NAMASHKAR Unraveling forestry practices in India & Sustainable Forest Planning in Himachal Pradesh Presented by Jasjit Singh Walia International Fellow, World Forest Institute 1
OBJECTIVE Introducing India pictorially--- its diversity and complexion and its forest resources, aspects, practices (policy, management & reality) & potential. A kaleidoscopic introduction to Himachal Pradesh & the forestry situation there. A new vision to incorporate economically viable sustainable solutions in the planning process through environmental services 2
The name `India derived from the River Indus--home of the early settlers. 3
India has 28 States & 7 union territories India 4
India is a Diverse Country 5
From the earthy existence 6
To the beauty of wondrous nature 7
The south has miles & miles of the coconut studded coastal areas--- 8
9
To the fertile Gangetic plains in the East.. 10
Onwards to the mighty Himalayas in the North. 11
The journey is a spiritual quest & the philosophy. 12
The essence of life is bliss 13
India is Multi-faceted Has bounties & beauty Contrasts work! And can charm. 14
Facts about India -British Colony from 1858-1947 - Became Independent on 15 th Aug.1947 -Capital: New Delhi -Partition of England s Jewel in the Crown into India and Pakistan -World s largest democracy -Multilingual:18 officially scheduled languages (of 179-188) -12% speak English - 4,635 communities The Howrah Bridge Saree The Taj New Delhi The Taj The Royal Bengal Tiger 15
2 nd most populous country 1 billion people 16% of world s population Half of India s population is under 25 years & 70% is under 36 years----young INDIA 16
By 2016 India s population of 1.22 billion was greater than the combined population of Europe (including Russia), Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Canada and the United States UN report 17
Issue of Carbon Emissions & caps would become as important for the developing countries 18
7 th largest country 3.29 million km 2 (1/3 rd size of US) 7% of world biodiversity with16 major forest types (2/3 rd tropical moist & dry deciduous) & 10 biogeographic zones >45,000 identified plant species(6% of the world s flowering plants, 3000 NWFP) >81,000 identified plant species 1,228 identified birds (14% endemic) GDP: $600 billion with growth of 6-8% Per capita income: $539 in 2003-04 39% of people < $1/day Agriculture =>contributes 30% to GNP but 60% to employment 1990s technology boom is driving economic growth & India s middle class is emerging as a consumer population 19
Forest Cover of India Forest per capita is low: only 0.08 ha (global average=1 ha) Low soil productivity nearly 25% of forest area generates less than 1 m 3 /ha/year (potential of 8-10 m 3 ) due to growing biotic pressure, seasonal variability etc. (Source: FSI) 20
From the temperate to the tropical to the coastal to the alpine, India has a varied forest cover 21
LAND BREAK-UP Geographic Area:3.3 million Km 2 264 million hectares fit for vegetation: 142 million hectares under crops while 122 million hectares uncultivated (67 forest land, 35 farmland, 20 village lands) 23.4% of the total land area is common property land resource; 18% under wasteland vital area for future afforestation program (Primary Source: STATE OF FOREST REPORT 2003-FSI) 22
Total land area & forest cover of India Moderately Dense Forest 10% Very Dense Forest 2% Open Forest 9% Non Forest 79% Non Forest Very Dense Forest Moderately Dense Forest Open Forest 23
Forest & Tree Cover Total Forest Cover: 678,333 Km 2 of Country's Geographic Area >22% forested 18% managed forests 4.7% protected areas Adding trees in public and private non-forestlands (e.g. horticulture) Forest Ownership: 90% forests are state-owned < 10% private forests Teak plantation 24
Forest Department Management 136,187 km 2 17.6% 238,434 km 2 30.8% 399,919 km 2 51.6% 90% of India s forestland is managed by individual State Forest Depts. Senior management consists of the central Indian Forest Service. Forests a concurrent subject: Both centre & state can legislate. Reserve Forests : most activity is prohibited except for specific ones. Protected Forest : most activity is permitted unless specifically prohibited. Reserve forests Protected forests Unclassed forests Unclassed Forest: Managed by FD but owned by Revenue Dept. Most activities are permitted 25
