[dropcap]C[/dropcap]OAL, OIL and MINERALS are NON-RENEWABLE Natural Resources: Once they are exhausted they are finished, just finished; that’s all. WOOD is a RENEWABLE Resource. It is RENEWABLE. It generates itself again and again.
No other State in the North East has more potential for Economic Wealth from WOOD Production than NAGALAND has for the following Factors:
The State has:
i. Every household own Land, every Family owns land.
ii. very rich mountain Soil,
iii. plentiful of rainfall,
iii.Tropical climate,
iv. Vast jhumlands lying idle,
v. Home of jhum Cultivation for Plantation.
The stumbling block are:
i. Weeds,
ii. Lack of Political Will in our Leaders and
iii. Lack of INNOVATION in our Leaders.
Besides the Weeds, trouble with our leaders and lack of Innovations; the most destructive factor that destroys Tree Plantation in Nagaland is the Forest Fires.
The solution to the Weeds, Lianas and Climbers that choke the Tree Plantations is Tree Plantaion through Jhum Cultivation. Cultural Operations for the Agriculture Crops in the Jhum Cultivation profits the Jhum planted Trees and they grow very fast gaining Height and Diameter growth quickly after the Agriculture Crops are harvested in October/November but Forest Fire in May-June becomes the greatest hazard.
It is economically not possible for Villagers to continuously ‘Clean’ the Plantations beyond the 2rd year of plantation. The Plantations are best protected by burning the Weeds and Grasses during JAN-FEB. The undergrowth of Grasses, Herbs and Shrubs in the Plantations are still half green and not died dry in January-February. This does not encourage run-away wild Forest Fires. If the Plantations were to catch Fire later in MARCH, APRIL, MAY OR JUNE when the undergrowth is Matchbox dry, that would completely destroy the priceless TREE Plantations: Some Species like Hollock, Cadam or Neem are Fire-tender and die easily after being burned. Teak, Gomari, Bogipoma, Oaks, and Sal are Fire-hardy, but Fire-hardy or not; Trees are never benefited from Forest Fires.Wood from the Trees are the strongest Economic backbone of the Villagers in Nagaland. Wood Production and not Agriculture Production; has the greatest potential to become the ‘Economic Backbone’ of the State. Greening the State and Carbon ‘sinking’ is only a collateral benefit that Forestry plays: an estimated 17 lakhs Tons of Carbone Dioxide (CO2) is eliminated by the Forests in Nagaland.
The main aim of Forestry is to make EVERY VILLAGER or the State of Nagaland rich in one Generation. EVERY Naga Family must have an income of at least `72,000 per year in one generation. This is possible only from Wood production. No other Resources have more potential to becoming the Economic Backbone of Nagaland than Timber. Agriculture has not the blessing to become the economic backbone of mountainous, labor short Nagaland.
Nagaland has vast stretches of vacant jhumlands lying idle, Rainfall plenty, Sunshine –generally enough and expert in Jhum Cultivation: nothing can beat this Team for the generation of Economy for the Villagers.
The Wind blows away more soil in the Ganga basin States and Rajasthan than Rain washes away soil from Nagaland. The sudden disturbances of the Natural drainage system of the mountainsides due to extensive Road and Development constructions in Nagaland and the whole North East cause landslips, Soil erosion and River bank erosions. It is not Jhum Cultivation alone that causes of the Brahmaputra water muddy. ALL Development activities in the NorthEast involve almost always Earth cutting and that causes soil erosion problems. It is not Jhum Cultivation of the Northeast alone that causes soil loss in the Region!
Nowhere in this ancient land of India has Villagers planted more Trees than in Nagaland! Even the remotest Villages of Nagaland like Yimrep in interior Tuensang District –the Village where Gaidinliu was stowed away after her release from Kala Pani –Andaman Islands on India’s Independence by the last Naga Hill’s DC Sir CR Pawsey, as a precaution against possible social disturbances in future if she were to move to her own Village again in Tamenglong- has Tree Plantations. Already the Villagers have started harvesting their Tree Crops.
How can Nagaland stop the destruction of the priceless Tree Plantations from wild Fires?
Preservation of the precious Tree Plantation from Fire is of immense importance to the Economy of Nagaland. Tree Species like Hollock [Terminalia myriocarpa], Ghora Neem [Melia azadirecta] Naga Neem (Spondias axilaris?), Kadam [Anthocephalus cadamba], Bogipoma [Amoora wallichii], most Pomas are all thin skinned trees and are ‘Fire Tender’ [not resistant to fire]. The Plantations of these species, grow to the size of a Man’s Thigh [30CM = 1foot] in 12 years and are vulnerable to destruction from Forest Fires.
The Year 2014 has proven to be Colder, Drier and may prove to be Hotter; the prospect of sever Forest Fires in FEBRUARY, MARCH, APRIL, MAY, JUNE next is very likely. There were no rains in OCTOBER, NOVEMBER, DECEMBER this year . Usually Japfü Mountain experiences Rain and Snow at least once in JANUARY, if there is no Rain in January 2015, the indications are that year the Spring Season of 2015 March–June is going to be very dry. This may portend serious Forest Fires.
The Forest Undergrowths of Herbs, Shrubs, Grasses and annual Lianas will not completely dry-up in February and would not burn furiously but by March they become dry like a Match Box. By then Forest burn furiously. Therefore to choose the less of two Evils; your Tree Plantations may be set on Fire -management fire- in January-February to prevent destructive jungle fire May-June. One of the best measures to control Forest Fire is by Fire!
BURN YOUR TREE PLANTATION in JANUARY/FEBRUARY to save it FROM destructive FIRE inferno IN MAY/JUNE!
Thepfulhouvi Solo. IFS Retd (RR-68)
Retd Principal Secretary, Forest, Wildlife & Environment.
Government of Nagaland.
