0192-B1

Introduction of Bamboo in Social Forestry

K. Francis and P. Shanmughavel^[1]

ABSTRACT

Bamboo is one of the most important multi-purpose species and therefore it is being introduced on a large scale under various programmes in social forestry in India, for example:

(i) Strip plantation,
(ii) Community forestry programmes,
(iii) Agro-forestry plantations,
(iv) Rehabilitation of degraded forest and
(v) Reclamation of wastelands.

This paper reports on the performance of bamboo in social forestry.

INTRODUCTION

Forestry practices which aim at provides goods and benefit to a nearby society are usually referred to as Social forestry (Tewari 1992). In India, forests have always played an important role in bettering the lives of the local population. Bamboo is one of the most important multipurpose species and therefore, it is being introduced in a large scale under various programmes of social forestry. It is a domestic arbores cent grass and villagers like to plant it home gardens, around wells, compounds and in the agricultural fields (Shanmughavel, et al., 1997). Bamboo is highly versatile. It is capable of growing in a variety of soils derived from different parent rocks, within its climatic habitats. Bamboo has also been planted on a large scale along roadsides and canals. It is also planted in degraded forest areas particularly near habitations. This can also be planted on agricultural fields and homestead plantations. However no reports available so far, about the performance of bamboo in social forestry. The present work was undertaken to assess the performance of bamboo in various programmes of social forestry in India.

In social forestry programmes bamboo is grown mainly in the following systems.

1) Strip plantation 2) Community forestry programme 3) Agroforestry plantation 4) Rehabilitation of degraded forest 5) Reclamation of wastelands.

1. STRIP PLANTATION

The strip plantation along road, canal and agricultural fields combine, three recognized social forestry aspects viz., protection, community and subsistence forestry. They offer physical protection to the land resource, in that they not only conserve topography, soil, water, air and fertility, but also provide shade and amelioration of the surrounding environment. It also meets the immediate requirement of the agricultural population for small timber, fuel and fodder. The common practice of strip plantation is to prepare deep pits usually 0.6X0.6m at a spacing of 4 meters, and 6-8 months old seedlings are planted in these pits. Observations on growth of the species planted on road and canal side in Tamil Nadu indicates that bamboo is one of most suitable species for road and canal side plantation.

COMMUNITY FORESTRY PROGRAMME

Community forestry programmes are based on growing bamboo on public (or) community land contrary to private farms. Bamboo for community forestry programme was suggested by Shanmughavel (1995). The most common type of community forestry programmes is that, in which the forest department, takes on the responsibility for carrying out the planting. The engagement of the local community in the implementation of schemes of this type is largely passive and is normally restricted to the provision of hired labour for planting and an agreement to cooperate in protecting the plantation.

DEGREE OF LOCAL PARTICIPATION:

For successful implementation of the community forestry programme, the participating local people should be trained with the cultivation practices of bamboos.

LOCAL INSTITUTIONS:

Community bamboo growing programmes are crucially dependent on the collaboration of village councils, community groups (or) other local institutions. The village community groups should be trained (or) given proper instructions about the growing of bamboo in the barren land by the specialists - in the field, while selecting the village community groups, preferring educated unemployed youths.

LAND ALLOCATION:

Initially maximum 25ha. Area of degraded/barren forest land should be allocated at a time to each participating village group. In future, more land can be allocated if the work of the participating village or community is found encouraging.

PROCEDURE OF WORKING:

After collaborative micro-planning a need based plantation management plan should be drawn. The forest department will assist the village committee to establish joint protection and management systems.

RESOURCE SHARING:

All bamboos obtained from community forestry should go to members of the participating village committee. At the time of harvest, prescribed in the management plan, after deducting the government expenditure, 60% share of net income will go to members of the participating village committee and 40% share to state exchequer.

AGROFORESTRY PLANTATION

Bamboo is basically a household species and is the best friend of the farmers. Agro forestry is a system by which agricultural crops can be grown in association with tree crops. Any agro forestry model should be taken into following consideration i.e., competition for light, space, water and nutrients between the tree crop and agricultural crop. Hence the tree crop selected should be compatible to the agricultural crop.

Some of the known combinations with bamboo, which are widely adopted in different parts of India are as follows.

Balaji (1991) reported that, the scope for bamboo in agro forestry is very wide because of the uncertain weather condition and increasing cost of labour involved in agriculture these days, even small (or) marginal farmer can get substantial income from Rs.800- 1000/- Once in three years from just one clump of bamboo planted with agricultural crop.

Shanmughavel and Francis (1998) conducted field studies to explore the feasibility of raising Pigeon Pea (Cajanus cajan) as an intercrop with bamboo (Bambusa bambos), Pigeon pea intercropped in 1: 1 rows at 3m X 3m pacing (250 plants/ha) and 1: 2 rows at 2m X 2m spacing (500 plants/ha) in bamboo plantations. The results of this investigation indicated that on an annual basis a net amount of Rs.7900/- (2m X 2m) and Rs.13,300 (3m X 3m) can be obtained.

