West Bengal Forest Department | WBCS Preparation: All Subjects - WBCS (West Bengal) PDF Download

Forests of West Bengal

Forests in West Bengal cover a total recorded land area of 11,879 sq.km., comprising 7,054 sq.km. of Reserved Forest, 3,772 sq.km. of Protected Forest, and 1,053 sq.km. of Unclassed State Forest. This constitutes 13.38% of the state's geographical area. The overall forest cover, inclusive of areas beyond recorded forest land, is 15.52%, as evaluated by the GIS Cell of the W.B. Forest Department in 2004, utilizing Satellite Imagery from NRSA, Hyderabad. The assessment follows the protocol established by RRSSC, Kharagpur, under the Dept. Of Space, GOI, NRSA, Hyderabad. Estuarine water bodies, mangrove forests, and rivers within recorded forest land in Jalpaiguri are considered in the calculation. Additionally, non-forest land farm forestry plantations with a forest-like micro-ecosystem are included in the forest cover. The state's vegetation cover accounts for approximately 27% of its geographical area, including village orchards/groves, tea gardens, and horticulture plantations.

Classification of Recorded Forest Land (Legal status):

• Reserved Forest : An area notified under the provisions of Indian Forest Act or State Forest Acts having full degree of protection. In Reserved Forests all activities are prohibited unless specifically permitted.
• Protected Forest : An area notified under the provisions of the Indian Forest Act or State Forest Acts having limited degree of protection. In Protected Forest all activities are permitted unless prohibited.
• Unclassed Forest : An area recorded as forest but not included in Reserved or Protected forest category. Ownership status of such forests variys from state to state.

History of Forest management in West Bengal

• The forestry legacy in West Bengal spans 150 years of scientific forestry, encompassing both pre-independence and post-independence periods. In 1840, the British colonial administration introduced the Crown Land (Encroachment) Ordinance, targeting forests in its Asian colonies. This ordinance vested all forests, wastes, unoccupied, and uncultivated lands to the crown. The Imperial Forest Department in India was established in 1864, asserting British control through the Indian Forest Act of 1865.
• Sir Dietrich Brandis and Dr. Hugh Cleghorn, appointed as the first Inspectors General of Forests in India in 1864, played pivotal roles. Sir Brandis, considered the father of Scientific Forestry in India, continued groundbreaking forestry administration. The Indian Forest Act of 1865 provided legislative support to the emerging forestry regime.
• The first national forest policy emerged in 1894, and in the 1950s, a new Forest Policy prioritized national defense and industries. The concept of sustained yield and conservation management persisted. The Estate Acquisition Act of 1953 vested private forests in South West Bengal to the government. In the 1960s, Dr. J. von Monroy recommended the plantation of fast-growing species like Eucalyptus. The 1970s saw the introduction of laws and policies focusing on wildlife preservation, with designated sanctuaries.
• Until 1976, forestry was a state subject in the Indian Constitution. After a constitutional amendment, it became a Concurrent subject. The National Commission on Agriculture's 1976 report influenced the establishment of Forest Development Corporations across India, including West Bengal. The West Bengal Panchayat Act of 1973 introduced a three-tier Panchayat system, contributing to the success of social forestry and Joint Forest Management (JFM) in later decades.
• The 1980s saw the enactment of the Forest Conservation Act (FCA) in 1980, addressing deforestation challenges. The West Bengal Social Forestry Project, initiated in 1981, promoted villagers growing trees on unproductive land. The West Bengal Forest School, Dowhill, established in 1907, expanded its training programs in the 1980s. The National Forest Policy of 1988 outlined a new strategy for forest conservation and environmental maintenance.
• As of 2015, West Bengal's recorded forest area is 16,828 km², constituting 18.96% of the state's geographical area, slightly below the national average of 21.34%. Reserved, protected, and unclassed forests make up 59.4%, 31.8%, and 8.9%, respectively, of the forest area.