Forest Integrity Monitoring of Joypur and Beliatore Forests in Bankura District, West Bengal

Once in the list of depleting status, forest canopy of the Bankura district turns the tide occupying the top of the list in increasing forest areas among rest of the districts of West Bengal as reported in the current India State of Forest Report. This increased growth of growing stock in the forest cover needs to review the present forest health of the district through estimation of physico-chemical properties of forest soils and overall scenario of changing matrix of forest areas along with floral diversity. Physico-chemical properties of soil and soil organisms present in the forest floor as independent or dependent variables have a decisive influence on forest vegetation. Denser the forest, more soil-health potential is gained through improvement of soil characteristics by litter fall on the forest floor. Summing up data on soil physico-chemical properties, floral characteristics and gradual changing pattern of the forest cover all together will have immense help for further afforestation particularly in the degraded and wastelands in and around the forest areas of the district.