82
R. Kumar and P. Saikia
not been any additional forest biodiversity and productivity, nor has there been any
increase in timber production (Puyravaud et al. 2010).
The dependency of tribes on the forest resources for timber has become an integral part of day-to-day life in Jharkhand state, leading to continual illicit extraction.
The timber resources support the daily livelihood needs of tribes in terms of housing
and fencing materials, poles, utensils, ornamental and decorative purposes, musical
instruments, agricultural implements, carving woods, furniture, fuelwood, charcoal,
kindling, medicines etc. A site-specific study recorded that the timber accrued Rs.
2185.37 household
−1 annum
−1 contributing 7.83% of the total income among indigenous people of Bundu block in Ranchi district of Jharkhand (Islam et al. 2015a).
The timber is largely elicited from forests, besides some traditional agroforestry,
community forestry and homestead forestry and consumed for packing cases, agricultural implements, furniture, housing, sports goods, cart and carriages building,
cattle sheds, storehouses, fencing, scaffolding, ladder and cremation in tribal societies of Jharkhand (Islam et al. 2015b). Widespread poverty and lack of livelihood
opportunities often make these people resort illicit over-exploitation of timber from
the forests. Hence, with such a huge tribal population and extensive dependence pattern, the overexploitation and unsustainable harvesting have resulted in severe forests
degradation, biodiversity depletion and diminished biomass productivity (Islam et al.
2014; Baba et al. 2016). Wasteland reclamation strategy by timber (G.arborea and
Tectona grandis) and bamboo (Dendrocalamus strictus) plantations are identified as
the best eco-friendly option for timber and bamboo production besides forest conservation and livelihood diversification in Bero Block. The implementation of the
proposed strategy would have substantial positive impacts towards social, economic,
ecological and cultural security on a sustainable basis. The timber production from
the forest has declined due to increased emphasis on forest conservation. To meet
their increasing requirements, the wood-based industries have to augment supply
by importing wood and promote plantations outside forests in farmer’s land of high
yielding genetically improved the variety of tree species as well as raise their own
captive plantations.
After the 1988 National Forest Policy, the focus on production has shifted from
timber to non-timber forest products although timber is the most valuable product
of the forests. No reliable estimates are available of timber requirements for house
building, furniture, agriculture implements, handicrafts, pulp, paper and other industry. While the requirements of Industry can be worked out from the installed capacity,
it is not easy to do so in respect of other important consumers of timber. The largescale import of timber affects the domestic pricing pattern of timber (GoI 2006),
and therefore the import-export policy (EXIM) of the country should be reviewed
to rectify the pricing in the market so that it is economically viable to grow trees
on farmlands. In the case of India, there is no centralized data pool that maintains
timber production records. Additionally, the Ministry of Statistics, GoI mentions the
gap in the compilation of forestry statistics in its report on agricultural and allied
sector statistics (GoI 2013). The demand of wood continued to increase due to an
increase in population and the growing demand for timber products, resulting from
R. Kumar and P. Saikia
not been any additional forest biodiversity and productivity, nor has there been any
increase in timber production (Puyravaud et al. 2010).
The dependency of tribes on the forest resources for timber has become an integral part of day-to-day life in Jharkhand state, leading to continual illicit extraction.
The timber resources support the daily livelihood needs of tribes in terms of housing
and fencing materials, poles, utensils, ornamental and decorative purposes, musical
instruments, agricultural implements, carving woods, furniture, fuelwood, charcoal,
kindling, medicines etc. A site-specific study recorded that the timber accrued Rs.
2185.37 household
−1 annum
−1 contributing 7.83% of the total income among indigenous people of Bundu block in Ranchi district of Jharkhand (Islam et al. 2015a).
The timber is largely elicited from forests, besides some traditional agroforestry,
community forestry and homestead forestry and consumed for packing cases, agricultural implements, furniture, housing, sports goods, cart and carriages building,
cattle sheds, storehouses, fencing, scaffolding, ladder and cremation in tribal societies of Jharkhand (Islam et al. 2015b). Widespread poverty and lack of livelihood
opportunities often make these people resort illicit over-exploitation of timber from
the forests. Hence, with such a huge tribal population and extensive dependence pattern, the overexploitation and unsustainable harvesting have resulted in severe forests
degradation, biodiversity depletion and diminished biomass productivity (Islam et al.
2014; Baba et al. 2016). Wasteland reclamation strategy by timber (G.arborea and
Tectona grandis) and bamboo (Dendrocalamus strictus) plantations are identified as
the best eco-friendly option for timber and bamboo production besides forest conservation and livelihood diversification in Bero Block. The implementation of the
proposed strategy would have substantial positive impacts towards social, economic,
ecological and cultural security on a sustainable basis. The timber production from
the forest has declined due to increased emphasis on forest conservation. To meet
their increasing requirements, the wood-based industries have to augment supply
by importing wood and promote plantations outside forests in farmer’s land of high
yielding genetically improved the variety of tree species as well as raise their own
captive plantations.
After the 1988 National Forest Policy, the focus on production has shifted from
timber to non-timber forest products although timber is the most valuable product
of the forests. No reliable estimates are available of timber requirements for house
building, furniture, agriculture implements, handicrafts, pulp, paper and other industry. While the requirements of Industry can be worked out from the installed capacity,
it is not easy to do so in respect of other important consumers of timber. The largescale import of timber affects the domestic pricing pattern of timber (GoI 2006),
and therefore the import-export policy (EXIM) of the country should be reviewed
to rectify the pricing in the market so that it is economically viable to grow trees
on farmlands. In the case of India, there is no centralized data pool that maintains
timber production records. Additionally, the Ministry of Statistics, GoI mentions the
gap in the compilation of forestry statistics in its report on agricultural and allied
sector statistics (GoI 2013). The demand of wood continued to increase due to an
increase in population and the growing demand for timber products, resulting from