Abstract
Many tropical forests of India are highly degraded and sometimes lack adequate regeneration. In the tropical dry deciduous forest, Shorea robusta is a highly valued timber species. The Mainpat/Phendeling Tibetan settlement was established in 1962 in Chhattisgarh, east-central India. We assessed the forest surrounding the settlement and interviewed local residents to assess the forest conditions and the uses of forest products. Six sites were chosen to measure forest structure over a gradient of human impact. The forest area surrounding Mainpat showed evidence of degradation and overuse. We found that those sites classified as higher impact had more dead trees ha-1 and more dead tree basal area than low-impact sites. The dominant tree species, S. robusta, had no regeneration. Survey responses showed that the forest was primarily used for the collection of fuelwood and construction materials. Although the forest is under government protection, there are social needs and ecological issues associated with regeneration that merit management attention. We suggest several considerations for management including environmental education, provision of alternative forest resources, testing of artificial S. robusta regeneration, alternative energy sources, and participation in a payment for ecosystem services plan. No matter the approach, the restoration and conservation of the forest is critical for the regeneration of S. robusta and the future sustainability of the forest ecosystem.
Original language | English (US) |
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Title of host publication | Tropical Ecosystems |
Subtitle of host publication | Structure, Functions and Challenges in the Face of Global Change |
Publisher | Springer Singapore |
Pages | 163-172 |
Number of pages | 10 |
ISBN (Electronic) | 9789811382499 |
ISBN (Print) | 9789811382482 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jan 1 2019 |
Keywords
- Forest structure
- Regeneration
- Sal tree
- Sustainability
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Agricultural and Biological Sciences
- General Environmental Science
- General Engineering