This document outlines a seminar presentation on the role of forestry in restoring degraded land. It discusses various causes and types of land degradation in India such as water and wind erosion. Forestry plays a key role in restoration through forest interventions, afforestation techniques, and agroforestry models. These restore degraded land by improving biomass, soil fertility, and flora. The document provides examples of restoration approaches for mined areas, ravines, lateritic lands, and salt-affected soils through planting suitable tree and grass species.

1. INDIRAGANDHI KRISHI VISHWA VIDYALAYA
Department of forestry
IGKV, Raipur
SEMINAR ON
Role of Forestry in Restoration of Degraded Land
BY:
Indu kale
M.Sc. forestry sem-2
Id. No 20200477

2. Presentation profile
 Abstract
 Introduction
 Definition
 Causes of land
degradation
 Effects of land
degradation
 Status of land
degradation in India
 Classification of
degraded land
 Why land restoration?
 Role of forestry in
restoration
 Approaches (or)
Technologies
 Choice of species
 Case studies
 Conclusions
 References

3. Abstract
• Land degradation is a composite term describing the changes in land resources
like water, soil, vegetation to an undesirable condition. Overgrazing, intensive
agricultural practices, mining, and deforestation are the major causes of land
degradation. Globally, two billion ha of forests are estimated as degraded and in
need of restoration. Several constraints and challenges impede the restoration
activities. Forestry is often considered as a wise and sustainable option in land
restoration. It reveals appropriate restoration activities and standards for
successful programs. Degraded land can be reclaimed by the planting of
suitable tree species and turning barren sterile wasteland into that is fertile and
suitable for habitation and cultivation. Forest interventions, Agroforestry
systems and Afforestation techniques etc, are various management practices and
approaches used for restoration of degraded and wasteland.
Key words : Forestry, Degradation, Agroforestry, Restoration, Afforestation

4. Introduction
• Land, a non-renewable resource, is central to all primary production systems.
Over the years, the country's landmass has suffered from different types of
degradations. Degradation of land is caused by biotic and abiotic pressures.
An ever increasing population places enormous demands on land resources.
This is particularly acute in India, which has only 2.4 per cent of the world's
geographical area but supports over 16 per cent of the world's population. It
has 0.5 percent of the world's grazing area but has over 18 percent of world's
cattle population. These pressures have led to the drastic changes in the
proportion of land utilized for agricultural activities, urbanization and
industrial development (tenth five year plan).
• Due to complete loss of top soil these degraded lands are ecologically
unstable and are unsuitable for cultivation. 40% of the world's degraded lands
are located in areas with high poverty rates, with the greatest threat being loss
of soil quality, followed by biodiversity loss and water resource depletion
(FAO, 2011).The degradation of wasteland can be overcome by participatory
approach like social forestry, joint forest management, community forestry,
etc. with the help of local people in the planning and management of lands
through Afforestation .

5. Definition
Land degradation:
 Land degradation is the temporary or permanent lowering of
the productive capacity of land (UNEP 1992), thus it covers the
various forms of soil degradation, adverse human impacts on
water resources, deforestation, lowering of the productive
capacity of rangelands.
 Land degradation can be considered in terms of the loss or actual
or potential productivity or utility as a result of natural or
anthropogenic factors; or it is the decline in land quality or
reduction in its productivity

6. Causes of land degradation
Source: Development of Wastelands and Degraded Lands
Tenth Five year plan(2002-2007)
Causes of degradation Area (Mha) % of Total area
Water erosion 107.12 61.7
Wind erosion 17.79 10.24
Ravines 3.97 2.28
Salt-affected 7.61 4.38
Waterlogging 8.52 4.90
Mines and quarry wastes ---- ---
Shifting cultivation 4.91 2.82
Degraded forests lands 19.49 11.22
Special problems 2.73 1.57
Coastal sandy areas 1.46 0.84
TOTAL 173.64 100.0

7. Effects of Land Degradation
• Land degradation has both on-site and off-site effects
• On-site effects are the lowering of the productive capacity of
the land, causing either reduced outputs (crop yields, livestock
yields) or the need for increased inputs.
• Off-site effects of water erosion occur through changes in the
water regime, including decline in river water quality, and
sedimentation of river beds and reservoirs. The main off-site
effect of wind erosion is overblowing, or sand deposition.

