The National Forest Inventory (NFI) serves as a vital tool in assessing and managing the rich natural resources within a country’s forested areas. Among these invaluable resources, bamboo stands out as a versatile and rapidly renewable asset, offering a plethora of applications ranging from construction to textiles. Additionally, understanding the carbon stock within forests is essential in the global fight against climate change, as forests play a significant role in sequestering carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. By comprehensively analyzing these components through the National Forest Inventory, policymakers and conservationists gain crucial insights into the sustainable management and utilization of these resources, ensuring the preservation of biodiversity and the mitigation of climate change impacts.
NATIONAL FOREST INVENTORY
- Conducted by the Forest Survey of India (FSI), the National Forest Inventory (NFI) stands as a significant undertaking in assessing forest resources.
- The primary aim is to evaluate crucial parameters such as the growing stock of trees, the number of trees, bamboo, soil carbon, the presence of Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFP), invasive species, and other indicators reflecting the growth and health of the forest.
- Comprising three components, namely Forest Inventory, Trees Outside Forests (TOF) Rural Inventory, and TOF Urban Inventory, the NFI provides a comprehensive overview of India’s forested areas.
- Notably, the growing stock, both within and outside forests, has exhibited a consistent upward trajectory over the last three biennial assessments.
- In the latest evaluation, the total growing stock has witnessed a notable increase of 6.92% compared to the 2021 assessment.
- Specifically, within forested areas, the growing stock has risen by 4.60%.
- The Trees Outside Forests (TOF) category has experienced a remarkable surge, with a significant 13.09% growth in the growing stock, underscoring the positive trend observed in India’s forest resources.
BAMBOO RESOURCE OF COUNTRY
In India, bamboo is naturally abundant across the nation, excluding the Kashmir region. The country boasts approximately 125 indigenous and 11 exotic bamboo species from 23 genera, highlighting its rich bamboo diversity.
- The Role of Bamboo:
- Bamboo plays a pivotal role in fostering social, economic, and ecological development in various regions. Its versatile applications contribute significantly to sustainable practices and local livelihoods.
- Bamboo Bearing Area in the Country:
- The total bamboo bearing area in the country spans 15.00 million hectares. However, a comparison with the Indian State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2019 reveals a decrease of 1.06 million hectares in the bamboo bearing area.
- States with Maximum Bamboo Bearing Area:
- Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh emerge as the states with the highest bamboo bearing areas, underscoring their significant bamboo resources.
- States with Minimum Bamboo Bearing Area:
- Contrastingly, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra exhibit the least bamboo bearing areas among the states, signaling variations in bamboo distribution.
- Maximum Occurrence of Pure Bamboo:
- Madhya Pradesh, followed by Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh, leads in the prevalence of pure bamboo stands. This distribution emphasizes the diverse landscape of bamboo resources in different states.
CARBON STOCK IN THE COUNTRY
The estimated carbon stock for the year 2021 is 7,204.0 million tonnes, indicating an increase of 79.4 million tonnes compared to the 2019 report.
- State-wise Maximum Carbon Stock:
- Arunachal Pradesh takes the lead in carbon stock at the state level, followed by Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Maharashtra. These states exhibit substantial carbon sequestration capacities within their forested areas.
- State-wise Maximum Per Hectare Carbon Stock:
- Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands showcase the highest per-hectare carbon stock. These regions stand out for their efficient carbon sequestration on a per-unit area basis.
- Distribution of Carbon Pools:
- Soil organic carbon emerges as the largest pool of forest carbon, surpassing Above Ground Biomass (AGB), Below Ground Biomass (BGB), Litter, and dead wood. This underscores the crucial role of soil in storing carbon within forest ecosystems.
- Changes in Carbon Components:
- Compared with the 2019 assessment, significant variations are noted in Above Ground Biomass (AGB) and dead wood. These changes highlight the dynamic nature of these carbon components, reflecting the impact of ecological factors on forest carbon dynamics over time.
FAQs: National Forest Inventory, Bamboo Resources, Carbon Stock in Forest
1. What is the National Forest Inventory (NFI) conducted by the Forest Survey of India (FSI)?
A: The NFI is a significant undertaking led by FSI to assess various forest resources. It evaluates parameters such as growing stock, tree quantity, bamboo, soil carbon, Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFP), invasive species, and other indicators reflecting forest growth and health.
2. What are the components of the NFI, and how do they contribute to understanding India’s forested areas?
A: The NFI comprises the Forest Inventory, Trees Outside Forests (TOF) Rural Inventory, and TOF Urban Inventory. These components offer a comprehensive overview of India’s forests, depicting a consistent upward trajectory in growing stock over the last three biennial assessments.
3. What is the significance of the latest NFI assessment’s findings on growing stock?
A: The 2021 assessment reveals a notable 6.92% increase in total growing stock compared to the previous evaluation. Within forested areas, there’s a 4.60% rise, while the Trees Outside Forests (TOF) category experiences a significant 13.09% growth, indicating positive trends in India’s forest resources.
4. How does bamboo contribute to social, economic, and ecological development in India?
A: Bamboo, thriving naturally throughout India, excluding Kashmir, plays a crucial role in fostering sustainable practices, and local livelihoods, and contributing to economic and ecological development.
5. What is the total bamboo-bearing area in the country, and how has it changed compared to the ISFR 2019?
A: The country’s bamboo-bearing area spans 15.00 million hectares. However, a comparison with ISFR 2019 indicates a decrease of 1.06 million hectares in bamboo-bearing areas.
6. Which states exhibit maximum and minimum bamboo-bearing areas in India?
A: Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh lead in maximum bamboo-bearing areas, while Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra have the minimum. These variations highlight diverse bamboo distribution patterns.
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