The assessment done by KSRSAC has given a detailed overview about the status of Karnataka's forests as on 2000. The broad indicators of this assessment compare fairly well with the indicators of the assessment done by Forest Survey of India and published in the State of Forest Report 2017. The difference in forest cover between the two assessments (1999-2000 and 2015-16) is reasonable considering the time gap of about fifteen years between the assessments. A clearer picture will emerge if another assessment similar to the KSRSAC assessment is carried out by using satellite imageries of recent years (say 2015 or 2016).
As regards the overall status of the state's forests, it is apparent that our forests are under tremendous pressure, more so in the maidan and semi-malnad regions. The forests of the malnad region appear to be in satisfactory condition. However, the focus of the department should shift from planting to overall protection in respect of the forests of all the three regions. To summarize, what have been narrated and observed in the foregoing paragraphs are briefly reiterated below:
1. In the semi-malnad and maidan regions of the state (including all taluks of Belagavi and Hassan districts other than Khanapur and Sakleshpur taluks, Kadur taluk, parts of Tarikere, Chikkamagaluru, Shivamogga, Bhadravathi, Shikaripura, KR Nagara, Mysuru, Nanjangud and T Narsipur taluks), the principal focus should be on overall protection and conservation of the existing forest blocks through eco-restoration providing for rigid protection, soil and moisture conservation and fire protection. This model should be implemented in the forest blocks year after year. Dibbling of seeds of native species annually just before the commencement of the rainy season should be an integral part of the eco-restoration model.
2. In the above regions, the ongoing plantation programme of the department should be continued in very limited and selected areas where soil conditions are good. Number of seedlings should be not more than 200 per hectare. Focus should be on the quality of the seedlings rather than on their numbers. The quality of the seedlings should be as good as the seedlings which are being used in road-side and urban area plantations.
3. There should be concerted efforts at converting the old eucalyptus plantations into natural forest by planting seedlings of indigenous species. Some of these plantations in the semi- malnad area have better soil profile even now. All out efforts, including uprooting of old eucalyptus stumps, should be made.
4. The recorded forest area of the above regions is much below the national goal of one third area under forest or tree cover as stipulated by the National Forest Policy, 1988. The condition of the natural forests in the region is very poor and is fast deteriorating due to relentless biotic pressures. It is therefore necessary to include the remaining relatively better natural forests into the protected area (PA) network for bio-diversity conservation.
5. As the recorded forest area of the semi-malnad and maidan regions is very low, it is impossible to increase their forest or tree cover to one third of the land area only by taking up planting or eco-restoration activities in the forest areas. The only possible way of reaching the national goal in these regions is to increase the tree cover through farm forestry. Farm forestry is necessary both for increasing the tree cover and for making the ongoing agricultural activities environmentally and economically sustainable. Agricultural activities together with farm forestry activities can provide better security to the farmers, especially in situations of deficient rainfall or drought. 'Krishi Aranya Protsaha Yojane' should be the flagship programme of the Forest department in the regions both in terms of attention and investment.
6. As a matter of fact, agro-forestry, dry-land horticulture and tree-mulberry cultivation must cover substantial portions of agricultural lands in the semi-malnad and maidan regions of the state. These are the most vulnerable areas of the state which have been affected by frequent and prolonged droughts. The severity of the climate change related vagaries of nature is likely to intensify during the coming years which may result in further degradation of the areas besides food scarcity and socio-economic stress. Extensive tree planting in any form will have to be carried out in these areas if the adverse effects of climate change are to be contained effectively. There are indications that desertification has already been taking place at an alarming rate in the arid tracts of the state.
7. In the malnad region, the focus should shift from planting to overall protection. The present practice of general under planting in the moist deciduous forests should be done away with. However, the ongoing practice of overall protection coupled with cultural operations and diffused soil and moisture conservations should be continued. Planting, if at all required, should be restricted to only open areas with suitable species in very limited numbers (say, 50 seedlings per ha).
8. The evergreen and semi-evergreen forest areas of the malnad region are included either in the protected area (PA) network or in the protection working circles of the respective working plans. These areas need to be provided utmost protection as per the prescriptions of the management plans or working plans. However, land management in the non-forest areas in the Western Ghats region is a matter of serious concern. Rapid urbanization around the towns and villages in the region and haphazard construction of roads (triggered by the demands of tourism) need to be controlled and monitored for the overall conservation of the highly eco-fragile area.
9. There are large extents of Acacia auriculiformis plantations in the malnad region. As and when these plantations are harvested, the first priority should be to consider indigenous species for replanting. The possibility of thinning these plantations and progressively introducing indigenous species such as saldhupa, mango, cane, etc. should also be explored.
10. The dry deciduous forests of the malnad region should be treated in the same manner as suggested for the dry deciduous forests of the semi-malnad and maidan regions. In other words, eco-restoration providing for dibbling of seeds, rigid protection, soil and moisture conservation and fire protection should be the principal focus. However, in limited areas with better soil, planting of indigenous species may be done with lesser number of seedlings (say 200 per ha). Teak, medri bamboo and sandal should be encouraged in these areas. The adjoining dry deciduous forests of Dharwad, Haveri and Davanagere districts may also be treated similarly.
Source: This is an abstract taken from the book, 'Status of forests in Karnataka' (https://bit.ly/2G2iTh0). The author is Mr. Dipak Sarmah.