It can be inferred from the above studies that, bamboo could be used as an ideal forestry species in the Agro forestry systems.

REHABILITATION OF DEGRADED FOREST

The total forest area of the country is reported to be about 75 million ha. According to recent satellite imagery, dense forest occupies an area of only 37.8 million hectares (FAO 1989). The remaining area consists of degraded forest where density of the trees is less than 40 percent. The area neither provide timber (or) firewood nor the ecological security. Bamboo has been planted on a large scale in several states under rehabilitation of degraded forest programme with an aim to restock these areas and improve their productivity.

AFFORESTATION

Bamboo is a favoured species in the National afforestation programmes as being a marvelous substitute of timber towards meeting the Industrial and rural requirements, checking erosion, conserving soil and moisture. Shanmughavel (1995, 1996) studied the performance of Bambusa bambos seedlings transplanted in the afforestation programmes at Kummitlapuram (62.2ha) and Chickally (49.3ha), Sathayamangalam forest division, Tamil Nadu. It revealed that,the survival percent ranged from 70 percent to 80 percent in both areas. The height growth of seedlings showed 2.20m to 4.80m. In general, the survival percent and growth is good at Chickally and Kummitlapuram. The annual recruitment of culms at Chickally forest area is given below to show the performances of bamboo raised under afforestation programme.

Average recruitment of culms at Chickally forest area Sathayamangalam
Forest Division, Tamil Nadu

Place: Chickally

Annual recruitment of culms

RECLAMATION OF WASTELANDS

Wastelands may be defined as lands, where the production of biomass is less than optimum productivity. (NWDB 1989). Such lands are ecologically the most unstable and suffer due to various problems such as soil erosion, ravine, acidity, alkalinity, gully, landslide, water logging, aridity, rockiness etc. Government of India has launched a programme for development of wastelands in order to re vegetate these lands and improve their productivity. Selection of proper tree species for afforestation and re vegetation of these lands is the key to success in these programmes. Bamboo being a versatile arborescent grass has largely been planted on these lands. This species being tolerant of water logging, salinity, alkalinity, soil erosion etc. is a natural choice in afforestation of several categories of wastelands. Some example of successful raising of bamboo plantations are follows.

Chauhan et al., (1992) conducted a study in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh on socio-economic aspects and extent of wastelands. Rehabilitation with bamboo plantation is suggested to bring these lands back to healthy in terms of fodder producing, fuelwood and timber, besides restoring environmental protection, so that a net profit of Rs.37,776 per ha with benefit - cost ratio of Rs.13.75 can be attained.

Shanmughavel and Francis (1995) suggested that marginal lands and areas that are not used for agricultural crops - can be brought under bamboo plantation. They observed that an average culm emergence of two per culm, one year after planting. The average culm recruitment increased in the subsequent years and numbered at 4-13 per culmp. It was observed that an income of up to Rs.1000/- could be got in three years from just one clump of bamboo.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The senior author is grateful to the council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), New Delhi for providing financial assistance.

REFERENCES

Balaji, S (1991) Agroforesty for prosperity. Forest News. Tamil Nadu Forest Department, Madras 1 (3): 9 -11.

Chauhan S.K., Sharma, P.K. and Moorthi, T.V. (1992) Studies on wooing wastelands for environment protection and economical biomass productivity with - bamboos Dendroclalmus hamiltonii in Western Himalayas - some projections. Ind, J. For. 15 (2): 121 - 130.

FAO (1989) Case studies of Farm Forestry and Wastelands Development in Gujarat, India, FAO, Rome.

NWDB (1989) Developing India’s Wastelands, GOI. Ministry of Environment and Forests, New Delhi, 82 pp.

Shanmughavel, P (1995) Studies on the growth of transplanted seedlings of Bambusa bambos at Chickally, Sathayamangalam Forest Division, Tamil Nadu, Van Vigyan 35(1): 14-16.

Shanmughavel, P (1995) Studies on Organic productivity Nutrient distribution, Nutrient cycling, Pulp and Paper characteristics of Plantation Bamboo (Bambusa bambos (L) Voss) Ph.D Thesis, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, India.

Shanmughavel, P (1996) Performance of Bambusa Bambos plantations at Kummittapuram, Sathayamangalam Forests, Tamil Nadu, Van Vigyan 34 (3): 128-130.

Shanmughavel, P and Francis, K. (1997) Utilization of Bamboo as raw material in the handicraft industries in Tamil Nadu, Van Vigyan 34(2): 70 - 71.

Shanmughavel, P. Francis, K. and George M. (1997) Plantation Bamboo. International Book Distributors, Dehra dun, India.

Shanmughavel, P and Francis, K. (1998) Performance of Pigeon pea intercropped in Bamboo plantations. Van Vigyan - communicated.

Tewari, D.N. (1992) Monograph on Bamboo. International Book Distributors, Dehra Dun, India.