๐ฟ Class 11 Geography – Chapter 5
Natural Vegetation (เคช्เคฐाเคृเคคिเค เคตเคจเคธ्เคชเคคि)
✨ Introduction (เคชเคฐिเคเคฏ)
๐น In this chapter, we study about natural plants (เคช्เคฐाเคृเคคिเค เคชौเคงे).
๐น Natural Vegetation means plants that grow without human help and adapt (เค
เคจुเคूเคฒिเคค เคนोเคจा) themselves to the environment.
๐ณ Types of Natural Vegetation in India
On the basis of climatic conditions & vegetation, Indian forests are divided into 5 categories:
- ๐ด Tropical Evergreen & Semi-Evergreen Forests
- ๐ Tropical Deciduous Forests
- ๐ต Tropical Thorn Forests
- ⛰️ Mountain Forests
- ๐ Velachali / Anoop Van (Wetland Forests)
๐ฒ Sholas Forest
๐น Found in the Nilgiri, Anaimalai & Palani Hills.
๐น Belong to the temperate zone.
๐ด Tropical Evergreen Forests (เคธเคฆैเคต เคนเคฐे เคตเคจ)
๐น Found in hot & humid regions.
๐น Conditions:
- Rainfall: 200+ cm
- Humidity: 70%+
- Avg. Temp.: 24°C๐น Location: Western Ghats, North-East Hills, Andaman & Nicobar.
๐ Tropical Deciduous Forests (เคชเคฐ्เคฃเคชाเคคी เคตเคจ)
๐น Found in 100–200 cm rainfall areas.
๐น Location: Bhabar-Terai (Ganga valley), Eastern MP, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, WB, Andhra, Maharashtra, Karnataka, TN, Kerala.
๐น Trees: Sal, Teak, Rosewood, Sandalwood, Mango.
๐น Features:
- Shed leaves in summer → Called Autumn Forests.
- Height: 30–45 m
- Provide timber → High economic value.
- Spread: 25% of total forest area.
๐ต Tropical Thorn Forests (เคाँเคेเคฆाเคฐ เคตเคจ)
๐น Found in less than 70 cm rainfall areas.
๐น Location: NW India → Rajasthan, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, UP, MP.
๐น Plants: Acacia, Date Palm, Cactus, Babool.
๐น Features:
- Scattered trees, long roots, small leaves.
- Animals: Rats, Rabbits, Fox, Wolf, Wild Ass, Horse, Camel, Lion.
๐ณ Deciduous Forests (เคिเคฐเคจे เคตाเคฒे เคชเคค्เคคों เคे เคตเคจ)
๐น Rainfall: 100–200 cm
๐น Location: Eastern slopes of Sahyadris, NE plateau, Terai region, NE India.
๐น Features:
- Less dense, lower height.
- Softer wood.
- Found almost everywhere in India.
- Wood is very useful.
๐ Anoop Van / Velanchal (เคเคฐ्เคฆ्เคฐ เคตเคจ)
๐น Found in wetlands (เคीเคฒी เคญूเคฎि).
๐น India has 8 famous wetlands.
๐น Example: Sundarbans delta (WB) → World-famous mangroves.
๐น Rich in biodiversity → from tigers to reptiles.
๐น Need conservation for environment & biodiversity protection.
๐ Forest Area vs Actual Forest Cover
- Forest Area: Notified by government as forest land.
- Actual Forest Cover: Land actually covered with vegetation.
- In 2001 → 20.55% only.
๐ฑ Social Forestry (เคธाเคฎाเคिเค เคตाเคจिเคी)
๐น Meaning: Participation of society in forest management + planting trees on waste lands.
๐น Objective: Environmental balance, rural development & social welfare.
๐น First used by National Commission on Agriculture (1976–79).
๐ฟ Biodiversity, Forest & Wildlife Conservation
๐ฑ Objectives of Social Forestry
- ๐ฅ Availability of firewood for population
- ๐ณ Supply of small timber
- ๐ Increase in fruit production
- ๐ฟ Supply of minor forest products
๐ณ Parts of Social Forestry
- Urban Forestry – Planting & management of trees along parks, green belts, roads, railways & industrial sites in cities.
- Rural Forestry – Promotion of agro-forestry & community forestry in villages.
- Farm Forestry – Planting trees on arable & barren land with crops → provides food grains, fodder, fruits, fuel.
๐ฆ Decrease in the Number of Wild Animals
- Exploitation of forests for industries & technology
- Clearing forests for farming, settlement, roads, mines
- Cutting trees for fodder, fuel, timber
- Hunting for commercial purposes & royal games
- Forest fires destroying habitats
๐ Wildlife Conservation in India
๐ Wildlife Act, 1972
Objectives:
- Protection of endangered species
- Legal aid to national parks & sanctuaries
๐ฒ Forest Conservation Policy
- First introduced in 1952, revised in 1988
Main Objectives:
- ๐ Forest cover on 33% of land
- ๐ฑ Maintain ecological balance
- ๐ณ Conserve biodiversity & natural heritage
- ๐ Prevent soil erosion, floods, droughts, desertification
- ๐ฟ Expansion of social forestry & afforestation
- ๐พ Provide timber, fodder, food, fuel for rural tribes
- ๐ฉ๐พ Mass participation (including women) in conservation
๐ Biosphere Reserves (Jeevan Mandal Nichay)
Recognized by UNESCO – Man & Biosphere Programme
๐ฏ Objectives
- Protection
- Development
- Sustainable Management
๐ Example: Nanda Devi, Nilgiri, Sundarbans, Gulf of Mannar
๐ Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve
- ๐ Established: 1986 (India’s 1st)
- ๐️ Area: 5,520 sq. km
- ๐ฟ Vegetation: Dry/wet deciduous, evergreen, grasslands, swamps
- ๐ฆ Animals: Elephant, Tiger, Gaur, Sambhar, Chital
- ๐ Threatened: Nilgiri Tahr & Lion-tailed macaque
๐️ Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve (Uttarakhand)
- ๐ฒ Temperate forests → Silverwood, Orchid, Rhododendron
- ๐ฆ Wildlife: Snow Leopard, Musk Deer, Black & Brown Bear
- ๐ฆ Birds: Golden Eagle, Snow-cock
๐ Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve (West Bengal)
- ๐️ Area: 9,630 sq. km, in Ganga Delta
- ๐ด Forests: Mangroves, Islands
- ๐ 200+ Royal Bengal Tigers
- ๐ฆ 170+ bird species
- ๐ชต Valuable timber: Herisiera fomis
๐พ Farm Forestry
- Farmers plant commercial trees in their fields
- Govt. provides free saplings to small farmers
- Trees planted in pastures, meadows, near homes & cattle sheds
๐ฏ Project Tiger (1973) & ๐ Project Elephant (1992)
- Aim → Conserve species & natural habitat
- Maintain stable population of tigers & elephants
๐️ National Parks
- High security areas
- ❌ Grazing & private land rights prohibited
๐ณ Sanctuaries
- Lower security compared to national parks
- ✅ Controlled human activities allowed
- ✅ Limited land use permitted
๐ Exam Tip:
Remember → Social Forestry = 3 types, Wildlife Act = 1972, First Biosphere Reserve = Nilgiri (1986), Forest Policy = 1952 & 1988.
