CHAPTER -6

NATURAL VEGETATION OF INDIA

b) The Deciduous monsoon forests

c) Desert and semi-desert vegetation

d) Mountain or mixed forest

e) The Mangrove or Tidal or Littoral forests

TROPICAL EVERGREEN FOREST:

Climate- Temperature-25-27°C, Rainfall- More than 200 cms Characteristics

1.They are called the rain forest as they are found in the areas of heavy rainfall.

2. The thick ground cover of forests is characterized by climbers and epiphytes.

3. As they do not shed their leaves at the same time, they remain evergreen and are called
’Tropical Evergreen Forest'.

4. Evergreen forests have not been properly exploited due to dense undergrowth and lack of
transport facilities.

Areas- These are mostly found on Western parts of Western Ghats, in the states of Maharashtra,
Karnataka and Kerala and eastern Himalayas in Assam, Meghalaya, Sikkim state.

Species- Rosewood(furniture), Sisam(furniture), Gurjan (railway sleepers).

Climate- Temperature-24-27°C, Rainfall-150-200cms

Area- This is the most widespread forest in India covering maximum forest cover. These are mostly
found in Bihar, UP, Odisha, MP, Manipur, Tripura, Assam etc.

Characteristics

i) Trees shed their leaves for about 6-8 weeks during the spring and

early summer when sufficient moisture for leaves is not available.

ii) These are most important economically as they yield valuable timber and several other forest
products.

iii) Deciduous forests have trees found in pure strands.

Species-

Teak (furniture, construction of houses and shipbuilding).

Sal (Very hard, durable wood used for railway sleepers and house building.)

Sandalwood- (Handicrafts and carving, perfumes and cosmetics)

Semul (matchbox, toys and packing boxes)

Myrobalan (Its fruit is used for tanning leather and dyeing)

Eucalyptus (paper industry, medicinal purposes.

Climate- Temperature-25-27°C, Rainfall-less than 25cm

Area- Rajasthan, Kutch, Saurashtra, Western Punjab, parts of Deccan.

Characteristics

i) The plants grow here are called Xerophytes, having very thin leaves or no leaves.

ii) Their stems and leaves are often covered by sharp spines.

iii) They have long roots to draw water as the rainfall is very scarce and thick fleshy stems to store
water during drought.

Species- Babul (most important tree of this region, yields strong tough and hard wood, used as a
fuel, also yields gum and the bark provides material for tanning hides and skins.

Date palm, Khair (useful as timber, provides material for making dyes for tanning)

MOUNTAIN FOREST

Climate-Temperature less than 20°C at an altitude of 1500-3300m

Areas-Himalayan zone from Kashmir to Assam, in the south, in Nilgiri and Annamalai hills.

Characteristics-They are of mixed Deciduous and Coniferous forests.

They form high but fairly open forests with shrubby undergrowth.
Species;

Chirpine (used for extraction of resin and turpentine, softwood used for making packing cases for
tea.

Silver Fir (used for paper, pulp, matches)

Deodar (Oily, durable and scented)

TIDAL OR MANGROVE OR LITTORAL FOREST

Areas-These occur in and around the Delta regions, estuaries and creeks and are prone to tidal
water,occupy a larger area in the Sunderban delta and along the eastern coast, Mahanadi, Godavari

and Krishna delta and in Andaman Islands.

Characteristics) Mangrove vegetation is characterized by breathing roots or pneumatophores which

ii) It’s stilt like roots remain submerged under water but can be seen at low tide,
Species;

Sundari ( very important in this area, Sunderban delta is named after it, has very hard, strong and
durable wood, used for boat building).

IMPORTANCE OF FOREST PRODUCTS AND THEIR USES

2. They provide employment to thousands of people.

3. They provide raw materials to many industries.

4. They provide shelter for wildlife and a sanctuary to birds.

5. Forests maintain ecological balance.

6. They prevent soil erosion as the roots of the trees hold the Soil together, they also prevent
floods.;

PROBLEMS OF INDIAN FORESTRY

a) Overgrazing by cattle,sheep and goats in hilly and mountainous areas.

b) Shifting cultivation in hilly areas causes extensive damage.

c) Industrialisation and urbanization also degrades forest area.

d) Human activities like mining, quarrying and building resulted in deforestation at a larger scale.

Forest conservation:-Some steps to sustain forest resources are

a) Afforestation-planting trees

b) Development of green belts in the urban areas.

d) People should be encouraged to participate in Van Mahotsav.

Van Mahotsav program- It started in 1950.All Government organizations are supposed to plant trees
in the month of July and August.

Afforestation- another scheme is proposed to plant trees in Rajasthan, west Uttar Pradesh and
Kutch desert to prevent soil erosion.

Reafforestation- The restoration of forests wherever they have been indiscriminately cut is called
reafforestation.Two saplings are planted to replace one.

Social forestry program- is to create awareness regarding conservation of forests and to meet the
needs of the rural people regarding fuel and timber.

Agroforestry- It is an integrated approach of using the interactive benefits from combining trees and
shrubs with crops. It combines agricultural and forestry technologies to create more diverse,
productive and profitable land use system.

Characteristics:
i) Trees shed their leaves for about 6-8 weeks during the spring and early summer when
sufficient moisture for leaves is not available.

ii) These are most important economically as they yield valuable timber and several other
forest products.

iii) Deciduous forests have trees found in pure strands.

Species- Teak(furniture, construction of houses and shipbuilding).

Sal( Very hard, durable wood used for railway sleepers and house building.)

Sandalwood-(Handicrafts and carving, perfumes and cosmetics)

Semul (matchbox, toys and packing boxes)

Myrobalan( It’s fruit is used for tanning leather and dyeing)

Eucalyptus ( paper industry, medicinal purposes.

Climate- Temperature-25-27°C, Rainfall-less than 25cm

Area- Rajasthan,Kutch, Saurashtra, Western Punjab,parts of Deccan.

Characteristics

i) The plants grow here are called Zerophytes, having very thin

leaves or no leaves.

ii) Their stems and leaves are often covered by sharp spines.

iii) They have long roots to draw water as the rainfall is very

scarce and thick fleshy stems to store water during drought.

Species- Babul (most important tree of this region, yields strong

tough and hard wood,used as a fuel,also yields gum and the bark

provides material for tanning hides and skins.

Date palm, Khair ( useful as timber, provides material for making

dyes for tanning)

MOUNTAIN FOREST

Climate-Temperature less than 20°C at an altitude of 1500-3300m

Areas-Himalayan zone from Kashmir to Assam,in the south,in Nilgiri

and Annamalai hills