CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABILITY MANAGEMENT OF FOREST IN SHIMOGA - NEED FOR POLICY INTERVENTIONS Sudarshan P. Bhat1, G.R. Rao1, Vishnu Mukri1, Bharath H. Aithal1, Vinay S.1, M.D. Subash Chandran1,3 and T.V. Ramachandra1,2,* 1Energy and Wetlands Research Group, Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore – 560012, India. 2Member, Western Ghats Task Force, Government of Karnataka, 3Member, Karnataka Biodiversity Board, Government of Karnataka *Corresponding author: [email protected] Forests are a precious gift of nature and need to be protected and managed for the sustained production of natural resources such as timber, firewood, industrial raw materials for making paper, rayon and minor forest produce like honey, wax, soap nut, medicinal plants etc. Forest ecosystems have an important bearing on the ecological security and people’s livelihood. These ecosystems preserve the physical features, minimize soil erosion, prevents floods, recharge groundwater sources, check the flow of subsoil water and help to maintain the productivity of cultivated lands. HISTORY OF FOREST MANAGEMENT IN SHIMOGA The Western Ghats is one among the 34 global hotspots of biodiversity and it lies in the western part of peninsular India in a series of hills stretching over a distance of 1,600 km from north to south and covering an area of about 1,60,000 sq.km. It harbours very rich flora and fauna and there are records of over 4,000 species of flowering plants with 38% endemics, 330 butterflies with 11% endemics, 156 reptiles with 62% endemics, 508 birds with 4% endemics, 120 mammals with 12% endemics, 289 fishes with 41% endemics and 135 amphibians with 75% endemics (http://wgbis.ces.iisc.ernet.in/biodiversity/pubs/ces_tr/TR122/index.htm). The rich biodiversity coupled with higher endemism is due to the humid tropical climate, topographical and geological characteristics, and geographical isolation (Arabian Sea to the west and the semiarid Deccan Plateau to the east). The Western Ghats forms an important watershed for the entire peninsular India, being the source of 37 west flowing rivers and three major east flowing rivers and their numerous tributaries. The stretch of Central Western Ghats of Karnataka, from 12°N to 14°N, from Coorg district to the south of Uttara Kannada district, and covering the Western portions of Hassan, Chikmagalore and Shimoga districts, is exceptionally rich in flora and fauna. Whereas the elevation from 400 m to 800 m, is covered with evergreen to semi-evergreen climax forests and their various stages of degradation, especially around human habitations, the higher altitudes, rising up to 1700 m, are covered with evergreen forests especially along stream courses and rich grasslands in between. This portion of Karnataka Western Ghats is extremely important for agriculture and horticultural crops. Whereas the rice fields in valleys are irrigated with numerous perennial streams from forested hill-slopes the undulating landscape is used to great extent for growing precious cash crops, especially coffee and cardamom. Black pepper, ginger, arecanut, coconut, rubber are notable crops here, in addition to various fruit trees and vegetables. Some of the higher altitudes are under cultivation of tea. From the point of productivity, revenue generation, employment potential and subsistence the central Western Ghats are extremely important (http://wgbis.ces.iisc.ernet.in/energy/water/paper/environmental_survey2011_gundia/index.htm). Trends of forest areas in Mysore presidency: The Mysore forest department was formed in 1864. Land utilization trends have changed dramatically in Mysore presidency during the post-Forest Act period. Available data indicates an increase in forest cover from 36.35 lakh hectares (in 1893–1894) to 52.55 lakh hectares (in 1915–1916). It has further gone up to 53.45 lakh hectares in the subsequent decade. It remained more or less the same for the rest of colonial period. In other words, the proportion of forest area has witnessed a marginal increase from 15.57 per cent of the total geographical area in 1884–1885 to 16.40 per cent in 1946–1947.Land not available for cultivation which has risen from 44.92 lakh hectares in 1884–1885to 96.07 lakh hectares in 1910–1911, however, this has declined in the subsequentdecades. In 1946–1947, it has come down to 56.88 lakh hectares (Mysore Forest Administrative Report, 1893-1956). Forest Management / Timber extraction: In the past, the importance was given mainly to selection felling and improvement felling with the primary objective of revenue collection. Timber was mainly brought to the depots for sale.Historical records show that there was no separate system to look after forest management and operation in felling of trees