Kalyan Chakrabarti , Azam Zaidi , Siddhartha Barari

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The importance of suitable growing medium in modern nursery management can hardly be over-emphasised. One of the principal components of growing media in containerised nursery , specially ischolar_main trainer nursery , is compost. This paper elucidates the advances made by the Research Circle of West Bengal Forest Department in recent years in the process of composting. The method , time taken and cost of composting has also been highlighted. Since West Bengal Forest Department has started several ischolar_main trainer nurseries , making compost from weeds and organic wastes has gained importance. Experimentation with different components to standardise growing medium has also been attempted , and composting methods have been modified as per local conditions and needs in North and South Bengal. It is expected , that the West Bengal experience will benefit the nursery managers of the country.

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Kalyan Chakrabarti , Siddhartha Barari

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Kalyan Chakrabarti , R. P. Saini

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Kalyan Chakrabarti

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In this paper, various intricate environmental imperatives have been stated for the coastal ecosystem of Sundar bans. The development ofthe area lies in maintenance of ecological balance in the fragile ecosystem. The low plant-animal diversity for Sundarbans is clearly a warning signal for ensuring strict protection of this biotope from the future impending disasters. This conservational exercise will be of considerable help to reconsider and reorient the broad conservation strategy of Sundarbans Mangroves. Sundarbans Mangrove inhabit higher caloric concentrations and significantly high biomass productivity with low generic and specific diversity generally for both flora and fauna. Because of locational advantages of Mangroves of Indian Sundarbans, biotic interference is least in Sundarbans in comparison to other forest types of West Bengal. The balance ofpobr floral and faunal diversity in Sundarbans Mangroves is practically recompensed by lesser biotic interference. So with proper balanced forest management, Sundarbans hold bright potentiality in natural ecosystems. This unique conservational exercise is likely to open up new dimension into unknown properties of Sundarbans Mangrove ecosystem of West Bengal.

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Kalyan Chakrabarti , S. Barari

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The paper gives a detailed account of the successes and failures of the clonal propagation attempts in the State of West Bengal and the overall result of clonal forestry tends to indicate its effectiveness in enhancing the productivity of the West Bengal forests. An increment of about 2.86 m in height was observed from a clonal plant in the first year brought from Bhadrachalam and planted in South Bengal in respect of Eucalyptus tereticornis, which is quite promising. The results of clonal forestry in other regions of the State also are quite encouraging and are likely to meet the desired expectation of optimising productivity in the forests.

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Kalyan Chakrabarti , Azam Zaidi

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In this paper, an attempt had been made to review the history of plantation of Cryptomeria japonica a fast growing species in Darjeeling hills, its good and ill effects overtime. A detailed cultural and silvicultural practices had been described in details to improve the quality of plant, upgrade the ecology and as to how this practice may be a handy tool for rural development through joint forest management.

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Kalyan Chakrabarti

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The paper describes the importance of in-situ conservation of biodiversity to ensure the processes of evolution to continue without any hindrance for the overall development of man and to build a holistic and optimum relationship between man and nature. The principal reasons for ecological degradation are poverty and ignorance about the understanding the ecosystem. Thus, people from all walks of life are to be intricately involved in conservation education for the common benefit of mankind.

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Kalyan Chakrabarti

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About 82 per cent of Indian tribal population live in Singhbhum, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Sundergarh, Bastar, Chanda and several districts of Madhya Pradesh, Andbra Pradesh Eastern Gujarat and hills of Rajasthan; About 11 per cent of the tribal population live in Norlh-eastern Indian hills are suffering from the stress conditions caused by massive denudation due to shifting cultivation and other related factors, while the balance 7 per cent are distributed in the hills and plains of the country. Although Social Forestry has been a tool for socio-economic, economic and ecological development in this country and has raised 0.7 million hectares of plantation till date in the country mostly in non-forest areas, its impact (benefit or otherwise) on the tribal population oflndia has been insignificant. Environmental impacts brought about by hydroelectric dam projects, mining and other development projects have also not been studied so far in depth. In this paper the author had attempted to analyse the cause and effect and also the different facets of environmental impacts on the forest-fringe people in general and tribal population in particular with the object of creating a healthier environment and to improve the quality of life.

