Strategy for mitigating fuel wood induced forest degradation in tribal land- scape of Jharkhand, India

Abstract

The study was conducted to examine the extent of fuel wood dependence in the forests and mitigate the pressure by evolving an eco-friendly strategy in Bundu block of Ranchi District in Jharkhand, India. Multi-stage random sampling technique was employed to select 164 tribal households from 9 villages. Well -structured pre-tested interview schedule and non-participant observations were used for data collection, which were analyzed by descriptive statistics. Results revealed that the total extraction of fuel wood from different sources was 598.60 tons annum-1 @ of 0.68 tons capita-1 annum-1, of which, 308.16 tons annum-1 was secured from forests, 133.31 tons annum-1 from agriculture field, 90.45 tons annum-1 from community land and 66.68 tons annum-1 from homesteads. The fuel wood use breakup recorded 486.24 tons annum-1 for cooking, 45.79 tons annum-1 by cottage industries, 41.07 tons annum-1 for heating, 18.80 tons annum-1 for community function and 6.70 tons annum-1 for others. The forests were exposed to fuel wood pressure of 308.16 tons annum-1 (51.48%) posing ample deforestation and degradation. A strategy consisted of energy interventions viz., biogas production (85351.60 m 3 annum-1), agroforestry (36.84 tons annum-1) and energy plantation (92.10 tons annum-1) is proposed, the implementation of which can mitigate the fuel wood induced forest degradation besides fuel wood security of 846.14 tons annum-1 against the present fuel wood procurement of 598.60 tons annum-1. The strategy designed needs to be implemented to substitute the current unsustainable extraction of fuel wood, safeguard the future fuel wood predicament and eliminate the fuel wood pressure on forests.