19 research outputs found
Bamboo trade and future prospects in the Central Himalaya : A case study of the traditional artisans of Uttarakhand, India
No full textIn India bamboo is valuable in the rural livelihoods. However, despite improvement efforts the conditions of bamboo resources and traditional artisans have been deteriorating over the years. To improvise the socio-economic status of the artisans, different state governments are looking for information on the resource as well as artisans’ skills so that necessary amendments could be accomplished in government policies and programs to develop this sector as an important vehicle for rural development. This article is based on an investigation that was conducted in Uttarakhand state, India using questionnaires. We report on bamboo species being used, indigenous knowledge of articles made from bamboo, resource utilization patterns, and management status of bamboo in Uttarakhand state. The paper also discusses major bottlenecks of the trade along with the potential interventions that could be used to enhance bamboo-based livelihoods in the region
Factors Contributing to the Marginalization of Shifting Cultivation in North-East India: Micro-Scale Issues
No full text Shifting cultivation, locally known as jhum, is the predominant agricultural practice for most communities inhabiting the uplands of north-east India. The negative impacts of the practice on forest and biological resources, soil erosion and land degradation have been a serious concern for several decades now to administrators and planners as well as to the academic community. In the current context, the practice has undergone drastic changes and has become increasingly unviable, gradually leading to the marginalization of farmers practising it. Although shifting cultivation in this area has been the focus of intensive studies, particularly in terms of the underlying ecological dynamics, few have attempted to analyse the factors contributing to the marginalization of the practice. This paper examines micro-scale issues that contribute to reducing productivity (and hence marginalization), and which are of immediate concern to the shifting cultivator. The paper focuses on fundamental issues influencing the reduction in fallow cycle lengths, the impact of rural–urban migration on labour requirements for agriculture, the consequences of inadequate employment and cash generation facilities on labour availability and crop productivity, as well as government efforts to promote agricultural productivity in these areas. The main focus of the paper is on the impact of each of these factors and their synergystic effect on the marginalization of shifting cultivation. </jats:p
Perspectives of Tribal Communities on NTFP Resource Use in a Global Hotspot: Implications for Adaptive Management
No full textTribal communities depend on a large variety of Non-timber forest products (NTFPs) for their diverse needs, which has attracted high interest in recent years in view of increasing rural incomes and stimulating the forest management. This study investigates forest dependent (NTFPs based) livelihood in an ethnically diverse area in Northeast India, a global hotspot. We addressed two research questions: (1) what is the diversity of NTFPs resources that communities extract from the forest reserves to supplement their home needs? and (2) what are the perceptions of communities about sustainable development of NTFPs resources? We recorded 343 plant species that were used to fulfill varied needs of five tribal communities. Of them, 32% species harvested for their leaves and 27% for fruits. Dependence on NTFPs was more at high mountains. The seasonal use of NTFPs revealed that 79% species collected during lean period. Community perception on use of NTFPs revealed that 11% species consumed most frequently and 53% commonly. It was interesting to note that community residents sell as many as 76 species in the local markets to earn cash. All households collect NTFPs for sustenance while 31-41% households involved in commercial collection of species, viz. Taxus wallichiana, Aconitum fletcherianum, Ophiocordyceps sinensis, Swertia chirayita, Illicium griffithii, and Thalictrum foliolosum. There was a gradual decrease in use of NTFPs with young age because of high labour and availability of other options. The communities perceived that unscientific and excessive harvesting may threatened these species in near future. For adaptive management of NTFPs, communities suggested that capacity building on maximum allowable harvests and yield regulation measures, tenure improvement, domestication and plantations of selected species along with access to markets for NTFPs products will create better economic gains for communities at the same time it will lead to sustainable management of NTFPs. Keywords: Northeast India; global hotspot; NTFPs; sustainable use; consumption pattern; enterprises; livelihoods; adaptive managemen
Utilization of non-timber forest products in humid tropics: Implications for management and livelihood
