Informatics Publishing Limited

J. B. Lal , R. K. Dave

Abstract

Madhya Pradesh is producing about 60% of the tolal tendu leaves produced in the country and annually earns a net receipt of Rs. 1500-2000 millions. In 1964 State Government enacted the Madhya Pradesh Tendu Patta Vyapar Viniyaman Adhiniyam to help the forest dwellers and to check thefts of tendu leaves. After taking control of tendu leaves business, agents were appointed by the Govt. and later in 1980, to do away with the agent system, State Government appointed M.P. State Marketing Federation as agent. In order to give more benefits to forest dwellers, the M.P. State Minor Forest Produce Cooprative Federation was formed in ]984. But activities of both the Federations were confined to few districts of the State in 1988, State Govt. decided to cooperatize the trade and cooperative societies were formed. Trade in tendu leave is very encouraging and is providing employment to over two million people of the State.

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J. B. Lal

Abstract

The Nationtl Forest Policy 1988 stipulates that the country as a whole, sbould have one third of its land area under forest cover. As against this policy the officially recorded forest areas is only 75.18 million hectare i.e. only 22 8% of the geograpbical area of the country. The satellite data pertaining to the period of 1985-1987 reveals that the actual forest cover extends over 64.01 million hectare only. Over the last four years the country has been losing its forest at the rate of 47500 ha per annum. On a close scrutiny it is found that overwhelming dependence on firewood for domestic energy, and the use of forest lands as grazing ground have been the two major causes of depletion of forest cover in the country in 1987, the firewood consumption in the country was to the tune of 235 million m³ while sustainable level of production is only 40 million m³. As of now 99 million caltle units graze in the forests of the country, which have a carrying capacity of only 31 million cattle units. The author pleads that the conservation of forests is possible only if the management of forests is not considered in isolation but in conjunction with the management and consenation of three others bio-productive systems viz., agricultural lands, grasslands and fisheries. The author also suggests that for effective management, it is necessary not only to classify forests on a functional basis but also to assign to each class an appropriate level of control, and an agency for management.

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J. B. Lal , Joginder Singh , A. K. Gulati , R. C. Prajapati

Abstract

Though forests are considered a valuable and renewable resource, yet its exploitation for quick monetary gains has been going on unabated. Large scale deforestation all over the country has attracted wide attention of the people and the Government. For taking remedial measures, it is necessary that extent of deforestation that is taking place be monitored. Comparison of multi-date remotely sensed data offers a tool to study and identify deforestation sites. In the present study, extent of deforestation in Kodagu district of Karnataka between 1982 and 1986 has been assessed by interpreting MSS satellite images on 1: 250,000 scale.

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J. B. Lal , R. C. Prajapati

Abstract

The vegetation maps are importanl input for forest development planning. The satellite imagery on 1 : 1 million scale and 1 : 250,000 scale was interpreted. The interpretations made from imagery of the two scale were checked in tbe field. The vegetation map prepared from the interpretation on 1 : 250,000 scale imagery was found to give more accuracy than the one obtained from the interpretation on 1 : 1 million scale imagery.

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