Forest Department Research Articles

Promotion of Biodiversity Conservation and Local Livelihoods in Buxa Tiger Reserve: Challenges and Opportunities

The present paper attempts to outline the emerging twin challenges of biodiversity conservation and the promotion of local livelihood opportunities for local people residing in and around the Buxa Tiger Reserve (BTR) in the Indian State of West Bengal. The study is based on a comprehensive review of the existing literature, secondary data collected from various government reports, and interaction with local forest dwellers in and around the nature park. The study finds that although the Buxa Tiger Reserve houses some of the critically threatened species, both flora and fauna, it is under severe pressure from both natural and anthropogenic factors. The natural factors that are threatening the nature park include climate change-induced water scarcity, frequent droughts and erratic rainfall. This has also brought about livelihood insecurity among local inhabitants, which has resulted in human-wildlife conflicts, illegal and rampant wildlife poaching, fragmented landscapes due to encroachment, deforestation, forest fire, the conflict between the forest department and local people, and others. Hence, sustainable use and management of park resources require both effective conservation measures and local livelihood strategies. Efforts should be made for adopting participatory biodiversity conservation strategies in which both park authority and local people work collectively towards achieving desired conservation and livelihood outcomes.

FOREST FIRE HAZARD MAPPING IN BHUTAN

The study intends to assimilate data for assessing fire hazards for the forest areas in Bhutan. Over the past few decades, there has been an increase in fire events and forest fires have made it urgent to research this issue. Bhutan documented 1,403 occurrences of forest fires in less than ten years (Kuensel, 11th Jan. 2020). Many fossil fuels are burned during forest fires, and a significant amount of carbon dioxide is produced, which adds to the most prevalent greenhouse gas and changes for the regional climate. Moreover, studies have indicated that one of the influential elements contributing to forest fires is climate change. The goal of this research is to consolidate all datasets from multiple sources onto a single GIS platform for the creation of maps that take climatic conditions into account while calculating forest fire hazard. To lessen the risk of forest fires, recommendations and adaptation methods are offered in this paper. In particular, the Department of Forest and Park Services in Bhutan can benefit from the findings of this research for the development, planning, and implementation works.

Математическая оценка достоверности информации о лесных пожарах

The rapid development of digital technologies, especially methods for processing a large amount of information, offers vast opportunities for obtaining new algorithms for supporting management decisions, including the prevention of forest fires. Therefore, the requirements for data accuracy on fire hazards in forests and forest fires considerably increase. Even though the remote sensing of the Earth from space is a potential method for acquiring information independent of the human factor, it still has several technical limitations that hinder total automation. Therefore, it is important to provide а comprehensive control over the information coming from the forest fire departments. Besides, the long-term fire risk prognoses must consider retrospective statistics and cyclical weather conditions. This requires the creation of methods for evaluating the reliability of the initial data. An analysis of the records on the number of forest fires that happened in the Russian Federation from 1969 to 2020 revealed that the distribution of the values in a large sampling set is close to lognormal, which is the author’s fundamental principle. The few deviations on the right side of the distribution indirectly support the hypothesis that, in the provided information, the large forest fires in each case were presented as smaller, fragmented events. This is also consistent with the fact that such information usually occurs when the forest fire situation is complex and has many burning locations. An analysis of the records on the forest fires extinguished within one day identified a characteristic deviation, which indirectly supports the assumption that the data was probably distorted to improve recording. In such a situation, the deviation from the pattern corresponds to low combustibility and completely loses its meaning in the conditions of a severe forest fire situation with many burning areas. The authors have formed a ranking of the regions according to the validity of the archival records on the forest fires using the correspondence of the statistical data to the lognormal distribution. The proposed method can become one of the elements of a risk-oriented approach for planning control and supervisory measures in forestry policy. For citation: Kotelnikov R.V., Martynyuk A.A. Mathematical Estimation of Information Reliability Regarding Forest Fires. Lesnoy Zhurnal = Russian Forestry Journal, 2023, no. 3, pp. 21–34. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.37482/0536-1036-2023-3-21-34

