A CASE FOR ECOLOGY BASED APPROACHES IN RECLAMATION AND DEVELOPMENT OD DEEP RAVINES

Abstract

THICK PLANTATIONS OF PROSOPIS JULIFLORA AND DENDROCALAMUS STRICTUS WERE RAISED IN 1950s AT AGRA AND KOTA RAVINE CENTRES TO CHECK THE EROSION. IT WAS OBSERVED THAT DESPITE DENSE STANDS AND CLOSED CANOPIES THE PROCESS OF EROSION WAS STILL RAMPANT ON THE FLOOR OF THESE MONOCULTURAL PLANTATIONS. THIS PHENOMENON , HOWEVER WAS NON- EXISTENT IN THE NATURAL VEGETATION OF ADJACENT ECOLOGICAL PLOTS OF IDENTICAL AGE AND SITE CONDITIONS. ABOVE DIFFERENCES IN PROTECTION ABILITY ARE ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE DIFFERENCES IN COMPOSITION OF VEGETATION OF THE TWO SITES. THE PAPER SUGGESTS THAT ECOLOGY BASED APPROACHES WEIGHT HEAVILY IN FAVOUR OF ANY SUCCESSFUL LONG- LASTING AND ECONOMICALLY VIABLE UTILIZATION OF DEEP RAVINES , MIXED PLANTATIONS OF ECOLOGICALLY ADAPTED AND ECONOMICALLY REPUTED SPECIES OF ACACIA CATECHU , A NILOTICA , ALBIZZIA LEBBEK, AZADIRACHTA INDICA, DALBERGIA SISSOO, HOLOPTELIA INTEGRIFOLIA , SALMALIA MALABARICUM ETC IN DESIRED COMBINATIONS, INTERSPERSED AND EVENLY DISPERSED ALL OVER THE AREA, FORMING UPTO ONLY 75% CANOPY COVER AT MATURITY , ARE THE BEST MEANS FOR RECLAMATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF DEEP RAVINES.