover
assessment, Forest Survey of India is also
engaged in providing the services of training,
research and extension. Established on June 1,
1981, the Forest Survey of India succeeded the
"Preinvestment Survey of Forest Resources"
(PISFR), a project initiated in 1965 by
Government of India with the sponsorship of
FAO and UNDP. The main objective of PISFR was
to ascertain the availability of raw material for
establishment of wood based industries in
selected areas of the country. In its report in
1976, the National Commission on Agriculture
(NCA) recommended the creation of a National
Forest Survey Organization for collection of data
on scientific lines through countrywide
comprehensive forest resources survey at
regular intervals. Consequently, PISFR was
reorganized into FSI in June 1981. After a
critical review of activities undertaken by FSI,
Government of India redefined the mandate of
FSI in 1986 in order to make it more relevant to
the rapidly changing needs and aspirations of
the country. The main objectives of FSI are as
follows:
Objectives of FSI
¾ To prepare State of Forest Report
biennially, providing assessment of latest
forest cover in the country and
monitoring changes in these.
¾ To prepare thematic maps on 1:50,000
scale, using aerial photographs.
¾ To function as a nodal agency for
collection, compilation, storage and
dissemination of spatial database on
forest resources.
¾ To conduct training of forestry personnel
in application of technologies related to
resources survey, remote sensing, GIS,
etc.
¾ To strengthen research & development
infrastructure in FSI and to conduct...
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