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Kalyan Chakrabarti

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A critical and systematic analysis has been made of orchid export data from 1983 to April 1992 and its domestic orchid trade and presented in the paper. Principal genera involved in orchid export include Pleione, Dendrobium, Cypripedium, Paphiopedilum, Coelogyne, Cymbidium, Phalaenopsis, Vanda, Calanthe, Aerides etc. and principal importing countries of Indian orchids are Japan, United States of America, Great Britain, Netherlands, Federal Republic of Germany etc. While the genus Pleione is predominantly exported to Japan, the genus Dendrobium is predominantly exported to United States of America as these orchid genera are seemingly in greater demand to those countries in comparison to other orchid genera. Quantitative figures of orchid exports from India to various countries are elucidated in the paper genera and countrywise. The analysis of data indicates positive correlation amongst specific importing countries with some particular orchid genera as well. The problems of orchid cultivation along with suitable recommendations have also been highlighted in the paper, which include resorting to modern scientific orchid culture techniques involving tissue and meristem culture amongst others.

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Kalyan Chakrabarti

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The paper describes the importance of in-situ conservation of biodiversity to ensure the natural process of evolution to continue without any hinderance. The results of Project Tiger areas with a concept of total ecosystem preservation in the core areas are worth mentioning here. The main reasons for the degradation of ecosystem are poverty and ignorance about the understanding the ecosystem. Therefore, people from all walks of life are to be involved in conservation education for the common benefit of mankind.

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Kalyan Chakrabarti

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The analysis of the designed experiment tends to indicate that there is a significant effect of spacing on biological productivity in the laterite areas of West Bengal. The closer is the spacing, more is the biomass productivity for the plots in both the locations of Southern Bengal. Regarding intra-species productivity, Eucalyptus was observed to produce more biomass productivity than species like Acacia auriculiformis, Cassia siamea, Gmelina arborea, Dalbergia sissoo and Lellcaena leucocephala and this order of productivity is markedly visible in both the locations of Southern Bengal. A descending order of productivity was noticed in these six species for different kinds of spacing treatments. This study brings out a code of treatment ethics and procedural discipline in spacing treatments for laterite areas of West Bengal and the results of this study may be compared with other similar sites to comprehend the in-vivo biological properties.

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Kalyan Chakrabarti

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Observations on the plant-animal relations and adaptations of different forms of living organisms of the mangrove swamps are presented. Principal forest formations inhabited by Sundarbans tigers have been described with vegetation types Ecological dynamics of the plant-animal complex indicate strict protection of the habitat. The mangrove zone situated below tbe tide level was observed to be comparatively rich in generic and specific diversity over other zones which are frequently inundated. Salinity and tidal fluctuations in the mangrove swamps are the critical factors that regulate the physical and chemical environment of the entire biota. All other biotic and abiotic factors that exert considerable force on the environment have also been identified. Habitat formations like pure Cereops. Excaecaria-Cereops which record high soil salinity also exhibit significantly higher human casualties from tiger. Soil salinity has been correlated with human casualties from tiger in different habitat formations types.

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Kalyan Chakrabarti

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Like any other activity export of wildlife and products also had seasonal and cyclic fluctuations. There are booms and slumps in export activities as well. The analysis of export statistics on wildlife and products clearly indicates that the export activity was at its peak during 1977 both in respect of value and quantity except for live birds, live mammals, snake skins and turtle/tortoise shells in which cases the peak year was 1976. The significant export activity also persisted during 1978 though with diminishing amplitude. But since 1979 there was a sharp fall in export activity and then year after year export is getting drastically reduced. This is primarily because of various restrictions imposed for export on wildlife and products by the authorities. The export data collected during the years 1975 to 1988 from Calcutta Port are presented in this paper. It includes the data on export by air, sea and postal parcels. The analysis of the data brings out revealing facts on different components of export. Japan stands out as the main country of import in respect of live birds over the period under study and is followed by countries like Holland, West Germany, Hongkong, Taiwan, Singapore, France etc. Another important dimension in export activity is the signing of an international convention namely Convention of International Trade on Endangered Species (CITES). India became member of CITES since October 18, 1976. This international convention has greatly effected an international control on export trade on wildlife and its products and paved the way for successful wildlife conservation.