8. Status of land degradation in India (2009)
 Degraded and wastelands in the country cover 120.4 M ha, incorporating
combination of various wasteland classes and degraded lands(Degraded and
wastelands of India ICAR 2010)
Broad categories of degraded
lands
Area (Mha)
Water erosion 82.57
Wind erosion 12.40
Salt affected soils 6.74
Acid soils 17.94
Others 1.07
Total 120.72
Source: ICAR-national bureau of soil
survey and land use planning, IFPRI

9. Land degradation map of India
Generated using LISS-III data of 2015-2016
Source: isro.gov.in/earth observer

10. Land Degradation Assessment by Different
Organizations
Agency Estimated extent (M ha) criteria for delineation
NCA 1976 148.09 Based on secondary data
Ministry of agriculture 1978 175.00 Based on NCA’S estimates
SPWD (Bhumbla and Khare,
1984)
129.58 Based on secondary estimates
NRSA 1985 53.28 Remote sensing techniques
Ministry of agriculture 1985 173.64 Land degradation statistics for
states
Ministry of agriculture 1994 107.43 Eliminating duplication area
NBSS&LUP 1994 187.70 1:4 scale GLASOD guidelines
NBSS&LUP 2004 Revised 146.82 1:1 scale soil map
Department of environment
Vohra 1980
95.00
NWDB 1985 123.00
source: Degraded and wastelands of India- ICAR

11. Types of land degradation assessed
Land degradation have been grouped into six classes
• Water erosion covers all forms of soil erosion by water, including sheet and
rill erosion and gullying. This is the most widespread degradation occuring
in all agro-climatic regions.
• Wind erosion refers to loss of soil by wind, occurring primarily in dry
regions
• Waterlogging is the lowering in land productivity through the rise in
groundwater close to the soil surface. severe form, of water logging termed
ponding, where the water table rises above the surface. Waterlogging is
linked with salinization, both being brought about by incorrect irrigation
management.

12. Water erosion Wind erosion
Waterlogging Salinization

13. Soil fertility decline :
Is used as a short term to refer to
• Lowering of soil organic matter, with associated decline in soil
biological activity;
• Degradation of soil physical properties (structure, aeration, water
holding capacity)
• Adverse changes in soil nutrient resources, including reduction in
availability of the major nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus,
potassium), onset of micronutrient deficiencies, and development
of nutrient imbalances.
• Buildup of toxicities, primarily acidification through incorrect
fertilizer use.

14. • Salinization is the process by which water-soluble salts
accumulate in the soil. Salinization is a resource concern
because excess salts hinder the growth of crops by limiting
their ability to take up water. Salinization may occur naturally
or because of conditions resulting from management practices
• Lowering of the water table through tube well pumping of
groundwater for irrigation exceeding the natural recharge
capacity. Pumping for urban and industrial use is a further
cause.

15. Other types of degradation includes
a) Deforestation: refers to the cutting or clearing of forests which can
directly leads to degradation, erosion, climate change
b) Forest degradation This is the reduction of resources and lowering of
productive capacity of forests through human activities.
c) Rangeland degradation This is the lowering of the productive capacity
of rangelands.
a b c

16. Why does land needs to be restored?
 Land restoration is the process of ecological restoration of site, safe for humans, wildlife
and plant communities
 It helps in bringing marginal land or previously degraded soils back into productive use
and enabling expansion of the productive area
 It enhances the supply of valuable ecosystem services that benefit biotic communities
 Re-establish the potential of native species
 Protect from erosion and runoff
 Improve wildlife habitat
 Improving soil productivity and stability
 Improves environmental conditions and aesthetically pleasing
Degraded land
Functioning ecosystem
after restoring

17. Role of forestry in restoration of degraded lands
Forestry plays a key role in restoring the degraded land through:
 Forest interventions
 Afforestration techniques
 Agroforestry models
Which further restores the degraded land through:
 Biomass accumulation
 Floristic composition ( MPTs)
 System nutrient distribution and soil fertility
 Rehabilitation and management implications

18. Strategies for Developing Degraded Lands (or)
Forest Interventions
Creation of fuel and fodder reserves:
 Plantations to be raised of fuel and fodder species in order to meet the
fuel and fodder demand at the same time cover the wasteland with
vegetation. The land is put for productive use.
Social forestry:
 Forestry outside the conventional forests
Industrial plantations:
 Wood based industries require wood for manufacture of paper, timber for
furniture, plywood etc., and plantations are to be raised to meet the raw
material demand of the industry. Growing industrial plantations will help
in greening the wastelands as well as will meet the raw material needs of
the industry

