Gujarat’s Forest Resources – GK Geography

 According to the India State Forest Report-2015 released by the Union Ministry of Forests and Environment, the total area in Gujarat is 1,96,024 sq. Km. Forests cover an area of ​​14,653 sq. Km. Which is 7.48% of the area of ​​Gujarat, 376 sq. Km. Dense forests, 5,220 sq. Km. Medium dense forests and 9,057 sq. Km. There are open forests. 1,492 sq. Km. The area is overgrown with shrubs, but is not counted in the jungles, which, if calculated, covers an area of ​​16,145 sq. Km. Happens and 8 23% in terms of percentage. That the country has a total of 4,628 sq. Km. Km There are mangrove forests in the area. Among the states with mangrove forests, Gujarat ranks second in the country with 1,103 sq km, while 2,097 sq km. With West Bengal in the first place. Magnev forests cover 13 districts of Gujarat. Among these districts Kutch district has 789 sq. Km. Is the district with the most mangrove forests along the area. The afforestation policy was formulated by the Government of India in the year 1988 and it was decided that 33% of the country should be deforested but then due to continuous deforestation and industrialization, the States and Union Territories together accounted for 33% in 15 states. 

There are mangrove forests in Altogether, 15 states have more than 33 percent forest cover. Gujarat has a forest area of ​​14,653 sq. Km with 8,358 sq. Km. Kg. M. Is a wooded area. If calculated with forests and trees it is 11.74 per cent in terms of percentage.

 Forests in Gujarat Non-forested areas

91.77% Dense forests: 0.19%  Medium dense forests: 2.66% Two open forests: 4.62%% Shrubs – Thickness: 0.76% Of which 45,652 sq. Km. Out of the total area of ​​2,312 sq. Km. The area is covered by forests which is 5.06 per cent of its area. If we look at the percentage in Gujarat, Dang district has 1,368 sq. Km. 

There are forests in the area. The area of ​​Dangdistrict is 1,762 sq. Km. Therefore, Dang has 77.64 per cent forest cover as compared to its area. 

Districts with mangrove forests in Gujarat: 

Kutch, Mangar, Bharuch, Ahmedabad, Surat, Navsari, Bhavnagar, Vadodara, Valsad, Rajkot, Porbandar, Junagadh or out of 16 types of forests found in India, 4 types of forests are found in Gujarat.

Moist Deciduous Forests. 

  Located in regions with rainfall above 120 cm.   These forests shed their leaves in the dry season of March-April. 

Trees: Teak, Sal, Sesame, Turmeric, Timru, Shimlo, Mahudo, Khakhro, Dhavda, Kher, Amla, Kusum, Kalam, Kakad.  Teak is the main tree of these forests.  (Proportion 50%) These forests are the most economically useful to Gujarat.  

Area: Valsad, Dang, Tapi, Navsari

Dry deciduous forest

Dry Deciduous Forests 60 to 120 cm.  Located in areas with moderate rainfall.  

Trees: Teak, Bamboo, Kher, Acacia, Shimla, Neem, Timru (Proportion of teak 10 to 100) I These forests are not very dense, here under the trees there is tall grass like savanna type.  All the trees that grow in the moist deciduous forests grow here but the proportions are small and the size of the trees is small.  

Area:Aravalli, Mahisagar, Panchmahal, Dahod, Chhota Udepur, Narmada, Sabarkantha, Jamnagar, Junagadh, Amreli, Devbhoomi Dwarka, Gir Somnath. 

Dry Scrub Forests

Dry Scrub Forests are located in regions with less than 60 cm of rainfall.  

 trees: Acacia, Modad, Thor, Bordi, Sajad, Dhavdo, Khakhro, Garmalo, Rayan, Neem.  The amount of bamboo is very low. 

 There are usually no trees that provide timber. 

 areas: Kutch, Rajkot, Bhavnagar, Junagadh, Morbi, Banaskantha, Botad. mad acacia trees prevent the Kutch desert from advancing.

Mangrove forest

 On the west and south coast of Kutch, Jamnagar, Devbhoomi Dwarka, Gir. Mangrove forests are found in the coastal areas of Somnath, Junagadh due to the muddy area. I think the lightest type of cherry trees are the main ones here.  Cher trees prevent the sea from moving.  

Note: In Ambaji area there is a forest full of herbs, Indrajav, Khakhro, Timru, Bor, Kher etc. trees grow. Acacia and Kher trees are useful for glues to know about forest resources. 

Important

Kher trees are useful for katho. Bamboo is useful for making paper. Teamru Pan is useful for making  BDs. Shimla trees are useful for making chandeliers. Khakra leaves are useful for making padia or patarvelia.  Crazy acacia is useful for the production of charcoal. The Mahuda tree is useful for making alcohol. Under the Dhavantari project at Ramangamdi near Vadodara Ayurvedic herbs are made. The paper making industry has developed at Barjedi and Bavla in Ahmedabad district, Songadh Central Pulp Mill in Tapi district and Gangadhar in Surat district.