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Kalyan Chakrabarti

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The study was designed to determine tbe present and projected positions of the supply, demand and consumption pattern of wood and wood products in the State so that the results may help the planners in formulating schemes on a more solid foundation of facts. Stratified random sampling was employed for the entire State population and the results were derived from 18,758 respondents, in both family and institutions falling at random in 753 sample villages and 796 urban census blocks, drawn out of about 38,000 rural villages and 15,000 urban blocks. Some interesting facts of social ecology have also emerged from the study. Against the recorded fuelwood production of 0.7 million m³ in West Bengal, tbe estimated annual consumption is 16.85 million m³ which means the consumption is about 24 times the supply. Amongst the traditional renewable resources, fuelwood is tbe most widely used in rural areas (about 93.2%). Of all the non-commercial energy consumed, the relative share in million tons of coal replacement (MICR), fuelwood provides 77.1% compared to 14.97% of agricultural wastes, 7.48% of dung-cake and 0.45% of biogas. In the total energy consumption in this State including commercial and non-commercial energy, fuelwood also constitutes about a significant 42%. Out of the total 16.85 million m³ of fuelwood consumed annually, family, institutional and cremational sectors constitute 94.10%, 5.19% & 9.71% respectively. Annual average capita consumption is about 0.288 m³ varying from 0.368 m³ in rural areas to 0.072 m³ in urban areas. The study also reveals that the proximity of forest areas bears a positive correlation to the per capita fuelwood consumption pattern, which is found to be the hightest in Darjeeling district (1.103 m³) and lowest in Calcutta (0.017 m³). A negative correlation has been establisbed between the monthly income of a family and the per capita consumption of fuelwood both in respect of urban and rural sectors.

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Kalyan Chakrabarti

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In this paper, an analysis has been made of fauna-flora dynamics generic and species diversity of the animal vegetation complex for the Sundarbans mangroves. Calculations of generic and specific diversities have been made in various types of micro-ecosystems, differentiated on the basis of tidal rhythms with respect to the floral and faunal organisms. Diversities were also computed for fishes, molluscs and crustaceans. Mangrove zone, situated below the tide level was observed to be comparatively rich in generic and specific diversity over other zones which are frequently inundated or above the tide levels. Again the generic diversity of Sundarbans molluscs were found to be more than that of tree vegetation. Crustaceans, fish and other kinds of faunal organisms.

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Kalyan Chakrabarti

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Sundarbans mangroves represent a dynamic wetland ecosystem having vast potentiality in biological resources. The paper describes the diversity of floral and faunal resources alongwith its utilisation potential. It also stresses the need of optimum and balanced form of mangrove habitat use. For the cause of homan welfare. The paper also gives an outline for potentiality of forest based in industtries with mangrove raw materials. The paper also gives a quantitative assessment of biomass productivity of mangrove forest formations. It was estimated to be 212 M.T./ha, the highest, in Avicennia-Sonnentia forest formation. The distribution of biomass among stem, ischolar_main and branches, under verious forest formation ball also been discussed. Conservation of mangrove resources is the keyword of development of the region. Silviculture and ecology should form the basic tenets of conservalion policy of the Suodarbans mangroves.

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Kalyan Chakrabarti

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The problems of greening any centre, region or slate is intimately connected with the balance of supply, demand and consumption pattern of wood and wood products in the related area and the problem needs appraisal from the socio-economic context as well. A wood balance study had been conducted In the State of West Bengal to delermine Ihe present and projected balance of wood and wood products both in rural and urban areas. The paper is the outcome of a three-year comprehensive project (1983 to ]986) takeo up In West bengal under the guidance of the author in the name of wood balance stUdy. The study was designed to determine tbe present and projected position of the supply, demand and consumption pattern of wood and wood products of the state so that the results may help the planners in formulating plans on a more solid foundation of facts. Stratified raodom sampling was employed for the entire State population and the results were derived from 18,758 respondent. in both family and Institutions falling the raodom io 752 sample villages and 696 urban census blocks drawn out of about 38,000 rural village and 15,000 urban blocks. Some interesting facts of social ecology emerged from the study. Against the recorded fuelwood production of 0.7 million m3 in West Bengal, the estimated annual consumption Is 16.85 million m³ wbicb means the consumption is about 24 times the supply. Amongst tbe traditional renewable reSources fuelwood i. the most widely used in rural areas (about 93.2%) of an the non-commercial energy consumed, the relative share in million tonnes of coal replacement (MTCK) fuelwood provides 77.1% compared to 14.97% of agricultural wastes, 7.48% of dung-cake and 0.45% of biogas. in the total energy consumption in this sate including commercial and non-commercial energy fuelwood also constitutes about a significant 42% of the total consumption out of the total 16.85 million m3 of fuelwood consumed annuany, family, institutional snd cremational sectors constitute 94.10%, 519% and 0.71% respectively. lhe study further reveals that in rural areas percentage of fuelwood collecled and these, which are in trade, and 65% and 35% respectively while in urban areas, tbe pirture is different. The respective percentages of collection and trade in urban areas are 25% and 75%. A nnual average capita consumption is about 0.288 m3 varying from 0.368 m³ in rural areas to 0.072 m3 in urbao areas. The study also reveal. that the proximity of forest area bears a positive co-relation to the per capita fuelwood consumption pattern, which is found to be the highest Darjeeling district (1.10 m³) and lowest in Calcutta (0.017 m³). A negative correlation bas been established between tbe monthly income of a family aod the per capita consumption of fuelwood both in respect of urban and rural sectors. A negative correlation is also Indicated by the study between tbe monthy Income level aod percentage of expenditure on fuel irrespective of urban or rural locations. The paper also reveals the sectoral distribution of woodfuel consumption and estimates the districtwise statistics of the State of west Bengal for the same to determine tbe extent of gap betweeu supply and consumption wood-fuel over time and space.