No full textTree regeneration and seedling survival patterns in old-growth lowland tropical rainforest in Namdapha National Park, north-east India
No full textImpact of forest fires on soil physicochemical properties in Himalayan forest ecosystems of Uttarakhand, western Himalaya
No full textForest fire represents a recurrent disturbance in the Himalayan Forest ecosystems of Uttarakhand, Western Himalaya. The repeated occurrence of large-scale fire events in these forests exerts profound ecological, economic, and socio-cultural impacts. Soil is considered one of the most important natural resource and wildfire alter the nutrient status and composition of the soil. Little information is available on how soil properties such as moisture and pH level, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium stock vary along depth-wise before and after fire. In order to address this research problem, soil samples were collected from 0–15 cm and 15–30 cm depths before and after forest fires from mixed, sal, and chir-pine forests of Uttarakhand, India. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was used to explore the relationship among these different parameters. Before the fire, soil moisture content and organic carbon was highest in mixed forest followed by sal and chir-pine forest and after the fire, both moisture and organic carbon reduced across all forest types. Soil pH was initially slightly acidic in all forest type and after the fire pH of all forest type increased. Nitrogen and Phosphorus content was highest in mixed forest followed by chir-pine and sal forest but after fire, both the nutrients decreased. Potassium content increased after the fire due to ash deposition, and an increase in soil pH and potassium suggests nutrient redistribution. Overall, present study suggested that management of forest fire is essential to mitigate these impacts and restoration efforts to safeguard soil health and maintain ecosystem productivity in the Himalayan region
Seed size correlates seedling emergence in Terminalia bellerica
No full textAbstractTerminalia bellerica Roxb. (Belleric Myrobalan, Vern. — Baheda, Sanskrit-Vibhitaki, Family: Combretaceae) is among multipurpose tree species in India. The dried pulp of the seeds being used for the preparation of an ancient herbal formulation called Triphala (in Hindi). Seed size is considered a useful attribute for the propagation of valuable trees. The effect of seed size on seedling emergence in T. bellerica was studied under nursery conditions. Emergence of seedlings from large (mean dry weight1.18±0.02g), medium (0.95±0.03g) and small seeds (0.76±0.03g) varied significantly (LSDSin p<0.05=4.12, Sin=0.52). Higher numbers of seedlings emerged from the large seeds compared with medium and small seeds. Seed weight also correlated positively with seedling emergence in T. bellerica (r=0.967, significant α=0.01, df=7). Findings of this study will be useful for mass propagation of T. bellerica and reintroduction of elites in different habitats
Unlocking nature's hidden treasure: Unveiling forest status, biomass and carbon wealth in the Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary, Uttarakhand for climate change mitigation
No full textIn the context of present climate change concerns, the quantification of forest biomass and the comprehension of carbon stock distribution within protected areas are of paramount importance for exact carbon budgeting and the development of effective forest management strategies. This study conducted comprehensive field assessments with the primary objective of quantifying tree biomass and carbon stocks, as well as assessing structural attributes of forest stands. These assessments involved the meticulous collection of ground-based data encompassing various structural attributes, including circumference at breast height (CBH), stem height, basal area, stem density, frequency, girth class by utilizing a simple random sampling methodology. The results of this study unveiled substantial variations in all tree structural attributes across different forest stands along altitudinal gradients. Notably, species richness, tree density and species diversity exhibited an upward trend with increasing altitude. The maximum tree species richness (25) and tree density (1068 ± 102.2 individuals ha−1) were recorded at stand-IV, situated between 2200 to 2400 m, however, stand-I exhibited the maximum basal area. The highest aboveground, belowground, total biomass, and carbon stock was estimated in the stand-IV, with values of 279.12 ± 17.56 Mg ha−1, 65.58±11.20 Mg ha−1, 344.70 ± 20.66 Mg ha−1, and 163.73 ± 10.33 Mg ha−1, respectively. The study further revealed a positive correlation between elevation and species richness, biomass, and carbon stock. Additionally, it demonstrated positive correlations between total biomass and carbon stock with species richness, total basal area, and tree density. These findings convey immediate significance for the development and implementation of climate change mitigation policies and practices, particularly within the context of protected areas in the Himalayan landscape