19. Extension forestry
 Extension forestry is the practice of forestry in areas devoid of tree growth and
other vegetation situated in places away from the conventional forest areas
with the object of increasing the area under tree growth.
Rehabilitation of degraded forests
 The degraded area under forests needs immediate attention for ecological
restoration and for meeting the socio economic needs of the communities
living in and around such areas
Agroforestry :
 Introducing Agroforestry in degraded lands can improve the productivity of
soils as well as provides income
Community forestry:
 Rising plantations in degraded communal lands with the help of local
community
Urban forestry:
 Rising urban parks in degraded lands helps in land restoration as well as
provides recreational benefits

20. Technologies and approaches
Mined areas:
 The country is having a well-developed mining sector, which has vast
geological potential with over 20,000 known mineral deposits.
 The total of 683,671.5 ha area is under mining in the country. The highest area
is in Rajasthan (1,41,280 ha) followed by Bihar (1,36,759.5 ha) and Orissa
(1,04,334 ha).
 Mining destroys vegetation and causes extensive damage to the soil and
biodiversity

21. Restoration of mined areas
The various steps for restoration of mined areas are discussed below:
 Preliminary survey
 Site preparation: reshaping, filling cavities, leveling
 Counters are made on the mould to stop erosion
 Pit size: 60*60*60, filled with FYM at the rate of 5kg/pit
 Spacing: 2*2
 Fertilization and irrigation is provided to help plant establishment
 Mortality replacement is to be made within 3 months of planting
to keep 100%survival in plantation

22. Choice of species
Criteria Tree species Grasses
Native species
Fast growing
Ecologically viable
Deep rooted
Nitrogen fixing trees.
Drought tolerant.
Eucalyptus spp
Grevillea pteridifolia
Pongamia pinnata,
Dalbergia sissoo,
Erythrina suberosa
Bauhinia retusa
Agave americana
Leucaena leucocephala
Acacia spp
Eulaliopsis binata
Pennisetum purpureum
Saccharum spontaneum
Cenchrus cillaris
Cynodon dactylon

23.  Role of vegetation :
 Vegetation is the most appropriate and cost-effective long-
term remedy to encounter the majority of underlying
problems of derelict mined land.
 It plays a critical role in restoring productivity, ecosystem
stability, and biological diversity through numerous
processes, including maintenance or increase of soil organic
matter, biological nitrogen fixation, uptake of nutrients from
deep soil layer, increase water infiltration and storage.
 reduce loss of nutrients by erosion and leaching, improve
soil physical properties, reduce soil acidity, and improve
soil biological activity

24. Afforested mined area drone view
Afforested mined over
burden

25. Ravine areas
• The ravine means a deep gorge. Ravines are formed due to very
loose/soft and powdery soil such as alluvial soil. It is caused
due to soil and water erosion.
• Millions of hectares of fertile land along the banks of rivers are
ruined by ravine formation
• The National Remote Sensing Agency, based on the Land sat
data, has estimated nearly 4 Mha of area under of ravine land.
Restoration:
• Soil conservation measures: watershed development approach
• Afforestation with tree planting,
• pasture development
• Aerial planting in remote areas
• Agroforestry approaches

26. Agricultural Crops Tree species Fruit species Grasses
pigeon pea
(Cajanus cajan)
black gram (Vigna
mungo)
Eucalyptus tereticornis,
Dendrocalamus strictus
Leuceana leucocephala
lemon (Citrus limon),
mango (Mangifera
indica),
Ber (Ziziphus
mauritiana), and
amla (Emblica
officinalis)
Dicanthium
annulatum,
Cenchrus spp
Panicum spp
Pannisetum
purpureum,
and Brachiaria
mutica
Systems followed in ravine lands are:
 Agri silviculture
 Agri horticulture
 Silvo pastoral
Choice of species
Agroforestry Approaches:

