By Dr Indresh Kumar Pandey
Conservation of biodiversity is the most burning issue in present times. Global warming and climate change along with human activities have been affecting biodiversity for time immemorial. Despite adequate environmental awareness in Uttarakhand, pine is becoming a major problem as a threat to biodiversity. Despite the ban on pine plantation, the spread of pine trees continues naturally.
Pine (Pinus) is a tree of the gymnosperm group which is found at an altitude of 450 metres to 3300 metres above sea level. Out of about 105 species of pine found on earth, 29 species are found in India. Out of these, 8 species are endemic to India while 21 species are non-endemic or alien.
The main species of pine found in Uttarakhand is Pinus roxburghii which is found from a height of 450 metres to 2250 metres above sea level. Before the British colonial period, pine trees were found in very few numbers in Uttarakhand only on barren dry land. Later, it was spread by the British for the purpose of economic benefit. After the Treaty of Singoli in 1815 AD, with the increase in the rights of the British, they started planting pine trees for economic benefit. Pine is a fast growing plant which becomes ready for economic benefit in just 12 years. The resin extracted from pine is used in turpentine oil, soap, paint and other industries. Pine wood is also economically important which is used in various works. In view of these benefits, the British distributed pine seeds among the village heads and ordered to sow it in the upper parts of the mountain. The purpose of the order to sow in the upper regions was that the pine seeds would easily come down from the top and its spread would happen automatically in the lower areas. Since pine seeds are tasty to eat, it is said that the British used to mix pine seeds with human urine and distribute it among the villagers so that they do not eat it. During the British rule, a small industrial unit was also established in Kashipur in the 19th century to take commercial advantage of pine resin. Also, about 51,000 kilometres of railway track was built between 1853 AD and 1910 AD, for which various trees were cut and the wood was used. During this period, the spread of pine took place at a faster pace.
The spread of pine trees had the greatest impact on oak trees and their number kept decreasing. The British cut down oak forests and used its strong wood for various purposes including lighting fires, which provided free space for pine trees and they spread easily and rapidly. Oak trees are an important part of daily life in Uttarakhand. Oak is the most important member of the forests of Uttarakhand, from whose wood villagers make ploughs and various materials for farming. Along with this, oak also plays an important role in the conservation of water resources of the mountains. For this reason, oak is also called the ‘green gold’ of the mountain.
Pine is generally found more on the southern slopes of the mountains while the northern slopes are mainly broad-leaved mixed forests including oak. The southern slopes of the mountains are drier than the northern slopes due to the sun rays. In this way, the pine planted during the colonial period with the aim of strengthening the economy today seems to be causing deterioration of the economy as well as the environment.
Also, pine is mainly found in dry areas. Where there are pine forests, natural water sources also get recharged very little and the area remains dry. According to some literary sources, during normal rainy season, natural water sources present in the Oak-Rhododendron forest get recharged immediately up to about 25 percent, whereas in pine forest areas it gets recharged hardly up to 12-14 percent. One of the major reasons for the spread of pine is that some legal provisions were adopted under which cutting of trees at an altitude of more than 1000 metres was banned. Pine got the most benefit of this Act and it was saved from being cut. Later, this ban was lifted. In this way, the spread of pine has increased to more than 16 percent of the forest area of entire Uttarakhand, which environmentalists are saying is much less than the actual situation.
At present, an important cause of forest fire is the pointed leaves of pine (Pirul). People call it ‘Gunpowder of Forest’ because it is inflammable due to the presence of chemicals. Due to forest fire, many animals die and the entire food chain is affected. Biodiversity is lost. Most incidents of forest fire occur in summer when the tourism industry including the Char Dham Yatra is at its peak. Atmospheric pollution caused by forest fire repels tourists from the mountains. The changed form of Western Disturbance in which there is less rain in winter is also creating favourable conditions for pine and forest fire. The recently started ‘Pirul Lao Paisa Pao’ campaign is a meaningful effort to stop forest fire.
Pine grows at a very fast pace. It is successful as an invasive species in interspecific competition with various plants. Due to this reason, when pine reaches oak forests, it grows faster than other plants there. Gradually, pine trees cover the entire area and establish themselves as pine forest area. Also, animals like monkeys and elephants do not get any food from pine trees, due to which they come towards human population and human-wildlife conflict arises. Also, oak or mixed forests are more capable of preventing soil erosion than pine.
The implication of the study of all these points is that preventing the spread of pine forests and planting original Himalayan trees in their place will be beneficial for the ecology of Uttarakhand. Forest fires not only lead to loss of biodiversity but also create adverse conditions for tourists due to environmental pollution. Conservation of various animals can also be accelerated by developing mixed forests in place of pine forests. At present, just as we are eliminating all the signs of colonial slavery including law, education and culture, similarly, the control of the ‘Floral symbol of colonialism – The Pine’ is also absolutely necessary for environmental conservation.
(The Author is Assistant Professor at Govt PG College Karnprayag, Chamoli)
