WASTELAND UTILIZATION FOR FODDER AND FIREWOOD PRODUCTION FROM HIGH DENSITY PLANTATIONS IN THE NORTH WEST HIMALAYAN REGION.

Abstract

Shortage of firewood occurs all over India and rural populations either collect dry twigs and branches from forest areas or use alternate sources of energy like cow dung for meeting their energy requirements. Utilization of wastelands for production of firewood and fodder is a viable option to partially meet energy and fodder demands from sites situated in close vicinity to habitation. Illicit collection of biomass from notified forest areas causes serious disturbances to the ecosystem which is difficult to restore. Erosion in the upper Himalayan regions leads to frequent flooding and over flow in rivers in the valley portions and consequent deposition of slope forming material along river banks which consists chiefly of coarse sand, gravel and stones of various sizes. Nearly 2.73 m ha is affected by these deposits in the Himalayan foothills where most of these lands remain unutilized.