Forestry in Soil Conservation

Abstract

I am very grateful to the Soil Conservation Societv of India for asking me to preside over the meeting of the section " Forestry in Soil Conservation Soil conservation, water conservation and forest conservation are different names having one ultimate aim, namely, the stabili- zation of the soil and vegetation, though the approach may be different and the emphasis and modus operandi for the achievement of the objective may vary. The multiplicity of the names and methods is, however, not a deterrent to the formulation of the same basic policy. Forest officers have been long accustomed to grow tree crops of the highest economic value and such has been the historical sequel of their activities that forests have come to be looked upon as an inexhaustible source of as high a revenue as possible. On the other hand it is well nigh impossible to improve the deteriorated and deteriorating land conditions without con- siderable expenditure. Because of the greater intensity of grazing and browsing than the vegetation can sustain, its recovery is considerably delayed. There is a natural inclination to so manage the forest areas as to make them more productive in revenue, but there is the danger in ignoring the limita- tions imposed by forest settlements which have granted very extensive rights and con- cessions in such areas. The reconciliation of different objectives and demands, viz. realization of greater and greater revenue, the ever increasing incidence of grazing and browsing, greater and greater demand of forest products under rights and concessions, the paramount need of soil conservation, is by no means easy. Basically the present harvest of difficulties was sown at the time of forest settlements which granted extensive rights. The fundamental problem is, there- fore, how to save the soil and vegetation from the abuse and misuse of so called rights which in practice have become wrong in many cases.