Remote Sensing and Gis Application in Mapping and Estimation of Bamboo Biomass in Kolasib District, Mizoram: First Step towards Scientific Resource Management and Sustainable Development.

Bamboo has got a prominent place in vegetative composition of the forests in the northeast Indian forests and intensely amalgamated with socio-economic and cultural matrix of this part of the country. Mizoram, in particular, is bestowed with a variety of bamboos, out of 58 species of bamboos found in the eastern states of India, Mizoram has twenty species. Bamboo is used for shelter, furniture, and handicraft; as food, energy source, medicine; in pulp and paper industries, and practically in every ethno religio-cultural purposes. Potential of bamboo as energy source is also marked, though not fully explored, by use of bamboo charcoal which could be a viable substitute for conventional charcoal from trees and thereby can help in checking deforestation and forest degradation. For all these, a precise mapping and near real estimation of bamboo resource is the prerequisite for proper management and utilization of this valuable resource which would help in sustainable development of the rural poor. It was found that miscellaneous forest, mixed bamboo, Pure Bamboo and non-forest area occupies an area of 646, 326, 200 and 210 km² respectively. The total bamboo biomass (dry weight) was estimated to be 1961.8 thousand tonne in Kolasib district. In the present paper efforts were made to map and estimate bamboo biomass in Kolasib district, Mizoram using Remote Sensing and Geographical Information System in combination with conventional techniques, which can be considered as the first step towards scientific management of biomass for sustainable development.