Low Power Forest Fire Detection

Abstract: Fire detection and warning systems are critical for ensuring the safety of people and property. We present an innovative system for detecting and alerting fires that employs a combination of an MQ135 gas sensor, Arduino Uno microcontroller, and SIM900A GSM module. Its purpose is to identify the existence of smoke and other types of gases that are emitted during a fire and to provide real-time alerts to a pre-programmed set of phone numbers through SMS using the SIM900A GSM module. The system also triggers an alarm to alert people and the forest department in the vicinity of the fire. The MQ135 gas sensor is used to detect the presence of smoke and other gases in the air. The sensor's output is fed into the Arduino Uno microcontroller, which processes the data and triggers the alarm if the concentration of smoke or other gases exceeds a pre-set threshold value. The SIM900A GSM module is used to send real-time alerts to pre-programmed phone numbers through SMS, enabling swift action to be taken in case of a fire. We also use deep sleep mode to save power. We have divided the forest into various zones according to activity in that area.

Forest Dwellers’ livelihoods and attitudes towards relocation: insights from Buxa Tiger Reserve, India

ABSTRACT Local communities are relocated from protected areas to lessen human activities that jeopardize biodiversity conservation. Buxa Tiger Reserve (BTR) has a large number of people living in the core tiger habitat area and the relocation programmes introduced have not achieved the goal of complete relocation of people. Using both quantitative household data and qualitative and sustainable livelihood framework, this study aimed to assess the livelihood conditions of the forest villagers and understand factors influencing their attitudes towards relocation from the core area of the BTR. The results of binary logistic regression show that the age of the household head, education of the household head, family size, elderly dependency, forest dependency, income from ecotourism and forest department work, degradation of the nearby forest, and frequency of human-wildlife conflicts are the key determinants factors influencing the household decision to relocation. The study observed that most of the households were reluctant to relocate because of the low compensation amount, job insecurity and emotional bonding with the place where they feel happy and comfortable. In contrast, the non-availability of proper infrastructure facilities, lack of work, problems of human-wildlife conflicts, and children's education have appeared to be the key factors of alacrity to relocate.

Work motivation as a strategic development tool for the Greek forest service departments: Evidence from the region of Macedonia and Thrace

Attaining objectives might be difficult for the Greek Public Administration, which makes it essential to use for effective motivational tactics to raise staff performance and for realization of the organization's mission. It is considered that the public sector's human resources are its most valuable asset, it is deemed essential to motivate employees based on their unique qualities. Hence, the purpose of this work is to justify the factors that contribute to the commitment and improvement of the employees’ performance occupied in the Greek Forest Services of Macedonia-Thrace Region. All employees of the aforementioned services were asked to complete a questionnaire with the intention of learning more about what drives them, which is crucial information for academics and policymakers alike. From the results of the research emerged, that the most important motivational factor is the employees’ need to work for the common good and be part of an important vision. The ability to take initiative and participate in decision-making, the recognition of employee’s contributions and feedback on the results of their work, the recognition of their needs as parents and as individuals, and the fact that their department's management and their co-workers value them as people are all significant motivating factors. The aforementioned findings provide Greek policymakers with an effective instrument for enhancing the performance of public services.

