Evaluation of System Approach and its Relevance in Present Day forest Management: an Introspective View

The system (silvicultural) approach of forest management was evolved in Europe with a view to harvest sustained yield, in perpetuity. It was adopted in India along with scientific forest management in the middle of the 19th century and was subsequently incorporated into Working Plans. Extensive use of a few systems, such as 'clear felling' and 'uniform system', due to commercial reasons, resulted in conversion of natural forests into pure crops, prone to wind and insect damage. The voice of reaction took shape of new modes and techniques, embodying the basic role of forests as saviours of life support systems. In this paper, an introspective review of evolution, suitability and relevance of main systems has been undertaken, in the context of present day forest management. A need to upgrade old tools and techniques to suit the prevailing site conditions and evolution of new modes to suit the specific objectives, such as community forestry and sustainable forest management, have been discussed and proposed. A 'homeopathic' way of treatment of forests has been proposed rather than the present 'allopathic' way. The aim is to evolve simple and workable tools to achieve the objectives without disturbing the harmony and composition of natural forest ecosystems.