Natural Vegetation — Question 5

There is shrinkage of forest cover in India due to following reasons:

1. Urbanization/Industrialization.
2. Increasing population.
3. Conversion of forest land to agricultural land.
4. Faulty agricultural practices like Jhooming cultivation or shifting agriculture.
5. Unauthorized cutting of trees by timber merchants.
6. Increased demand for forest products.
7. Construction of multipurpose river valley projects.
8. Forest fires.

Precautions that can be taken to reduce this shrinkage are:

1. Stopping unauthorized deforestation.
2. Promoting afforestation in lands unfit for agriculture.
3. Following reafforestation at the places from where trees have been cut.
4. Measures should be taken to avoid forest fires.
5. Strict regulation to avoid encroachment of forest land.
6. Using alternative sources of energy and avoiding felling of trees for firewood.