Genetic Diversity Analysis by SSR Markers in Melia dubia Cav. -A Fast Growing Multipurpose Tree Species

The present work was conducted in the year 2019 at the department of Forestry and Environmental Science, GKVK, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru Karnataka, India aimed to estimate the genetic variation among the populations of Melia dubia. 12 SSR primers producing polymorphic and monomorphic bands were analysed. The fresh and matured leaf sample was collected from the South India germplasm bank of Melia dubia established and maintained by Karnataka Forest Department (KFD) in collaboration with Institute of Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding (IFGTB), Coimbatore at Hoskote near Bengaluru, is a part of rural Bengaluru district, Karnataka, India. Leaf surface was cleaned by wiping with alcohol and carried to the laboratory in the ice bucket. Samples were preserved at -86˚C in a deep freezer. Genetic distances were calculated for all the accession lines studied by SSR PCR. The polymorphic information content (PIC) varied from 0.18–0.35, with an overall mean of 0.28. Nei’s gene diversity (H) ranged from 0.22–0.45, with an overall mean of 0.34. Alleles maker-1 ranged between 1 and 4, with an average of 2.7 alleles marker-1. Genetic distances were used to generate a dendrogram . An UPGMA dendrogram based on similarity coefficient indices revealed high genetic diversity and segregate into thirteen distinct clusters. This can be attributed to highly cross-pollinating nature of the species. and small distributional range in the area. Based on the genetic variability found, tree improvement strategies could be developed for conservation and further improvement of the species.

Tigers at a crossroads: Shedding light on the role of Bangladesh in the illegal trade of this iconic big cat

AbstractUnsustainable wildlife trade is a major threat to many species, but quantifying trade remains challenging, as seizure data provides an incomplete understanding. For this reason, integrating multiple types of information, including interviews with actors involved in trade, is crucial if we are to understand the problem better. Hence, in this study, we digitized Bangladesh Forest Department tiger seizure records to identify trade routes and interviewed 163 individuals involved in trafficking tigers through Bangladesh's air, sea and land ports, including poachers, smugglers, and traders. We identified six ports used to import tigers, 14 ports used for tiger export and three ports showing bi‐directional trade. Elite Bangladeshis were the most important consumer group, and tigers were sourced from populations in NE India, Myanmar and Bangladesh Sundarbans to supply domestic demand. Tiger products were exported to 14 countries, including seven G20 nations, with Bangladeshi expatriates as the consumer group in three countries (United Kingdom, Germany and Qatar). Rising economic development in Bangladesh over the last decade, combined with deep‐rooted cultural ties to tiger consumption, has led to a rise in domestic demand. Additionally, rapid growth in international transport links has increased smuggling and connected local traders with global markets, increasing the complexity of global trade. These findings suggest Bangladesh is poised to play a pivotal role in tiger conservation over the next decade, requiring strong national strategies to reduce trade opportunities, disrupt networks and weaken demand.

Prospects and challenges of achieving sustainable urban green-spaces: A case study of urban greening in Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), Bangladesh

Urban green spaces and urban forest covers are a significant component of urban planning which is critically ignored in Bangladesh. This study aims to identify the prospects and challenges of achieving sustainable urban green spaces in Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), Bangladesh which is a significant indicator of the sustainable development goal (SDG11). We have analyzed the historical land use and land cover change (LULC) from 1992, 2002, 2012, and 2022 using Landsat 4–5 Thematic Mapper (TM), Landsat 7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+), and Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) images by ArcGIS 10.8 and Google Earth-pro software. The use of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) primarily indicates vegetation greenness as well as determining other land uses such as waterbody, settlements and barren land. The calculated kappa values varied from 80% to 86.7% for all the years and fit the current research. A strength-weakness-opportunity-threat (SWOT) analysis reviewed and analyzed existing sectoral policy and plans to identify challenges to achieve sustainable urban forestry. Fifteen key informant interviews (KII) from Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), Department of Environment (DOE), Bangladesh Forest Department (BFD), and Department of Social Forestry Department (DSF) wing under BFD were taken to identify the status of urban forestry, its problems, opportunities, and threats. The responses were drawn using a Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) framework. Of the total measurements of 194.2sq km (2022), normal vegetation cover has decreased significantly from 1992 to 2022 by approximately 65.9%, while urban areas increased by almost 95% simultaneously. From 1992 to 2022, areas of water bodies decreased by more than 32.4%. The vegetation coverage in DNCC is only 16.17%, inferior in meeting sustainable urban greening to fulfil the criteria of sustainable cities and communities. From the KII, it is found that despite some relevant forestry policy and plans, limited lands, institutional corruption, and weak governance are the major institutional drawbacks. In the DNCC, unplanned and rapid megacity expansion, roads and utility service expansion weak institutional policy, plan, and program implementation for urban green space protection are some of the driving forces of green cover loss. Introducing strategic environmental assessment of urban forestry policy, plans, and programs, removing inter-institutional conflicts, strategic sectoral plans, and programs for increased green spaces through the bioeconomy concept is required. In addition, increased participation from urban stakeholders is some of the significant responses identified for strategic urban green space and forest cover improvement in DNCC.

