Preliminary Studies on some Ethno-botanically important Non Timber Forest produces (NTFPs) in Jamboni Block of Paschim Medinipur District of West Bengal.

Abstract

The paper deals with 25 major ethno-botanically important Non Timber Forest Produces (NTFPs) of South West Bengal forest at Jamboni community development block (JCDB). It reflects source and sink relation of the products in the said forest ecosystem. It also broadcasts the proper conservation measures of plant species. The products of plants includegreen leaves, fruits, twigs, unwanted timber as fuel, litter, brumes, fiber and flosses, sticks, barks from roots and stems, seeds, basket making stem, medicinal plants, plant material for local use like mushrooms, kendu fruits, baichi, tasar, lac, kurkut(eggs of red ant) etc. for different purposes. All the products are seasonally collected from forests by local people of the said area but most of the ethnic groups use these products luxuriantly to earn money from market for their own need. For the collection of minor forest produces, forest department have no rigidity thereby. Collectors of JCDB may be the inhabitants of the area or under the group as members of Forest Protection Committees (FPCs). The local markets are the nodal area for the sale of the products where they can sale freely and easily, and buyers can purchase these NTFPs for the big markets to earn maximum profit in later stage. By and large, they collect huge amount of NTFPs from the forest which need conservation to protect the species from the loss of abundance of species and to protect it in near future either locally or by scientific way. Keywords: Jamboni Block, NTFPs, Ethnobotany, Marketing, Sustainable management.