Forest of Tripura

Legal classification of forests

1.2 Forest types

1.3        Growing stock

Source-India State of Forest Report 2021.

Source-India State of Forest Report 2013.

There is a large gap between potential and actual productivity, and generally poor actual productivity in natural forests is due to anthropogenic stress and this is a matter of concern because, rising demand and poor productivity lead to the vicious cycle of low productivity to resource degradation of more area to further lower productivity.
1.5       Biodiversity of the state
The State is located in the Bio-geographic zone of 9B-North-East Hills and is extremely rich in bio-diversity, which is getting increasingly threatened. Situated in the Indian sub-region of Oriental Zoo-geographic region, local flora and fauna bear a very close affinity and resemblance with floral and faunal components of Indo-Malayan and Indo-Chinese sub-regions.
Flora
The research on status of flora identifying 379 species of trees, 320 shrubs, 581 herbs, 165 climbers, 16 climbing shrubs, 35 ferns, 45 epiphytes and 4 parasites (Total 1,545 taxa) reveal that there are 50 plants species restricted to Tripura and its neighbouring States. Out of them 7 are endemic and 18 are rare plants. Angiopteris evecta, a fern and Gnetum montanum, a giant climber belonging to Gymnosperm are two rare species but occur in profusely in Trishna Sanctuary.  Tree ferns (Cyathia spp.), which are also primitive and endangered, are found in South Tripura. There are 24 species of orchids of which and Dendrobium has the highest species diversity (14 species). Endangered orchids like Blue vanda (Vanda caerulea) and Red vanda (Renunthera imschootiana) are found in the state. There are 266 species of medicinal plants in the State (68 trees, 39 shrubs, 71 herbs and 88 climbers). Maximum value of Plant-Diversity Index (Shannon-Weiner) reported is 5.23, which generally ranges from 3-4, indicating presence of a variety of species uniformly.
Fauna
According to latest estimates, there are 90 mammal species in Tripura from 65 genera and 10 orders. These make up for about 19, 48 & 100% of the total species, genera, and orders of the land-mammals record forIndia, respectively. Seven primate species have been documented in Tripura out of a total 15 found in India. Of these primates, slow loris and stumped tailed macaques have become rare. Phayre’s langur (locally known as ‘Chashma Banar’), has a very restricted distribution in India, and is found in Tripura.  Hoolock gibbon is the only ape and found in India and is also found in Tripura, though, its population is on decline in Tripura.
Ornithofauna(birds)comprises 342 reported species in the State, of which about 58 are migratory species.One near threatened species – the darter. There is high diversity of birds of prey, frugivorous birds, marsh birds and flower peckers. In the aquatic ecosystem 14 (fourteen) species of fish have been recorded, of which 2 are endangered (Anguilla bengalensis and Psuedeatroptus alterinoides) and 12 vulnerable. Due to silting of river beds and filling up of wetlands, different species of marsh birds and fishes are on decline.
Ecosystems
Tripura has diverse ecosystems ranging from forests and grasslands to freshwater wetlands.  There are six types of 408 wetlands, of which, water logged (seasonal) are most numerous followed by oxbow lakes and lakes/ponds.
Watershed/Catchments Areas:  The State has 10 major rivers running over a total length of 903 km across the State.  All these rivers have watershed/catchments areas of over 9400 ha covering 6 major hill range.

Water Depth of Rivers:  The flood levels of major rivers in Tripura are as follows:

1.6     Medicinal plants resource
            Tripura has one of the oldest, richest & most diverse cultural traditions associated with use of medical plants. There are large number of village based herbal medicines practitioners who have traditional knowledge of herbal home remedies of ailments & nutrition. Besides the above registered medical practitioners of modified system of Indian Medicine (such as Ayurveda) use medical plants. The herbal medicines used by rural people including tribal have not yet been documented. Compiling an exhaustive inventory of medicinal plants in the State is the need of the hour.   So far about 266 species of medicinal plants (68 trees, 39 shrubs, 71 herbs and 88 climbers) have been identified and documented.
 