Network life time augmentation of WSN through efficient energy using GAN algorithm

The minimal energy sensor nodes are critical to the long-term viability of any wireless sensor network WSN). Clustering is used for this purpose. Choosing an efficient Cluster Head (CH) is critical in such cluster-based networks, as they are accountable for aggregating and transmitting data from their associate nodes to the base station (BS). A Generative Adversarial Networks (GAN) is proposed in this work to improve the selection of CH. As part of the fitness function, nodes’ residual energy, average energy, and inter-cluster distance are all considered. In an effort to further reduce energy consumption, a GAN routing method is proposed for use at the base station level for Efficient Energy. Simulations are used to evaluate the proposed ideal.The WSNs which require long life time with minimum cost sensors demand the proposed work. The research about the human unattainable places can be fit to necessitate this work. This method supports the maintenance of mines and petroleum refineries. In terms of energy consumption and network life expectancy, the results demonstrate a substantial improvement. And also, the proposed technique is analyzed and compared along with the existing approaches as Low-Energy Adaptive Clustering Hierarchy (Security based (S-LEACH), Cluster based (C-LEACH, More Energy Efficient-LEACH) (ME-LEACH) schemes. The proposed method detects the best location of storage-nodes for the sensor network. There is no need of agitation on battery drain up of storage-nodes (because of wireless recharge) which is a highly energy spending unit. The proposed method improves the network lifetime by a significant level. The proposed method is best fit to mines, petroleum refineries, forest department and military. The proposed method behaves as not only better storage scheme but also best fit to retrieval schemes.

An Internet of Things based Vehicle Permit Verification System with Digital Device for Timber Transportation

The vehicle permit system enables any person to obtain permission to transport timbers around Sri Lanka. The persons can apply for vehicle licenses/permits via the forest department and verify them by the police. It has been realized that the vehicle verification process is still done by stopping vehicles by local police officers. The process of applying for licenses/permits is still done by visiting the divisional forest office, and the records are maintained paper-based. This paper presents a novel concept for an Online real-time permit verification system for Sri Lanka, and there is no ongoing system or architecture to do this concept up to now. Two digital devices and a web portal were used for this concept to become a reality. Once devices are powered ON, complete permit verifications can be automatically recorded into the web portal. For example, if there is a police checkpoint with a checking device and a vehicle arriving towards the checkpoint that has a vehicle device powered ON, once the vehicle reaches a 50m radius area, it transmits a signal to the checkpoint device. With that signal, police officers can identify whether the arriving vehicle has a valid permit. Also, they can get a fully detailed view of the permit. The permit issuing and verification portal were hosted in a live environment and ready to receive signals from verification units in real-time. Further development of this system uses the blockchain concept to share and save details among vehicles

Predicting Impacts of Climate Change on Teak and Sal Forests in Central India Using Maximum Entropy Modeling: an Approach for Future Conservation and Silvicultural Strategies

