Uttarakhand - Department of Land Resources

The forests cover 63.44 percent of the total area of Uttarakhand. The forests constitute
the most important natural resource in Uttarakhand. They form an eco-system and the
protection of forest has remarkable contribution in the process of economic development
and environmental stability.
The locals of the region are dependent on forests for employment and resources like
fuel wood, timber, fodder, medicinal herbs etc. But rising population and increasing
needs have led to indiscriminant exploitation of forest resources and hence to depletion
of forests. Therefore, there is an urgent need to take action towards maintenance and
rejuvenation of forests without harming the livelihood of local people.
Evaluation of present state of agriculture and forest lead one to the conclusion that
strategies need to be developed to reach a balance between agriculture and forests.
Also the strategies or action plan is required to ensure fulfillment of both ecological and
economic needs. The forest wastelands and forest areas suitable for agro forestry
should be utilized for agriculture to increase the revenues and the employment
opportunities for the states rural population.
So far there has been a dichotomy between agriculture sector and forests. According to
Government policy, at least 60 percent of the total area is required to be under forest
cover. Rest 40 percent is only available for habitation, cultivation, grazing land etc. As
the rising population is putting more pressure on agriculture, it is necessary to increase
the crop production. Since the area available is limited, one of the options can be to
integrate agriculture with forests in the village common lands. That is, coexistence of
agricultural crops with forests.
A few suggestions for the integration of agriculture and forests are -
1. Alley cropping: In alley cropping, an agricultural crop is grown simultaneously with a
long-term tree crop to provide annual income while the tree crop matures. Fine
hardwoods like walnut, oak, etc. are favored species in alley cropping systems and
can potentially provide high value lumber or veneer logs. Nut crops can be another
intermediate product.
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