By:-Poonam Nagar

115069B.Sc(hons)

SOCIAL FORESTRY

WHAT IS SOCIAL FORESTRY

The traditional forestry involves protection of trees and their production.

Social forestry is concerned in the welfare of society, particularly the rural poor who depend for most of their livelihood requirement on forest.

According to FAO(1978) community forestry is the programme which intimately involves the local people in afforestation,irrespective of the pattern of land ownership.

BIRTH OF SOCIAL FORESRY Since ancient times forest have been

a support to rural economy.Over 60% of indian population

depend directly on forest for:- Fuel Fodder Timber Medicines Food etc.

CONTD….

In 1976,the national commission on agriculture in india introduced the concept of social forestry.

This concept was further refined by FAO in 1978 .

SCOPE OF SOCIAL FORESTRYSocial forestry models formulated to

achieve these goals:- Rehabilitation on degraded lands Strip plantation Village woodlots Farm forestry Agroforestry Homestead plantation Decentralised nurseries

CONTD…The different kinds of land pattern of india,

which have been identified for various activities of social forestry are:- Creation of woodlots in the village common

lands,government wasteland and panchayat lands(12 mha).

Planting of trees on sides of roads, canals, railways.This along with planting on wasteland is known as extention forestry.(1 mha).

CONTD…

Afforestation of degraded government forest in close proximity to villages(10 mha).

Planting of trees on and around agricultural boundaries, and on marginal ,private lands, constituting farm forestry, or agro-forestry, in combination with agricultural crops(143 mha)

TAUNGYA SYSTEM

It is a system of establishing tree crop in temporary combination of field crops.

This system was first attempted in Myanmar by Dr.Brandis and subsequently in india for raising Shorea robusta and Tectona grandis.

The system ensures intensive utilisation of land, employment to landless,but also causes loss of fertility ,erosion hazards.

Taungya(crops-teak)

SHIFTING/JHUM CULTIVATIONPractice of clearing and burning the

forest area for cultivation of crops for 3-4 years and shifting to other wide when fertility declines

Eucalyptus, Acacia, Zizyphus etc are the recommended trees for cultivation.

Shifting cultivation & improved fallows

DRAWBACKS OF SOCIAL FORESTRY

A. Community woodlots-development of fuel wood plantation scheme could cover only 9% of villages because of the following reasons:-

non-availabilityof wasteland Unwillingness of village panchayat to spare

their wasteland for communityplantation. Plant survivaland growth. Area available for plantation is very

smallto meet the demand.

B. Strip plantation:-This was fairly successful but the incentives offered by the project implementing agency were not adequate .

C. Farm forestry:-It was most successful scheme of all however in the absence of any market infrastructure it was difficult for them to find attractive buyer.

D. Land acquisition :-The project not get adequate response as most of illiterate feared that the government would acquire their land, after the establishment of trees.

E. Decentralized nurseries:-As the focus was on fodder and fuel wood plantation, the participants were advised to raise those sapling which were of no interest to them.

F. Energy conservation:-Failed due to poor publicity and awareness and also because of unsuitable designs of smokeless wood stoves which failed to save wood.

PRIORITIES FOR THE FUTUREEnhancing the productivity of natural

resources, augmenting the basic needs of the community.

Empowering the local communities to initiate the process of planning and programme implementation at micro level to promote afforestation for income generation and ecological conservation.

Improving productivity of private lands through agroforestry.since over 70% of our crop land depend on rainfall,yields are very low .

Trees based farming must be promoted to improve land equivalent ratio and crop yield.

Planting of fruit trees and NWFP may give higher income than timber and industrial wood plantation.

Emphasis on wood production and conservation. this could be achieved by commercial plantation and mixed plantation.

REFERENCESEnvironmental studies

byTIWARI,KHULBE

www. Forestry-management.com

www.wikipedia.com

THANK YOU