Abstract Climate change impacts on tropical forests and tree species have been documented as changes in distribution, growing period, phenology, habitat, productivity, species composition, and migration. This study attempts to assess the current and future habitat suitability distribution of two dominant species of Central India, teak (Tectona grandis Linn. f.) and sal (Shorea robusta Gaertn. f.) using a maximum entropy (MaxEnt) model to predict species occurrences by finding the distribution that has the most spread. The future suitable habitat ranges of the species were modeled for two time periods (2050 and 2070) and two representative concentration pathways (RCP 2.6 and 8.5). Representative concentration pathways are scenarios that describe alternative trajectories for carbon dioxide emissions and the resulting atmospheric concentration from 2000 to 2100. We collected and modeled the spatially well-dispersed species occurrence points of teak and sal. The results suggested an increase in suitable habitat range for teak and a decrease for sal for both time periods and RCPs. Furthermore, the jackknife analysis identified temperature and precipitation seasonality as the major variables that influence the distribution of teak. In the case of sal, minimum temperature makes the maximum contribution to distribution changes. The suitable silvicultural strategies for forest management are proposed based on the future distribution of species in relation to the climate variables responsible for the change in their distribution range. These findings and strategies will help forest departments build future management plans for teak and sal forest with a focus on minimizing the impact of climate change. Study Implications: Our study used maximum entropy (MaxEnt) modeling to understand the impact of changing climate on the distribution of teak and sal forests of central India and to propose future silvicultural strategies. The study used MaxEnt model for two time periods and two climate change scenarios at highest resolution. An increase in future suitable habitat for teak and a decrease for sal is predicted by the model. Temperature for teak and precipitation for sal were identified as the major influencing climatic variables. We recommend forest and other related government departments to commission focused research to understand the changing patterns of species with climate change and design appropriate silviculture strategies for effective management.

Trends, patterns and determinants of biodiversity conservation outcomes in Buxa Tiger Reserve, West Bengal, India

ABSTRACT This paper analyses the trends, patterns and determinants of biodiversity conservation in the Buxa Tiger Reserve (BTR), India. Temporal remote sensing data from 1990 to 2020 shows a loss of 27.69 km2. The results show that the total forest area has seen a significant decline from 1990 to 2020, whereas non-forest and degraded forest areas have been on the rise. The decline of forest area is observed more in fringe and lower altitude areas where accessibility is easy for humans to extract forest resources. The secondary data shows a decline in the wildlife population including the flagship species, the Bengal tiger. The decline in natural resources due to human activities in the BTR is likely to continue unless a participatory biodiversity conservation programme is established. The establishment of the Joint Forest Management Committee (JFMC), a formal local institution where local communities and forest departments (FDs) jointly share the rights and responsibility towards the use and management of the forest, seems to be effective in reducing negative forest activities. The sustainability of the BTR is possible if the local people abandon the ‘tragedy of the commons’ activities and work together, with government guidance for the promotion of livelihoods and biodiversity conservation.

Estimating the Socio-Economic Values of Forest Ecosystem Services Using the Stated Preference Method in Dir Kohistan (Pakistan)

The research study was conducted in the Dir Forest Division of the KP Forest Department. The primary purpose was to estimate the socioeconomic values of ecosystem services of forests. For this study, 120 respondents were selected in 10 villages of the Dir Forest division through random sampling techniques. The study showed that firewood is the primary fuel source, and the local communities procured huge amounts of firewood from plantations and farmlands through local purchases. The economic value of forest ecosystem regulation, support, and cultural services must be addressed at the public level. As a result, the overall worth of the forestry industry in the globe in general, and Pakistan in particular, could be considered much higher. This study aimed to determine the relevance of various types of ecosystem services and their relationship to the socioeconomic status of individuals in the Dir Forest division. It focuses on estimating the economic value of a subset of services relevant to local communities, such as provisioning services (fuel wood) and cultural services (tourism), using the stated preference method (Contingent Valuation) and recommending a feasible payment for ecosystem services (PES) mechanism. According to data from the Economic valuation of fuel wood services, Dir Forest Division obtains a total of US$ 04 million- $ USD worth of fuel wood services per year. To determine the tourism trend and its economic worth, data was collected from hotel owners, 120 tourists, and key informants in the study area using a pretested questionnaire for seven years, from 2015 to 2021.

