Brief Summary
Alright folks, this session is all about Jharkhand's forests and the India State of Forest Report 2023. We'll cover natural vegetation, key factors affecting it, and dive deep into the forest cover in Jharkhand, including types, distribution, and important tree species. Plus, we'll discuss forest products like Sal, Mahua, Tussar silk, and the role of institutions like Jharcraft.
- Natural vegetation grows without human interference.
- Rain is the biggest factor for vegetation growth.
- Jharkhand has mostly dry deciduous forests.
- Sal is the king of deciduous forests.
- Lac production is big in Jharkhand, with Ranchi leading the districts.
Intro
Hello everyone, Namaste, Jai Hind, Johar! The class is starting now. This session is very important and I hope you all find it useful.
Introduction and Class Overview
Good evening to all of you. Due to some health issues, classes were on hold for a couple of days. Today's class will cover Jharkhand's forests and the Forest Report 2023, which includes the India State of Forest Report 2023 released by the Indian government. The session will be in both Hindi and English.
Natural Vegetation Explained
Natural vegetation refers to plants that grow naturally without human interference. If plants grow naturally in a wild state without human help, it's called natural vegetation. Factors like temperature, soil, rainfall, surface patterns, and solar insolation affect natural vegetation. Rainfall is the most significant factor.
Course Information and Class Outline
If you need paid courses related to JPSC, such as Paper 1, Paper 2, or both, or if you need test series, everything is available. There are 14 tests for National Current Affairs, 14 for Jharkhand Current Affairs, 30 for Jharkhand GS, sectional tests, and full-length tests. Download the Jigyasa Learning App from the Google Play Store. Today's class will cover the India State of Forest Report and Jharkhand's forests.
India State of Forest Report 2023
The India State of Forest Report is published every two years. The last report was in 2021, and before that, in 2019. The next report will be in 2025, coming out in 2026. The total forest cover in India is 8,09,537 square kilometers, which is 25.17% of India's geographical area (32,87,263 square kilometers). The forest cover is 7,13,789 square kilometers, and the tree cover is 95,748 square kilometers. Focus on the forest cover percentage. Mangrove cover is 4,992 square kilometers, and bamboo-bearing area is 1,69,670 square kilometers. The carbon stock is 7,204 million tonnes. India has reached 2.29 billion tonnes of additional carbon sink against the target of 2.5 to 3.0 billion tonnes by 2030.
Jharkhand Context: Demographics and Forest Cover
Moving to Jharkhand, remember the geographical area. According to the India State of Forest Report 2023, Jharkhand has 17 tribal districts. The forest cover in the state is 23,765.78 square kilometers, which is 29.81%. The forest cover in the state has increased by 58.81 square kilometers, which is 1.91%. Jharkhand has one national park and 11 wildlife sanctuaries, covering 2.74% of its geographical area.
Land Use and Forest Types in Jharkhand
The total geographical area is 79,716 square kilometers. According to Champion and State classification, Jharkhand has six forest types belonging to two forest type groups: Tropical Moist Deciduous Forest and Tropical Dry Deciduous Forest. Dry Deciduous Forest is 93.30%, while Moist Deciduous Forest is 2.66%.
Distribution of Forest Types
Dry Deciduous Forest accounts for 93.25% of the forest cover, found in areas with less than 120 cm of rainfall, such as Garhwa and Palamu. Moist Deciduous Forest accounts for 2.66%, found in areas with over 120 cm of rainfall, like Ranchi and Lohardaga. Common trees include Sal, Mahua, Khair, and Palas.
Forest Types and Champion-Seth Classification
According to Champion and Seth classification, Jharkhand forests fall under two main groups with six types, further divided into eight categories. These include Moist Peninsular Low Level Sal, Dry Peninsular Sal Forest, and others. In 1968, Champion and Seth classified these forests. Dry Peninsular Sal Forest is the most common, while Butia Forest is the least common.
Forest Cover Density and Ranking
Forests are categorized into Very Dense Forest (VDF), Moderate Dense Forest (MDF), and Open Forest (OF). VDF has more than 70% density, MDF has 40% to 70%, and OF has 10% to 40%. Scrub forests have less than 10% density. The per capita forest cover in Jharkhand is 0.08 hectares. Jharkhand ranks 10th in the country in terms of forest cover, with Madhya Pradesh being first. Open Forest is the most widespread in Jharkhand, while Very Dense Forest is the least.
District-wise Forest Cover
West Singhbhum has the highest forest cover in terms of area (3,377 sq km), while Latehar has the highest forest cover in percentage (55.54%). Jamtara has the least forest cover in both area and percentage (5.94%). Garhwa has seen the highest growth in forest cover, while Chatra has experienced the most significant decrease.
Forest Types: Protected, Reserved, and Unreserved
There are three types of natural vegetation: Protected Forests, Reserved Forests, and Unreserved Forests. In Protected Forests, all activities are permitted unless prohibited. In Reserved Forests, all activities are prohibited unless permitted. Unreserved Forests are those that fall neither under Protected nor Reserved categories. Protected forests cover 81.28%, with the highest concentration in Hazaribagh. Reserved Forests cover 18.58%, mainly in Saranda (West Singhbhum). Unreserved Forests are mostly in Sahibganj, accounting for 0.14%.
Forest Products of Jharkhand: Sal and Mahua
Forest products are items obtained from forests, either directly or indirectly. Sal (Sakhua) is called the "King of Deciduous Forests." Its wood is used in construction, and its resin is used in incense and medicine. Mahua is the most useful tree in Jharkhand, with its wood, flowers, fruits, and seeds all being valuable. Its flowers are used to make local liquor, and its seeds produce oil known as Koydi Tel or Dora Oil.
Forest Products: Jamun, Semal, Gamhar, and Tendu
Jamun (Syzygium Cumini) has medicinal properties, especially for diabetes. Semal (Bombax) has light, soft wood, and its cotton is used in pillows and quilts. Gamhar (Gmelina Arborea) has durable wood used for musical instruments like the Mandar. Tendu (Diospyros Melanoxylon) leaves are used for making bidis, and Jharkhand has a Kendu Patta policy for fair wages to collectors.
Lac Production in Jharkhand
Lac is a natural resin secreted by the insect Kerria lacca. Jharkhand is a leading producer of lac in India. There are four types: Aghani, Jethwi, Kusumi (high quality), and Baisakhi (most produced). Lac cultivation has been given agricultural status in Jharkhand. Palamu division and Ranchi district are the top lac producers. Lac is exported from Tori, Latehar. The Indian Lac Research Institute, now the National Institute of Secondary Agriculture (NISA), was established in Namkum in 1924.
Tussar Silk and Jharcraft
Jharkhand is the largest producer of Tussar silk. The Central Tussar Research and Training Institute was established in 1964 under the Ministry of Textiles. Jharcraft (Jharkhand Silk Textile and Handicraft Development Corporation) was established in 2006 to support the silk industry. Silk parks are located in Ranchi (Irba), Giridih, Jasidih (Deoghar), and Kharsawan (Saraikela Kharsawan).
Conclusion and PDF Access
The session covered forest types, the India State of Forest Report, and Jharkhand's forest products. PDFs of the Miscellaneous and Schemes classes are available on the Jigyasa Learning App under the "Free PDF" section. You can also access them through the Jigyasa Live website.