 
1.7     Bamboo and cane Resource
Bamboo plays a very vital role in the economy of the State as it serves the artisan & non-artisan users of the state. The bamboo forests of Tripura may be fitted into the following types & sub types as per Champion & Seth classification.
(i)        Moist mixed Deciduous Forest – 1/3/3C/C3
(ii)       Secondary moist Bamboo Brakers – 1/2/2B/2Si
Availability of Bamboo
A total of 19 species of bamboo are reported in the state.
(i)        Species of bamboo found in Tripura:
Barak (Bambusa balcooa), Bari (Bambusa polymorpha), Mritinga (Bambusa tulda), Muli (Melocanna baccifera), Kai (Bambusa nutans), Paora (Bambusa teres), Rupai (Dendrocalamus longispathus), Dolu (Neohuzeaua dullooa), Makal (Bambusa pallida), Pecha (Dendrocalamus hamiltonii), Kailyai (Oxytenanthera nigrociliata), Kanak kaich (Bambusa offinis), Lanthi bans (Dendrocalamus strictus), Tetua (Bambusa spp.), Ish (Bambusa spp.), Jai (Bambusa spp.), Bombash (Bambusa spp.), Sairil/Wadu bamboo (Melocalamus compactiflorus), Bosai (bambusa spp.).
Productivity of bamboo in Tripura;
 The productivity of bamboo at present is only 0.70 MT per ha /yr. Research studies in varius forest divisions show that the productivity of bamboo can be increased to 5MT per ha/year in natural conditions with timely plantation  and protection measures.
Growing stock of bamboo in the state - (all strata included)

FSI report, 1993
The Yield Of Bamboos in the State (taking a rotation of 5 years)

Source : FSI report, 1993
Availability of Cane
A total of six (6) cane species are reported from Tripura (C. viminalis, C. floribundus, C. tenuis, C. leptospadix, C. guruba, C. erectus).  However, no estimates on the existing growing stock of aforesaid cane species are available.
1.8     Contribution of Forestry Sector to Rural Economy
While the annual revenue from forests in the State is around Rs. 300 lakhs, the subsidy that flows to the rural economy on account of free removal of only five items of forest produce has been conservatively estimated to be Rs. 12,926 lakhs, which is about 5.57% of State Domestic Product (SDP). This does not take into account edible fruits, tubers, medicinal plants and many other non-timber forest produce. Recorded/unrecorded removal/use of aforesaid five categories of forest produce is estimated as below:

Demand and supply scenario of forest produce
Except bamboo, the supply of other forest produce is not at all commensurate with the sustainable yield.  The supply also includes timber from settled and private land as can be seen from the following Table:

 
List of tree species having high timber value
 
1.Pterocarpus dalbergioides – Andaman padack
2.Artocarpus chaplasa – Chamol
3.Diospiros ebonum – Ebony
4.Gmelina arborea – Gamar
5.Dipterocarpus turbinatus – Garjan
6.Albizia procera – Koroi
7.Swietenia mahogany – Mahogony
8.Dalbergia latifolia – Rose wood
9.Pterocarpus santalinus – Red sanders
10.Michelia Montana – Sundi
11. Shorea robusta – Sal
12. Tectona grandis – Teak
 
Fast Growing edible plants with nutritional values
 
1. Moringa oleifera - Drum stick
2. Parkia javonica - Tree bean
3. Sesbania grandiflora - Bak phool
4. Artocarpus heterophylla - Kathal
5. Averrhoa carambola - Kamranga
6 .Emblica officinalis - Amla
7. Tamarindus indica - Tetul
8. Dioscorea alata - Ban Alu
9. Asparagus racemosus - Satmuli
10. Cassia fistula - Sonal
11.Cinnamomum obtusifolium- Ban-tejpata
 
List of plants endangered and threatened with extinction
 
1. Duabanga grandiflora – Ramdala (Tree)
2. Adina sessifolia - Haludehaki (Tree)
3. Michelia montana  - Champa sundi (Tree)
4. Magnolia pterocarpa – Duli champa (Tree)
5. Lochio spermum  – Halde simul (Tree)
6. Canarium Stricum – Dhup (Tree)
7. Aquilaria malaccensis – Agar (Tree)
8. Pterocarpus santalinus – Rakta chandan (Tree)
9. Santalum album – Chandan (Tree)
10. Rauvolfia serpentina – Sarpgandha (herb)
11. Dischidia raflosiana – Lantana kalasi (Climbar)
12. Drosera burmanni – Surja sisir (herb)
13. Elaocarpus prunifolia – Ban jalpai (Tree)
14. Mangifera sylavitica – Laxmi am (tree)
15. Entada phaseolides – Gila (woody climber)
16. Angiopteris evecta (Fern)
17. Cyathea gigantea (Tree)
18. Holmiathostachys zeylanica (Fern)
19. Podocarpus aerlifolius (Tree)
20. Xantolis assamica (Tree)
 
Fuel   wood  species
 
1.  Ailanthus excelsa – Indian tree of Heaven
2.  Cassia nodosa –pink shower Cassia (with Pink coloured flower)
3.  Cassia siamea –Minuri,Chakhunda,Sam desiya Cassia(Flower yellow with brown shades).
4.  Lucaena leucocephala-Subabul
5.  Acacia auriculiformis-Akashmami
6.  Melia azadirach-Ghoraneem/Maha Neem
7.  Peltoforum spp-Radha chura
8.  Acacia mangium- Mangium tree