Anthropogenic driven range expansion of Asian elephant Elephas maximus in an agricultural landscape and its consequences in South West Bengal, India

Alterations of the geographical ranges of animals have become a reason for interactions with humans, leading to various consequences. We describe the pattern of range expansion of Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) and implications for human-elephant interactions in the agricultural landscape of South West Bengal, India. We enquired about past and current sightings of Asian elephants from local people to gather information on range expansion from the 1950 s to 2018. We also collected the records of human deaths and injuries by elephants from 2010 to 2018 from the records of the Forest Department. We employed an occupancy framework to understand the probability of the occurrence of elephants in the landscape from 2010 to 2018. The range of elephants in the landscape increased from ∼ 1200 km2 in the 1950–60 s to ∼ 13200 km2 by 2010–18. The calculated probability of use of grid cells was 36 % and the forest edge had a high influence on the space usage by the elephants. Elephants occurred in an average of 26 grid cells per month, and the number of grid cells with elephants did not differ between the months. A total of 640 attacks on humans occurred, which significantly varied between the years. The probability of elephant occurrence in a grid cell was the major determinant factor for the elephant attacks on humans. Although people respect elephants, there is a sense of intolerance towards them if they enter the crop fields, owing to the small land holdings and the incapacity to endure the monetary losses of the farmers.

Does Commitment Moderate Relationship between Green Human Resource Management Practices and Employee Performance

Human resource is the backbone for success of any organization. Performance of employee depends on performance of HR department. If it hires competent professionals then performance of employees would be better. Forest sector in Pakistan was overlooked, which needs much attention because it is responsible for huge forest areas. Human resource management practices require adequate attention of researchers if Pakistan forest sector want to improve its employee’s performance. Aim of this study was to find moderating effect of organizational commitment on HRM practices and employee performance n Pakistani forest sector. Survey approach was used for collecting data through closed ended structured questionnaires from forest department employees in public sector. Total 315 questionnaires were collected back but 303 completed scales were used in the analysis. Smart PLS-SEM 3 software and SPSS 25 were used for statistical analysis. It was found that organizational commitment does act as moderator on R&S and PA only. This means that these variables are the most dominant variables in this model. This study is valuable extension of HRM practices and performance by adding commitment as moderator. This study is the first study, which targeted forest sector as no such studies were conducted on this sample and area before in Pakistan. Thus, this is valuable extension of theory of human resource management practices and employee’s commitment.

Impact of work demand constraints on psychological distress through workplace bullying and personality traits: A moderated-mediation model.

This study addressed the human aspects of sustainable development in organizations by applying work demand resource theory and the main focus of the study is to investigate the negative aspects of workplace bullying on human's mental health. This study investigated how the work demand constraints play a role in increasing psychological distress among employees through the mediation of workplace bullying. This study also considers personality traits that play a role in preventing psychological distress resulting from workplace bullying. The authors collected data by means of a self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire was distributed among 1000 employees selected using a systematic sampling technique, patronized among three service sectors: the health sector, education sector, and forest department in the city of Lahore in Pakistan. The data was analyzed by employing Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) using Smart PLS 3.3.3. Results of this study reveal that work demand constraints (WDC) play a significant role in workplace bullying and impact increasing psychological distress. Personality traits play a moderating role between work demand constraints and workplace bullying behavior on the one hand and psychological distress on the other hand; however, openness to experiences was found to have a moderating relationship between work demand constraints and workplace bullying. Meanwhile, agreeableness and openness to experiences were found to have a moderating relationship between work demand constraints (WDC) and psychological distress. This study also has practical implications for employers, such as providing psychological counseling, personality development training at the workplace etc. The relationship of work demand constraints with psychological distress and workplace bullying through direct and indirect moderating effects of personality traits in Pakistan's service sector are unique contributions of this study.

