deteriorated the

() Its stilt like roots remain submerged under water climatic conditions and drastically areas.
urban
but can he seen at low tide. This tanglcd mass of gencral environment of rural as well
root helps the plant to survive in the shifing mud of Preventive measures
preventive
coastal egion. To revitalize our forest cover, systematic
These measures will help
( ) These forests are very dense. measures should be taken.
ecological balance
" Species in maintaining the most essential environment and
rcquired to protect our forest resources,
() Sundari is very important in this arca, Sunderban endangered wildlife.
delta has been namned after it of
Government of India set up a Central Board
(i) lts wood is very hard, strong and durable. five-year plan.
(ii) is used for bont building. Forestry, after Independence under theimplemented for
Many policies were evolved to be
Some important species areGorjan and Hintal which Conservation of forests.
provide tuel for household. Others include Keora, agar and Van Mahotsava programme.
Rhizophora. Mahotsava
" The casuarina trees are used for fucl. The most important of the policies is "Van this
programme" which started in 1950. Under
The relationship between relief and climate, programme, all government organizations are supposed
particularly rain, in determining natural to plant trees in the months of July and August.
It is
vegetation; modification by man celebrated on 5th June.
Distribution of natural vegetation is closcly related to Afforestation.
relief and rainfall as seen from various examples. Another scheme which has been adopted is
Dense evergreen forests are found in the areas of very "Afforestation". Under this scheme a programme has
high rainfall, and thorny desert vegetatien in the areas been proposed to plant trees in Rajasthan, west Uttar
of very scanty rainfall. If we see relief. rainfall and Pradesh and Kutch desert to prevent soil erosion.
vegetation maps together, the relation between the . Reafforestation.
three is striking. Although Slash and Burn or "Jhooming" practice has
Since they are interrelated, it is evident that the cutting been banned in N.E. India, indiscriminate cutting of
down or depletion of forests will have direct impact on trees without bothering about the depletion of forest
the environment of the country. Natural vegetation and its cover is still very common.
products play a very important role in a nation's cconomy. This has resulted in severe problems connected with
Importance of Forest resources our natural soil erosion. To resolve this problem Government of
wealth India has started a programme under which two saplings
" The term natural resources means the collective are planted for every felled tree. This is known as
wealth of a country". Forests are one of the most Reafforestation.
important natural resources of our country. A classic NGO approach to save the trees is the
Unfortunately, although it is said- that the land under Bahuguna's Chipco Movement of 1974 by the women
forest in our country is 21%, the effective forests cover of Reni in north India, where they rescued the trees at
as revealed by all kinds of survey is hardly between the cost of their own life. This is a living example of
12% - 14%. general public awareness which has become a widespread
" This is a consequence of indiscriminate cutting movement in the country and is a commendable process
down of the trees due to Jhooming (or Slash and to conserve trees.
Burn) practices to clear the forests for cultivation and
4. CONSERVATION OF FORESTS
construction purposes.
There is also uncontrolled and at times unauthorized The latest reports of the National Remote Sensing
cutting down of trees by unscrupulous timber merchants Agency (NRSA) indicate that the country is losing
for the purpose of trade. about 1.3 million hectares of forest cover every year.
This depletion of forest cover is termed as Deforestation. This will be detrimental to our national interest. Hence
It has brought about complete deterioration of flora and the urgent need is for conservation of forests. Forest
fauna of which our country has been so proud of for resources of India are facing a serious threat by her own
centuries. people. The Government of India has taken serious view of
. This has also affected our countries physical and this problem and as such has introduced a programme to
Natural Vegetation
167
 balance.
protect, conserve and develop the forest area. This is called " Forests help in maintaining ecological
"Programme of Forest Conservation". The measures Forests prevent soil erosion as the roots of the trees
floods.
taken under this programme are hold the soil together. They also prevent
" Preventive act on destruction of forests. POLICY
" Various research programmes to prevent various 6. THE NATIONAL FOREST
where forest policy
diseases of trees and make the forests more productive " India is one of the few countries
1894.
and useful. is in operation since
Prevention of wildlife as many species have become Amendments have been made in the policy by the
conserve and
extinct and many are on the verge of extinction. This is government periodically to protect,
being done by promoting Biosphere reserved forests. develop the forest resources.
" To protect both trees and species, several forest regions
Under the scheme of forest conservation programme,
have been declared "Reserved forests" in Rajasthan,
the following steps have been taken
Nilgiri, Cochin and Meghalaya. Under Biosphere scheme of plantation of
(a) Afforestation: The 'afforestation'.
reserved forests, "Reserved forests" cover about 400 Under the
new forest is called
lakh hectares, whereas protected forest area covers
about 200 lakh hectares. Van Mahotsava' movement, thousands of trees
have been planted along the roads, railway lines
Planting more trees for development of environmental and hill slopes.
forestry to maintain ecological balance.
In various States and Union Territories, Forest (b) Reafforestation : The restoration of forests
Development Corporation has been established for wherever they have been indiscriminately cut
taking care of forest products and developing new is called reafforestation. In this scheme, two
forest resources. saplings are planted to replace one.
To protect the forests from fire, a strip of land 1. The National Policy of 1988, emphasised on
between the two sections of forest is cleared to (a) Conservation of forests as a national heritage
prevent the spread of fire. This is called fire line. with vast varieties of fiora and fauna.
" Owing to uncontrolled poaching of the forest reserves, (b) Control of soil erosion and denudation in
especially the flora and fauna are under severe threat of catchment afeas of ivers, lakes and reservoirs.
extinction and to prevent this practice it is very important (c) Check on the extension of sand dunes in desert
that the public at large should be properly educated to regions of Rajasthan.
realize the significance of forests in their own interest. II. Stéps to create massive movement of people in
To get sustained yield of timber, Silviculture is being forest management.
practised. Silviculture means timber farming ie. II. Social forestry programme social forestry is
the preparation of the soil to grow trees at the same the management and protection of forests and
time so that all the trees mature together and make afforestation of barren and deforested lands with
clear cutting possible. Foresters use latest genetic purpose of helping environmental social and rural
information to have improved growth rate and greater
resistance to pests and diseases. This would stop the development.
IV. Agroforesty It is an integrated approach of
indiscriminate cutting of the trees for timber trade. using the interactive benefits from combining trees
Apart from these measures the forest research institute and shrubs with crops. It combines agricultural
of Dehradun conducts research in "forests and forest
and forestry technologies to create more diverse,
products".
productive and profitable land use system.
5. FOREST PRODUCTS AND THEIR USES V. Earm Forestry - Farm forestry is a tree planting
They are the storehouse of timber for house-making programme launched in late 197Os, which
and furniture, fuel, fruits, herbs, honey, bamboo, canes promotes commercial tree growing by farmers on
and fibres. their own land. It is the practice of growing trees
on the farmland to produce saleable products like
They provide employment to thousands of people. timber, tannin and folder. Two advantages of farm
They are a source of income to the government.
They provide raw material to many industries, e.g.. paper. forestry are
It increases farm income
Many other products like bees wax, materials for " Ir
dyeing and tanning, oil and lac are gifts of forests.
promotes afforestation and supports community
development.
They provide shelter for wildlife and asanctuary e birds.

168 A Textbook of ICSE Geography - X