 |
 |
|
|
|
State Forestry Action Programmes ( SFAPs ) | |
|
|
|
|
|
State Forestry Action Programmes ( SFAPs ) | |
|
DEFORESTATION
The per capita
availability of forestland in India is one of the lowest in the world,
0.08 hectares, against an average of 0.5 hectares for developing
countries and 0.64 hectares for the world.
The right of deforestation in the country has been considerably reduced during the last few years. The average annual rate of deforestation fell from about 1.3 million hectares in the 1970s to 339,000 hectares in 1980s and to about 129,000 hectares during 1990-95. However, considering that important objective of the National Forest Policy, 1988 is to increase the forest/tree cover to 33 per cent from the present level of 19.27 per cent, even the reduced level of deforestation is a negative achievements, though of a lesser intensity. FOREST
DEGRADATION
Forest Degradation
is a matter of serious concern. While there has been improvement in
controlling deforestation, forest degradation or qualitative loss of
forests is continuing. The biomass and growing stock of wood in the
natural forest of India is 93 ton/ha. and 47 cu.m./ha. respectively, as
against an average of 169 ton /ha. and 113 cu.m./ha. for developing
countries. This indicates that availability of forest biomass per capita
in the natural forest of India is only about 6.0 ton as against an
average of 82 ton in the developing world.
In the recent past, efforts were concentrated mostly on social forestry activities, neglecting the natural forests. Immediate action is needed for rehabilitation and intensive protection of natural forests. Periodic inventory of forest resources to establish bench marks and treatment regimes, implementation of working plans, scientific studies on wood and non-wood resources and enhanced community participation need to be given special emphasis. 
|
||||||
