Forest Problems
Deforestation · Fires · Encroachment · Mining
MICRO-REALM 01
Deforestation
- PERMANENT REMOVAL OF FOREST COVER
- DRIVEN BY AGRICULTURE & URBANIZATION
- LEADS TO SOIL EROSION & HABITAT LOSS
MICRO-REALM 02
Degradation
- LOSS OF FOREST QUALITY (DENSITY/HEALTH)
- CANOPY COVER REDUCES TO < 40%
- CAUSED BY OVER-EXPLOITATION & GRAZING
MICRO-REALM 03
Forest Fires
- 95% ARE HUMAN-CAUSED (CARELESSNESS/POACHING)
- SEVERE IN PINE FORESTS (HIMALAYAS) & DECIDUOUS
- DESTROYS SEEDLINGS AND GROUND FLORA
MICRO-REALM 04
Encroachment
- ILLEGAL OCCUPATION OF FOREST LAND
- PRIMARILY FOR AGRICULTURAL EXPANSION
- CREATES HUMAN-WILDLIFE CONFLICT (HWC)
MICRO-REALM 05
Mining Operations
- OPEN-CAST MINING STRIPS ENTIRE ECOSYSTEMS
- MAJOR ISSUE IN CENTRAL INDIA (COAL/IRON)
- POLLUTES SURROUNDING WATER AND SOIL
MICRO-REALM 06
Invasive Species
- ALIEN WEEDS CHOKE NATIVE FLORA
- LANTANA CAMARA & PROSOPIS JULIFLORA
- ALTERS SOIL CHEMISTRY & INCREASES FIRE RISK
MICRO-REALM 07
Climate Impacts
- PROLONGED DROUGHTS STRESS TREES
- CHANGING MONSOON PATTERNS ALTER BIOMES
- INCREASED VULNERABILITY TO PESTS
MICRO-REALM 08
Shifting Cultivation
- JHUMMING / SLASH-AND-BURN
- COMMON IN NORTH-EAST INDIA
- REDUCED FALLOW CYCLES PREVENT REGENERATION
MICRO-REALM 09
Overgrazing
- LIVESTOCK EXCEEDS CARRYING CAPACITY
- PREVENTS SAPLING GROWTH (NO REGENERATION)
- COMPACTS SOIL, DECREASING POROSITY
MICRO-REALM 10
Infrastructure
- DAMS SUBMERGE VAST FOREST TRACTS
- HIGHWAYS & RAILWAYS FRAGMENT HABITATS
- OPENS REMOTE AREAS TO LOGGING
MICRO-REALM 11
Timber Smuggling
- ILLEGAL FELLING OF HIGH-VALUE TREES
- RED SANDERS, SANDALWOOD, TEAK
- DEPLETES SPECIFIC VALUABLE GENE POOLS
MICRO-REALM 12
Biodiversity Loss
- THE CUMULATIVE RESULT OF ALL DEGRADATION
- LOSS OF APEX PREDATORS DISRUPTS FOOD WEBS
- EXTINCTION OF ENDEMIC PLANT SPECIES