Quantifying the Extent of Unsustainable Harvest of Fuelwood, Fodder and Non-Timber Forest Produce:Major Driver of forest Degradation in the Dry Deciduous Forest of Renukoot, Uttar Pradesh

Forest degradation is a challenging issue worldwide, particularly in a country like India where forests are the major source of livelihood for millions of rural poor. But, over the years, forests are gradually degrading due to unsustainable harvest of fuel wood, fodder and Non-timber forest produce. The research study, aims to identify the major drivers of forest degradation in the dry deciduous forest of Gardarwa village forest of Renukoot forest division. Further, the study quantifies the extent of unsustainable harvest of fuelwood, fodder and other Non-timber forest produce in the study region and suggests ways to substitute them. Techniques such as coppice, pollarding, pruning, ischolar_main suckers and trenching for sustainable harvest of forest produce are also recommended in the study to overcome the unsustainable extraction of Non-timber forest produce. The research study further estimates the potential forest biomass projection owing to the substitution of unsustainable harvest with alternative sources of livelihood and with adoption of sustainable techniques for the collection of other Non-timber forest produce in the Gardarwa village forest of Renukoot forest division in Sonbhadra district of Uttar Pradesh.