Human Influence on Forests in Tripura

Tripura is a small hill State in the North-Eastern part of India. About 60 per cent of geographical area is forest land. The recorded forest area and actual forest cover have declined substantially over the years due to high rate of population growth. The per capita forest area has come down to 0.23 ha in 1991 from 1.38 ha in 1951. The State Government has taken up large scale plantations of forestry tree species and rubber. The Forest Department is under severe pressure to supply forest products and to protect the forests from illicit clearing and diversion of forest land for settlement and other developmental activities. The rate of deforestation is higher than the rate of afforestation. There is urgent need to check the population growth and to increase the plantation target per year with the people's cooperation and to develop alternative means for firewood and timber.