Forests and forestry constitute dominant
feature of the State’s landscape, economy
and environment. According to the Forest
Survey of India, State of Forest Report
2003, out of 21,081 Sq. Kms of the total
geographical area of the State, 87.42 % is
covered by forests. But due to the age-old
traditional practice of shifting
cultivation, uncontrolled fire, unregulated
fellings and land allotment to individuals,
two-third of the area has already been
degraded. Such depleted and partly degraded
forest could not meet the growing demands of
timber and other forest produce in the
state.
It
cannot provide a safeguard to the ecological
functions like protection of soil and land,
maintenance of agricultural productivity and
protection of catchments. Contribution of
forestry sectors to the state’s economy and
well-being of the people is very high and
significant. In terms of economic value of
goods (i.e. timber, fuelwood, etc.) and service
(income and employment) contribution of forestry
sector is estimated at Rs. 100 crore per year.
It cannot provide a safeguard to the
ecological functions like protection of soil and
land, maintenance of agricultural productivity and
protection of catchments. Contribution of
forestry sectors to the state’s economy and
well-being of the people is very high and
significant. In terms of economic value of
goods (i.e. timber, fuelwood, etc.) and service
(income and employment) contribution of forestry
sector is estimated at Rs. 100 crore per year.
As per the latest estimation done by Forest Survey
of India (State of Forest Report, 2003), the State
of Mizoram (87.42 %) ranks first, followed by
Andaman & Nicobar Islands (84.42 %) and Nagaland
(82.07%) among all the States and Union Territories
of India in terms of Forest Cover as percentage of
state’s geographical area.