until the British time. Free access to hack and burn forests at will for kumri cultivation appears to be a wide spread practice through out the Ghats. Ruling classes generally exercising power over selected species of trees by reserving them to the crown and prohibiting public from felling them. The privilege was sold in auction and leases to traders, who were then given access to forests to cut and remove timbers (Mysore Forest Administrative Report). Expansion of agriculture: Expansion of agriculture was notable in the Mysore Presidency during the post-Forest Act period. Despite an increase in current fallows, the net sown area has gone up progressively during this period. For instance, in 1884–1885, 86.33 lakh hectares of land was the net sown area and it has shot up to 125.59 lakh hectares in 1946–1947. In other words, the proportion of net sown area, which was 37 per cent of the total geographical area in 1884–1885, had risen to 39.05 per cent in 1946– 1947. This highlights that more and more land was brought under the cultivation during the late nineteenth century and early twentieth centuries in the Mysore Presidency (Mysore Forest Administrative Report, 1893-1956). At the beginning of the 19th century, unbroken forest covered the Western Ghats from near the sea front to the most elevated ridges. During the British rule the tree felling and smuggling were common. Within the 30 to 40 years, forests declined from the coast to within a few miles of Western Ghats. During 19th century, forests were free for all, to cut and carry, to hack and burn to raise food crops for the pasturelands. This practice was carried extensive at the time of arrival of British especially around the Ghats regions. The forest was an obstruction to agriculture. Their whole policy was to extend the agriculture and which destroy the forests to make way. In addition to that, large areas were set apart for the rights and privileges of cultivators to meet the requirements of grazers and villagers. In the middle of 19th century, the forest decline extensively which lead to setup the management of forests began. Kumri cultivation received serious attention of the government for the extraction of forest products butit was permitted in less populated and inaccessible areas. During the 20th century, the forest was organized very systemically. Working plans of sorts were prepared for very small and commercially attractive pockets of the reserved forests. Steam engines, the diesel locomotive and two great world wars had debilitating effect on the forests. Government monopolized the timber to the exclusion of local people who had sufficient resources in unorganized forest areas. The local people had access to the forest for the removal of thatch grass, leaf mulch for agriculture, grazing, collection of minor forest produce etc were scrutinized and unsuccessful attempts were made to bring down the pressure on the forests. Extensive areas were also clear felled for the regeneration purpose. Simultaneously selection felling to feed open market also continued. In spite of this, attempts were made to bring more and more forest areas under working plans and work them under selection, conversion and coppice systems. Areas, which were inaccessible, were assigned to protection working circle. Demand for railway sleepers was the first major Industrial demand on forest. Patches of forests, which had good stock of mature trees, wereworked very intensively. Due to development, number of new demands for telephone ploes, electric poles, plywood, match wood, pulpwood etc also added after independence. Many private agencies had an access to the forest and many agencies had also access to the forest at the same time. TYPES OF FORESTS IN SHIMOGA The Malnad region of Shimoga is characterized by mountains with heavy rainfall, covering Thirthahalli, Sagar, Sorab and Hosanagara taluks. The semi-malnad regions comprising Shimoga, Bhadravati and Shikaripur taluks lie in the eastern part having vast stretches of plain lands with low and rising hillocks with low vegetation (Shimoga district Gazetter, 1975). The western side of the district is a very mountainous area and is part of the Western Ghats. The Shimoga district has a rich and varied flora, the major contributing factors to this variety being differences in rainfall and topography within the district. In the region of the Western Ghats, the rainfall is heavy, Agumbe receives an annual average rainfall of 8,275 mm. As one proceeds to the east, the rainfall decreases very rapidly, evident from Honnali getting annual rainfall of about 600 mms. Therefore, a rapid transition from evergreen flora to the scrub type, i.e., from mesophytic to xerophytic vegetation occurs as one moves from the west to the east. Magnificent evergreen