A spatial and temporal analysis of commercialized NTFP production in four administrative regions in Myanmar

The Myanmar Forest Department governs non-timber forest product (NTFP) commercialization through 10-year forest management plan. The forest management plan targets future production based on records of NTFP production and current estimated NTFP stocks using forest inventory data from different districts. The plan focuses on forest environmental factors rather than including other potential factors that promote sustainable and successful commercialization. However, planning for districts separately without being aware of commercialized NTFP conditions in surrounding districts, may lead forest department staff to either underestimate the potential to boost future NTFP commercialization or fail to prevent over-extraction by reducing the targeted production in their district. We investigated whether spatial and temporal patterns of NTFPs production differed among adjoining districts. We carried out a spatio-temporal analysis of commercialized NTFPs to show the production patterns across 22 districts located in four administrative zones. The analysis was performed on five NTFPs categories: (i) food & medicine, (ii) wood fuel, (iii) raw material, (iv) fragrance wood, and (v) spices, by looking at the annual production of NTFPs from 2006 to 2014. We found that neighboring districts with similar forest environments had significant differences in spatio-temporal production patterns for many NTFPs. In particular, some districts had important commercial production of fragrance wood and spices, while their neighboring districts had not commercialized these NTFPs. Our study found other influencing factors besides forest environment that explained production patterns for different NTFPs at the district level, including seasonal collection, location, and market demand. We recommend that the Myanmar Forest Department investigates local factors influencing commercialization at the district level and uses them as additional input for developing the next 10-year forest management plan to promote successful NTFP commercialization.

Indian forest governance during the COVID-19 pandemic

The unexpected nature of COVID-19 tested the institutional strength and resilience of state agencies across the world. Preliminary evidence is presented on how reduced mobility due to COVID-19 affected the functioning of the Forest Department in the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh and triggered changes in forest use by local communities as perceived by forest officials. Our evidence shows mixed outcomes in terms of the effectiveness of the forest bureaucrats in handling the COVID-19 pandemic as assessed through their own perceptions and other forestry records. The positive and negative elements relating to the bureaucratic forest administration during the COVID-19 lockdown are presented, and some possible reasons behind these varying patterns across the state of Himachal Pradesh are suggested. Lessons drawn from the COVID-19 crisis that can help guide forest bureaucracies to deal effectively with unpredictable events in the future are presented.

A Catalogue of The Higher Plants of The Adhwani Temperate Forest and Its Fringe Areas (Western Himalaya, India)

The present study deals with the floristic inventory of higher plants (angiosperms and gymnosperms) found in a richly biodiverse temperate forest area (Adhwani forest; 30º06′1″–30º06′7″ N and 78º72′3″ –78º72′6″ E; 1700–2200 m asl (above sea level) in western Himalaya, India. A total of 477 species of flowering plants belonging to 105 families and 315 genera were recorded in the Adhwani forest and its fringe areas. The information on plant life form, flowering and fruiting, local elevational distribution, indigenous uses and availability status are provided. An account of the invasive and alien species occurring in the area is also provided. Gentiana cephalodes Edgew. (Gentianaceae) and Buddleja crispa Benth. (Buddlejaceae) are revealed as new distribution recordings among the flora of Garhwal district. Asteraceae (47 species and 33 genera) was the dominant family followed by Fabaceae, Poaceae, Lamiaceae, Rosaceae and Ranunculaceae. Desmodium (9 species) was a dominant genus in the study area followed by Crotolaria, Cyperus and Euphorbia (6 species each). The herbs dominate the life forms of the area with 317 species (66.45%) followed by shrubs (14.46%), trees (12.99%) and climbers (6.07%). The flora of the area represents three IUCN index species viz. Quercus lamellosa (NT), Quercus oblongata (NT) and Ulmus wallichiana (VU) and 57 invasive and alien species. The presented catalogue with comprehensive information on of higher plants will be helpful to the plant scientists, planners and forest department when for developing and managing this richly biodiverse forest area.