Reality of India s Forest Sector Large % of poorest depend on forests for survival (90% in HP) Degradation a bigger problem than deforestation: 53% lands affected by wind, water-logging, shifting cultivation or salinity Lands are fragmented into small holdings (.8 ha average in HP). Unproductivity, disputes, lowered water-tables, parched lands Poor investment in forestry development: <US$200 million/yr input versus US$7000/yr million withdrawn as wood & products Uncontrolled development of roads, hydro projects, mining. To jumpstart industry and agriculture, India offered access to natural resources, led to water stress & soil degradation Lack of wood to meet demand Severe biotic pressure: cattle population is >450 million! 26
Land Use, National Forest Policy, and Changes Before 1988 public forest lands were to produce timber while the private & common lands were to produce fuel wood National Forest Policy (1988) requires 33% forest cover in the plains and 66% in hills. Tree cover has gained importance now. Since 1990, public forest lands to be managed through joint forest participatory management (JFPM) and village development committees (VDC) for environment considerations & poverty alleviation (fuel wood, subsistence goods) Focus on Wastelands & private nonforestlands to produce timber and industrial raw material immense potential for trees in the farm lands. Both private & Wastelands are viewed as the primary resource for production of timber, fuel-wood, and subsistence goods 27
Local Governance 3-tiered local governance (District/Block/Village) called Panchayati Raj Institutions promulgated in 1992 28
Joint Forest Management Extent: 14 million ha. in 63,618 villages (RUPFOR, 2000), 63,000 Village Forest Committees/Forest Protection Committees managing. 17% of total area afforested in States that had assistance and 7% of total area afforested in States that had no assistance. Dependent on external funding sustainability questionable Govt. of India s 10 th V year plan targets 15 million hectares revegetation of degraded forests, 10 million ha. of irrigated area under commercial agro-forestry and 18 million ha. of rain-fed area under subsistence agro-forestry. JFM to extend to 1,73,000 forest fringe villages. JFM spread=> 1 million ha. annually. Degraded forest and pasture lands=66-100 million ha. 29
Indian Wood Consumption A Story of Insufficient Supply Fuelwood (92% for cooking) Supply: 200 million tonnes Demand: 280 million tonnes Fodder Supply: 540 million tonnes Demand: 700 million tonnes 2004 Harvest 56 million m 3 of timber for the domestic wood processing industry 2004 Log Demand alone 80-90 million m 3 2004 Wood Imports US $873 million Composite panels (particleboard, hardboard & MDF) 300,000 m 3 produced in 2000 2004 Pulpwood Domestic Supply: 8 million tonnes Imports: 19.5 million tonnes (US $497 million) Only 15% of fuelwood is bought 30
Indian Wood Product Imports in 2004 Type Amount ($US millions) Logs 802.2 Lumber 16.7 Veneer 4.9 Particleboard 15.3 Fiberboard 15.6 Plywood 4.7 Total 873.3 Logs are the majority of wood product imports Sources: Directorate of Statistical and Commercial Intelligence, Ministry of Commerce, GOI & Global trade Information Services 31
India would be a preferred market for pulp and treated wood for furniture, construction, and plywood Prefer tropical hardwoods 80% consumption is teak from SE Asia, Africa and South America Softwood lumber is mainly Radiata Pine (most from New Zealand) for packaging, limited construction Current annual investment for afforestation is $500 million ($200 million is external loan) Softwoods cannot withstand India s hot, humid, heavy rainfall and severe termite attacks Indian imports are 10 times its exports (2001) 32
Great Potential for Growth in Forest Sector Private Farmlands could yield 25 million tonnes annually (govt. forests yield 10 million tonnes) Eucalyptus, Poplar, Teak: industrial demand is creating diversification 40% of forest products are supplied from non-forest areas such as farmlands Fruit trees have huge potential Some wood-processing companies contracting farmers to grow timber plantations Market is expanding: plywood, panels, paper, newsprint, pharmaceuticals Import policy liberalized in mid-1990s Bamboo, straw products, bagasse, jute, and coconut hold great potential Furniture made of mango wood Bamboo holds great potential 33
We now move from India & its forestry practices to a Northern state in the Himalayas - so very important to the nation for its forest resources - especially for the valuable eco-services it provides. 34
Himachal: 55,673 sq km HIM:Snow, ACHAL:Area 35