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Kalyan Chakrabarti

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Animal vegetation diversity had been presented in this paper for Sundarban mangroves, South Bengal Laterite Forests and North Bengal Forests. The study gives an indication that mangrove vegetational complex situated below the tidal level was richer in generic and species diversity over other zones which are above the tide level or occasionally inundated. It further reveals that the generic diversity of tree vegetation of Sundarbans mangroves is lower than that of North and South Bengal Forests, but tbe generic diversity of Sundarbans molluscs is, as the paper indicates, more than than that of its tree vegetation, crustaceans, fish and other kinds of faunal organisms. Sundarbans plant-animal complex warrants a warning singnal to guard against ecologically calamitous situation, so does the vegetation complex of laterite tracts of South Bengal.

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Kalyan Chakrabarti

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The organisation of a rational fishery in the Sundarbans Mangrove swamps holds bright promise to boost the economy of West Bengal. Scientific exploitation of fish resources is an economic proposition. This study identifies the optimum time and place of fishing and other conditions to ensure high productivity of fish populations. The paper also describes the ecology of fish species and silvo-pisciculture aspect of the mangrove swamps, and quantifies the fish catch in brackish water fisheries.

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Kalyan Chakrabarti

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In laterite tracts of West Bengal, foresters have customarily adopted digging contour trenches and reducing sal coppice shoots as a practice for improvement of moisture regime and total environmental amelioration, and also for ensuring more biomass production in terms of quantity and quality. But so far, no analytical study based on statistically designed experiments has been carried out to study the elfect of such operations; - there remains a gap in knowledge in this respect. In this paper, analysis of statistically designed experiments in sample areas of the laterite tracts of West Bengal has been attempted to find out the effect of contour trenching and reduction of shoots for sal coppice. The whole experiment had been laid out in split-plot design and analysis of the data reveals interesting conclusions.

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Kalyan Chakrabarti

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This eco-biometrical study on tigers in the unique estuarine eco-system of Sundarbans has enabled to throw light into the unknown biological properties of the marshy terrain of Sundarhans and established some unique ecological relationship. between the man and the man-eater A bio-metrical prediction formula derived from the study also brought out relationships between the length and pugmark of tiger which wonld be of immense value in wild life management and research. The revealing facts of ecology perceptible from this study has surely opened up new vistas of thought and research into the wild life ecology of tiger and of the unique habitat of Sundarbans which is a proverbial name in the world with tigers on land and crocodiles on water. Estuarine tigers of Sundarbans are popularly called inherent man-eaters having high degree of cunningness. They took heavy toll of precious hnman lives (over ahout 300 in undivided Sundarbans a year). A Study ranging over a period of about fifteen yeas by the author since 1968 covering salinlty of soil, water, flora, fauna, predator-prey relationship enabled him to classify tigers according to their behaviours pattern (aggressive, circumstancial, etc.) and other biological aspects of the animal. Cuualty pattern among various professional forest workers were determined along with pattern in the method of kill, exact time of kill, choice of victim, their age etc. The pattern of activities of the animal was found to be somewhat 'rhythmic', remiiniscent of "endogenous self sustaining oscillation" that some estuarine organisms have. It was found that closure of the 'Core area' of project tiger to the permit holders provoked the animal to migrate to adjacent blocks in search of human food. Pugmarks were classified into five classes and a regression equation correlating the size of pugmarks with length of tiger was established. Salinity determination of water and soil by use of Spearman's rank correlation coefficient formula revealed remarkable closeness between human casualty and high degree of salinity. It was felt that the present study was extremely complicated in the diverse habitat and called for concerted research of scientists from various sphere of forestry and biology.

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Kalyan Chakrabarti

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