You save the forest, you save the tiger. It was one of the driving forces behind Project Tiger, which completed its half-century on 1 April.
But the irony would be that one of the major extensions of forest departments across India – the Forest Development Corporations (FDCs) – is doing more harm to the tiger ecosystem than it is protecting it. Some experts have also called these corporations incorporated under the Companies Act as ‘forest destruction corporations’.
Questions are being asked about the FDC’s initiative to resort to monoculture of certain species, especially of teak and eucalyptus, for financial exploitation.
Not only are these strategies detrimental to tiger conservation, but they also play no role in climate change.
Maharashtra has leased 3.43 lakh hectares (6%) of the total forest area to the Forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra (FDCM).
Experts believe that FDCM commercially extracts about 50,000 cubic meters of timber annually, causing considerable damage to the environment. In addition, it takes high quality diverse forests, which act as food security and habitat for tigers, and removes them for teak plantations.
wildlife conservationist Prafulla Bhamburkar Says, “The monoculture plantations of FDCM are now out of date. Older, denser mixed forests are more important for maintaining biodiversity and ecological balance. ,
In 2015, a study in the journal Nature found that 45% of government pledges for deforestation were all monoculture plantations of fast-growing trees such as acacia and eucalyptus. The researchers realized that in the long run such initiatives would harm biodiversity.
Former Honorary Wildlife Warden Uday Patel Says, “Diverse forests provide maximum food availability for wildlife throughout the year in fruits, leaves and grasses, and shrub canopy. Therefore, it has the highest holding capacity of herbivores and carnivores. It also limits the attack of wild animals on the crop. ,
According to Patel, lethal monoculture plantations act as ‘green deserts’ that have the least potential to mitigate climate change. “The FDC’s experience in growing trees should be used to grow forests on barren land,” he says.
Kerala The story of the Forest Development Corporation (KFDC) is a bit different. KFDC, which had gone for pulp plantation, had to close it after the Forest Conservation Act, 1980. East KFDC Officials recall how the institution had to diversify its activities. KFDC introduced community based ecotourism and generated revenue through pulpwood and teak.
CA Abdul Basheer, retired divisional manager of KFDC, says climate change is adversely affecting the productivity of cardamom, a climate-sensitive crop. “Carefully planned ecotourism and proper training to the dependent community is the only way forward,” says Bashir.
For environmentalist R Sridhar, it is imperative to consider ecological needs while undertaking conservation projects. “Kerala needs wood. We have to look at things more permanently. For example, riverine vegetation should be promoted near water bodies, and trees should be replaced,” says Sridhar.
Despite plans to diversify in Telangana, eucalyptus still dominates most of the plantations.
Of the 33,000 hectares of forests leased to the Telangana State Forest Development Corporation, eucalyptus covers 22,000 hectares, bamboo 8,000 hectares, teak 200 hectares and red sandalwood, sandalwood and others 600 hectares. Monoculture in eucalyptus plantations has reduced soil health.
TSFDC Senior Divisional Manager & Assistant Director (Ecotourism) G. skylab Says, “We take turns pruning eucalyptus trees every six years. We annually cut 2 lakh tonnes of eucalyptus worth ₹100 crore and bamboo worth ₹10 crore. To overcome the problems of monoculture we are going for other plantation like red sandalwood and sandalwood. ,
“We are also into ecotourism, including resorts in botanical gardens, backwaters and national parks in Hyderabad,” says Skylab.
But the irony would be that one of the major extensions of forest departments across India – the Forest Development Corporations (FDCs) – is doing more harm to the tiger ecosystem than it is protecting it. Some experts have also called these corporations incorporated under the Companies Act as ‘forest destruction corporations’.
Questions are being asked about the FDC’s initiative to resort to monoculture of certain species, especially of teak and eucalyptus, for financial exploitation.
Not only are these strategies detrimental to tiger conservation, but they also play no role in climate change.
Maharashtra has leased 3.43 lakh hectares (6%) of the total forest area to the Forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra (FDCM).
Experts believe that FDCM commercially extracts about 50,000 cubic meters of timber annually, causing considerable damage to the environment. In addition, it takes high quality diverse forests, which act as food security and habitat for tigers, and removes them for teak plantations.
wildlife conservationist Prafulla Bhamburkar Says, “The monoculture plantations of FDCM are now out of date. Older, denser mixed forests are more important for maintaining biodiversity and ecological balance. ,
In 2015, a study in the journal Nature found that 45% of government pledges for deforestation were all monoculture plantations of fast-growing trees such as acacia and eucalyptus. The researchers realized that in the long run such initiatives would harm biodiversity.
Former Honorary Wildlife Warden Uday Patel Says, “Diverse forests provide maximum food availability for wildlife throughout the year in fruits, leaves and grasses, and shrub canopy. Therefore, it has the highest holding capacity of herbivores and carnivores. It also limits the attack of wild animals on the crop. ,
According to Patel, lethal monoculture plantations act as ‘green deserts’ that have the least potential to mitigate climate change. “The FDC’s experience in growing trees should be used to grow forests on barren land,” he says.
Kerala The story of the Forest Development Corporation (KFDC) is a bit different. KFDC, which had gone for pulp plantation, had to close it after the Forest Conservation Act, 1980. East KFDC Officials recall how the institution had to diversify its activities. KFDC introduced community based ecotourism and generated revenue through pulpwood and teak.
CA Abdul Basheer, retired divisional manager of KFDC, says climate change is adversely affecting the productivity of cardamom, a climate-sensitive crop. “Carefully planned ecotourism and proper training to the dependent community is the only way forward,” says Bashir.
For environmentalist R Sridhar, it is imperative to consider ecological needs while undertaking conservation projects. “Kerala needs wood. We have to look at things more permanently. For example, riverine vegetation should be promoted near water bodies, and trees should be replaced,” says Sridhar.
Despite plans to diversify in Telangana, eucalyptus still dominates most of the plantations.
Of the 33,000 hectares of forests leased to the Telangana State Forest Development Corporation, eucalyptus covers 22,000 hectares, bamboo 8,000 hectares, teak 200 hectares and red sandalwood, sandalwood and others 600 hectares. Monoculture in eucalyptus plantations has reduced soil health.
TSFDC Senior Divisional Manager & Assistant Director (Ecotourism) G. skylab Says, “We take turns pruning eucalyptus trees every six years. We annually cut 2 lakh tonnes of eucalyptus worth ₹100 crore and bamboo worth ₹10 crore. To overcome the problems of monoculture we are going for other plantation like red sandalwood and sandalwood. ,
“We are also into ecotourism, including resorts in botanical gardens, backwaters and national parks in Hyderabad,” says Skylab.