Himachal Pradesh 12 Districts 36
Population: 6 million Capital: Shimla 37
38
39
40
41
42
43
Faunal Wealth Monal Snow leopard Koklas Kalij Pheasant Red jungle fowl Cheer Musk Deer Thar Yak 44
Floral Biodiversity Saussuria Spp. Meconopsis Spp. Roscoe Spp. Cremauthodium Spp. Primula Spp Justicia Adhatoda Spp 45
Development Growth Areas Horticulture: apples tourism hydroelectricity cement tea 46
Land Use Facts about Himachal Description Area km 2 % Geographical area 55,673 100 Legally classified forest area 37,033 66 Area unculturable 16,376 29 Culturable forest area 20,657 37 Area under good tree cover 14,360 26 47
Forest area by legal classification (km 2 ) Himachal Pradesh consists primarily of temperate & sub-tropical forests, alpine pastures, and inaccessible mountain tracts (% of forest area in H.P.) Reserve Forests 1,896 5 % Demarcated 11,400 31% Protected Forests Un-demarcated 21,643 58% Protected Forests Un-demarcated 977 3% Forests Private Forests 1,117 3% Total 37,033 100 % 48
Change in HP Forest Cover includes plantations, natural forests areas covered under definition of forests 14,500 14,000 13,500 km2 13,000 12,500 12,000 11,500 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 49
Conservation Benefits & Costs Growing stock: 10.25*10 7 m 3 = US $9.5 billion Direct benefit: $1.8 billion Indirect benefit: US $23 billion Total annual economic value: US $24.8 billion 50
Management Circles by Silvicultural Objective Others 5% Deodar, Kail 5% Fir, Spruce 4% Chil 6% Pasture 30% Broadleaved 3% Selection 2% Plantation 6% Protection 39% 51
Growing stock 1000 m 3 % of total Deodar 15219 16.0% Kail 12964 13.6% Chil 12080 12.7% Fir/Spruce 38700 40.6% Sal 2563 2.7% Ban Oak 6439 6.8% Mohru Oak 604 0.4% Kharsu Oak 3476 3.7% Maple 392 0.4% Others 2825 3.0% Fir and spruce cover the most forests at 41% Deodar cedar makes up 16% of HP forest 52
HP is highly forested compared to the rest of India India H.P. Growing Stock (10 7 m 3 ) 308 21 Volume (m 3 /ha) 78 162 Forest cover per capita (ha) 0.08 0.24 53
Yield and Removals: 10 6 m3 Total growing stock 95.30 Annual prescribed yield 0.60 Annual salvage removal 0.25 Annual timber distribution removal to right holders 0.12 In 1995, the Supreme Court suspended logging except for special work plans approved by the Government of India 54
Issues for Reflection Timber to right holders =1.2*105 m 3 $16 million Grazing & Fodder = 72*10 5 tonnes $133 million Medicinal herbs = 4,000 tonnes $1.2 million Other problems: Cultivation of illicit crops & smuggling, invasive species, fires, poor land- use/encroachments, severe biotic pressure, weak institutional capacity, low investment, lack of transparency, development matters, fluctuating markets, loss of biodiversity, marginalised women, poor lab to land input, vulnerability to environmental disasters Fuel wood = 29*10 5 tonnes $80 million 55
Problems & Constraints Heavy community/individual rights: timber distribution grant (subsidy), mining, fuel-wood, NWFP, grazing Forestry is a low priority sector and budget is declining High grazing pressure: 0.22 ha/ sheep unit but 0.5 ha/sheep unit is sustainable Land demand for non-forestry purpose high: development for hydroelectric projects, roads, cement plants Un-demarcated Forests prone to encroachment, especially for fruit growing (apples) Difficult to control forest fires: remote, low funds, few staff Hilly state not compensated for goods & services provided to the lower areas (water) Area constraint Shimla, capital of Himachal Pradesh 56
Sustainability means survival, livelihoods, and environmental services 57
Suggestions & Work to be Done: R & D Institutions: need to study Himalayan environment and ecology. Set up Himalayan Development Authority (mountain forum for redress. Better governance, change in vision & mission, market studies/green valuation, new technologies, environmental services. New administrative trends fostering local solutions for land encroachment, illegal logging, and NWFP propagation. Ecosystem services: compensation for conservation cost & benefits at national and global levels. Make existing natural forests eligible for carbon trade. Improve & restore degraded secondary forests. Alternative energy & construction wood sources; innovative sources for raw materials & their effective use. Address disaster management, including forest fires, landslides, loss of agricultural land in flash floods. 58
59
The country with the Taj beckons you 60