Natural Vegetation — Class 11 Geography

Natural vegetation is a plant community left undisturbed long enough to adjust to climate and soil. India's vegetation varies with climate and soil, and its forests are grouped into five types: (1) Tropical Evergreen and Semi-Evergreen forests, found in areas with over 200 cm rainfall (Western Ghats, north-east, Andaman and Nicobar), which appear green all year with species like rosewood, mahogany and ebony; (2) Tropical Deciduous (monsoon) forests, the most widespread, divided into moist deciduous (100–200 cm, with teak, sal, sandalwood) and dry deciduous (70–100 cm); (3) Tropical Thorn forests in areas below 50 cm rainfall, with babool, ber and khejri; (4) Montane forests, changing with altitude from deciduous through pine, deodar and silver fir to alpine pastures, including the Sholas of the south; and (5) Littoral and Swamp forests, including mangroves in deltas (well developed in the Sunderbans and Andaman and Nicobar). The chapter describes forest conservation through the forest policy (aiming at 33 per cent forest cover), social forestry (urban, rural and farm forestry) and farm forestry. It also covers wildlife conservation through the Wildlife Act of 1972, Project Tiger (1973), Project Elephant (1992), national parks, sanctuaries and the 18 Biosphere Reserves. (Refer to the map in the NCERT textbook.)