Introduction
Introduction
Forest Department is one of the important departments under the government of Chhatisgarh. It is engaged in planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of forestry, and environmental programmes in the state. It is the sole custodian of rich forest resource of the state.
The principal activities undertaken by the department consist of conservation of flora, fauna, sustainable management of forest and wildlife, rehabilitation of degraded forests, natural regeneration of forests, management of forest products in the framework of current policy and legislative environment. The state has its own forest policy. The organizational structure of the department covers different wings at the Headquarter, 8 field circles and 45 territorial, wild life and other functional divisions.
Forest Resources
The state of Chhattisgarh being placed in Deccan bio-geographical area , houses an important part of that rich and unique biological diversity . What is amore conspicuous is that the state is significantly rich in endemism with respect to many plants having medicinal importance. The forests of the state fall under two major forest types, i.e., Tropical Moist Deciduous forest and the Tropical Dry Deciduous forest. The state of Chhattisgarh is endowed with about 22 varied forest sub-types existing in the state.
Sal (Shorea robusta) and Teak (Tectona grandis) are the two major tree species in the state. Other notable overwood species are Bija (Pterocarpus marsupium), Saja (Terminalia tomentosa), Dhawra (Anogeissus latifolia), Mahua (Madhuca indica), Tendu (Diospyros melanoxylon) etc. Amla (Embilica officinalis), Karra (Cleistanthus collinus) and bamboo (Dendrocalamus strictus) constitute a significant chunk of middle canopy of the state forests. From the management point of view ,there are four types of forests in the state of Chhattisgarh. These are Teak, Sal , Miscellaneous and Bamboo forests.
Biogeographically, the state falls in Deccan bio-region comprising representative fauna of central India like the tiger (Panthera tigris), leopard (Panthera pardus), gaur (Bos gaurus), sambhar (Cervus unicolor) , chital (Axis axis), nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus) and wild boar (Sus scrofa). The state is a proud possessor of rare wildlife like the wild buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) and hill myna (Gracula religiosa) which have been declared as rare and endangered. Apart from the species diversity , the state is also endowed with rich genetic diversity . The variation in the genetic composition of individuals within or among floristic and faunal species is large.
Forest Area : At a glance
|
Reserved Forests |
25782.167 Sq.Km. |
|
Protected Forests |
24036.100 Sq.Km. |
|
Undemarkated P.F. |
9954.122 Sq.Km. |
|
Total Forests |
59772.389 Sq.Km. |
Forest Types
|
S.No.
|
Types of Forest
|
Forest Area ( in
Sq.Km.)
|
Percentage
(%)
|
|
1.
|
Sal
|
24244.878
|
40.56
|
|
2.
|
Teak
|
5633.131
|
9.42
|
|
3.
|
Mixed
|
6484.380
|
50.02
|
|
|
Total
|
59772.389
|
100.00
|
Forest Cover
The forest cover of state is placed at 55,870 Sq.Km. According to forest survey of India assessment (2007) the extent of very dense forest is 4,162 Sq.Km., dense forest 35,038 Sq.Km. and open forest is 16,670 Sq.Km. The legal forest area (as per the legal definition) of the state is 59772 sq. km. This accounts for 44.2 % of geographical area of the state.
|
Very Dense
Forest |
4,162 Sq.Km |
|
Dense Forest |
35,038 Sq.Km. |
|
Open Forest |
16,670 Sq.Km. |
|
Total |
55870 Sq.Km. |
|
Of State Geographic Area |
41.33 % |
|
Of Country Forest Cover |
8.4 % |
Tree Cover
|
Culturable Non Forest Area (CNFA) |
69,594 sq. km |
|
Tree Cover |
4,492 sq. km |
|
Of State Geographic Area |
3.32 % |
|
Of CNFA |
6.46 % |
Forest & Tree Cover
|
Total Forest & Tree Cover |
60,355 km2 |
|
Of State Geographic Area |
44.64 % |
|
Of Country Forest & Tree Cover |
7.85 % |
|
Per Capita Forest & Tree Cover |
0.30 ha |
District-wise Forest Cover (Sq.km.) : Year 2007
|
District |
Geographic |
Very Dense |
Moderate |
Open |
Total |
Percent |
Difference |
|
Bastar |
14,974 |
1,352 |
4,341 |
2,336 |
8,029 |
53.62 |
9 |
|
Bilaspur |
8,270 |
336 |
1,631 |
531 |
2,498 |
30.21 |
-3 |
|
Dantewada |
17,634 |
1,081 |
6,175 |
4,094 |
11,350 |
64.36 |
0 |
|
Durg |
8,549 |
43 |
523 |
203 |
769 |
9.00 |
0 |
|
Janjgir-Champa |
3,852 |
4 |
26 |
127 |
157 |
4.08 |
2 |
|
Jaspur |
5,838 |
111 |
1,499 |
580 |
2,190 |
37.51 |
0 |
|
Kanker |
6,506 |
213 |
2,062 |
837 |
3,112 |
47.83 |
-10 |
|
Kawardha |
4,223 |
70 |
1,140 |
389 |
1,599 |
37.86 |
-6 |
|
Korba |
6,599 |
204 |
2,308 |
842 |
3,354 |
50.83 |
-3 |
|
Korea |
6,604 |
79 |
2,607 |
1,430 |
4,116 |
62.33 |
-36 |
|
Mahasamund |
4,789 |
5 |
536 |
424 |
965 |
20.15 |
5 |
|
Raigarh |
7,086 |
126 |
1,704 |
732 |
2,562 |
36.16 |
0 |
|
Raipur & |
16,468 |
189 |
3,848 |
1,432 |
5,469 |
33.21 |
0 |
|
Rajnandgaon |
8,068 |
29 |
1,789 |
717 |
2,535 |
31.42 |
-2 |
|
Sarguja |
15,731 |
320 |
4,849 |
1,996 |
7,165 |
45.55 |
-15 |
|
Total
:- |
135,191 |
4,162 |
35,038 |
16,670 |
55,870 |
41.33 |
-59 |
Source : Forest Survey of India Report (Year - 2007)
Copyright all rights reserved. Chhattisgarh Forest Department