Deforestation In

Meghalaya
Group 3J
Shivangi Maheshwari
Koel Nath
Kunal Joshi
Ekshan Kumar
Vinay Gundecha
Suman Sourav

Meghalaya Profile

BioPhysical

SocioEconomic

Economic

The state of
Meghalaya with a
geographical
area of 22,429
sq. km, is
situated in
northeast India

According to
2001 census, the
population of the
state is 2,306,
069 with a
density of 103
persons per
square km.

Agriculture is the
main occupation
of the people of
Meghalaya.

Environm
ent

Water scarcity,
biodiversity loss,
deforestation,
urbanization,
water pollution,
population
explosion and
coal mining.

Deforestation
Shifting
Cultivation
Mining
Urbanization
Industrializatio
n

Meghalaya
Causes

Effects

Loss of Species
Water Cycle
Disturbance
Soil erosion
Climatic change

The forest areas in Meghalaya has reduced

from

69.06% to 63.06%

over 15 years.

Condition of forests in
Meghalaya
Vegetation

Tropical
evergreen,
tropical
semievergreen, tropical damp deciduous,
subtropical broad leaved, subtropical pine
and temperate forests, grasslands and
savannas

Tropical forests

Up to an elevation of 1200m
Average rainfall 100-250cm
Occupy northern and north eastern
slopes
Man-made or sub-climax forests

Types
of
forests

Grassland &
Savanna

Temperate
forests

Up to an elevation of 1500m
Average rainfall 250-500cm
Occupy southern slope of Khasi and
Jaintia hills
Seasonally dry and nutrient poor

Occupy Khasi, Jaintia and West Gairo

Hills
Found on degraded land
Developed due to biotic pressure or
topography influence

Condition of forests in Meghalaya

Forest Resources

Forest Administration

Forest Fragmentation

Other than timber,

various non-timber
backwoods produce
including stick, bamboos,
floor brush grass,
mushrooms, orchids,
economically critical
grass species, and oil
yielding trees, nectar
and wax are extracted
from the woodlands
consistently in huge
amounts.

Other than State Forest

Department and
Autonomous District
Councils various
individuals, groups and
families also claim the
woodlands inn
Meghalaya. The District
Council are pitifully
upheld. Thus, most
group forests are under
no administration and
dont go under the viable
requirement of any of
the forest laws.

Effects of moving
agriculture, mining,
logging etc. can be seen
on the forests.
Timberlands getting
divided into little areas.
Forests are getting
debased and cleaned.
Since the state is
dominatingly of
mountain terrain,
deforestation and the
resultant loss of soil,
particularly in the slopes,
are prompting expanded
siltation of waterways

Forest cover in Meghalaya

Forest Area in Meghalaya

63%

Area covered by forests

Land and water

Total forest area is 9,496 sq. km

1,124 sq. km under govt. control
8,972 sq. km managed by
autonomous district councils,
village durbars and other
traditional institutions, and private
owners
In 1985-87 forest cover was 16,466
sq. km
Decreased to 15,645 sq. km in
1987-89

District Wise Forest cover

Forest cover in different districts of Meghalaya
14%

10%

15%
16%
13%
18%

East Khasi Hills

South Garo Hills

15%

West Khasi Hills

East Garo Hills

Jaintia Hills
Ri Bhoi

West Garo Hills

Analysis of Forest Destruction In

Meghalaya
15,900

15,875

15,850

15,800

Text

Text

Text

Text

15,769

15,750

15,714

15,700

15,657
15,650

Text

15,600

Text

15,633

Text

15,550

15,500
1991

1993

1995

1997

1999

Forest-Man Ratio In
Meghalaya
100

80

90

70

80

60

Reserve Forest
National Park
Protected
Forest

50 (Ha)
Area
40

70

Unclassed
Forest
Total Forest

Area60 (Ha)
50
40

30

Forest Area

Population
20

2512600

23,06,069
10

30

Ha

20
10

0
1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000

Year

Per Capita Forest

Cover

0.64

0
1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000

Year

DPSIR Analysis
Drivers
Drivers
Population
Population
explosion
explosion
Sustenance needs
needs
Sustenance
Market economy
economy
Market
Impact
Impact

Low Forest
Forest
Low
productivity
productivity
Biodiversity Loss
Loss
Biodiversity
Low crop
crop productivity
productivity
Low
Reduced vegetation
vegetation
Reduced
cover
cover

Response
Response

Re-vegetation of
of barren
barren
Re-vegetation
lands
lands
Check on
on deforestation
deforestation
Check
Environmental education
education
Environmental
for
for
masses
masses

State
State

Vegetation destruction
destruction
Vegetation
Loss in
in soil
soil fertility
fertility &
&
Loss
Barren hills
hills
Barren
Land Degradation
Degradation
Land
Decrease in
in forest
forest
Decrease
cover
cover

Pressure
Pressure

Shifting cultivation
cultivation
Shifting
Coal and
and limestone
limestone
Coal
mining
mining
Increase amount
amount of
of
Increase
tea gardens
gardens
tea
Forest fires
fires
Forest

Suggestions and
Recommendation

Identifying areas and extent of government

intervention for developing an effective
forest policy
Removing the irritations in the existing rules and
acts
Identifying the areas and topics for capacity building
program for the communities
Developing alternatives to shifting cultivation

Checking population growth in urban and rural Meghalaya

Suggestions and Recommendation

Controlling the Mining Activity
The adoption of scientific mining and compliance to
a well-designed environmental management plan.
Externally funded projects for the management of upland
agriculture including the livelihood issues and forest
development, e.g. IFAD project
Large-scale plantation program both by state and national
government through community participation
Developing alternate sources of income such as development of handicrafts
through cottage industries from forest areas needs to be encouraged

Thank you!