27. Afforesting Chambal ravines
Ravines restoration through
Agroforestry
Degraded Ravine area

28. Case study: Bamboo and Anjan Grass-Based silvipasture
System enhanced the Productivity of Ravines in Gujarat
• It was found that the ravine lands, under unproductive use can successfully be
reclaimed by planting bamboo, a fast growing plant species, on the gully beds
and Anjan grass on the side slopes, and the interspaces of gully bed for economic
utilization of gullied land.
• The grasses fetched an income of INR 3000–6000 per hectare over the period of
5 years. The system also yield about 300 clumps of bamboo with 3000–4000 old
and 1000–1500 new culms per hectare bamboo plantation in 7 years old
plantation
Source: NAIP- Mass Media Project, DKMA with inputs from RC,
CS&WCR&T, Vasad and DMAPR, Anand

29. Lateritic lands
• The lateritic region covers an area of 12 million ha in India.
The soil derived from lateritic rocks is called as lateritic soil and
also termed as red loam.
• This soil has silica/alumina ratio more than 2.The soil is mostly
red/red yellow in colour and rich in iron
• Such lateritic soil is found in Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra,
Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh , Orissa and
West Bengal
• The lateritic region have excellent forests of Sal and mixed
deciduous forests. Due to heavy biotic pressure, the patches in
forests are degraded and need Afforestation.

30. Restoration process
• Deep ripping of lateritic land
• deep ripping, pitting and planting is done in private
or agricultural lands
• As the soils are deficient in organic matter and
nutrients, fertilization is provided during rainy season
at the time of planting and also after planting
• Spacing followed is 2 x 2 m or any other suitable
spacing depending up on species to be planted.

31. Lateritic land and afforestation
Lateritic stone mining
Lateritic land devoid of plants Cultivation after land preparation

32. Salt affected soils
• Salt affected soils are broadly classified into Alkali and Saline
soils.
• In general, the salt affected soils get ameliorated by trees
depends upon the nature and type of tree species, growth habit,
quantity and quality of litter produced, planting density, age of
plantation, ability to fix N, and management practices.
Soil type ESP SAR pH EC
Alkali soil >15 >13 >8.5 <4
Saline soil <15 >13 <8.5 >4

33. • For instance, tree minimizes the salt deposition in the upper layers
of the soil, it prevents salt accumulation on the surface layer, it
improves water permeability and it facilitate leaching of salts, it
decreases the bicarbonate levels, it reduces soil pH and electrical
conductivity (EC), it increases water holding capacity, as well as
infiltration rate and soil fertility
Approaches includes:
 Afforestation
 Agroforestry systems
 Agrisilvicultural system, Silvipastoral system, Multipurpose
woodlots, and Agrihortisilvicultural system are suitable for
reclamation of salt affected soils.

34. Choice of species
Tree species Fruit species Grasses
Eucalyptus
tereticornis,
Acacia nilotica,
Albizialebbeck,
Terminalia arjuna,
Prosopis juliflora
Casuarina
equisetifolia Tamarix
articulata,
Pongamiapinnata
Zizyphusmauritiana
Punicagranatum,
Syzygiumcumini,
Emblica officinalis
Tamarindus indica
Aegel marmelos
Leptochloa fusca,
Chloris gayana,
Brachiaria mutica,
and Sporobolus spp
Syzygium cumini –auger hole
technique

35. Case study: Agroforestry techniques for the rehabilitation
of degraded salt-affected lands in India
• The study dealt with a range of species that was tested under greenhouse and
actual field conditions and enlisted the species that are most tolerant,
moderately tolerant and sensitive to salinity.
Average pH Fuelwood or timber species Fruit species
>10.0 Prosopis juliflora,
Acacia nilotica,
Casuarina equisetifolia
Achras japota
9.0-10.0 Tamarix ariculata
Terminalia arjuna
Albizzia lebbek
Milletia pinnata
Zizyphus maurtiana
Sapindus laurifolius
Emblica officinalis
Carissa carandas
Aegel marmelos
8.2-9.0 Dalbergia sissoo
Morus alba
Azadirachta indica
Tectona grandies
Punica granatum
Prunus persica
Mangifera indica
Syzygium cumini
Source: G.Singh et al., 1994

36. Coastal areas
• Coastal habitat restoration encompasses the range of remedies that society
undertakes to repair, reinvigorate, or replace parts of the coastal environment that
have been lost or injured as a result of human activities or natural events
• They extend for about 6,150 km from the Rann of Kutch in the west to West
Bengal in the east
• During recent decades, coastal ecosystems have been increasingly affected by
large-scale land-use change and by sea level rise due to global warming
• Both salt marshes and dunes have an important function in protecting coastal
regions from flooding and erosion and provide habitats for plant and animal
species with special adaptations for survival under harsh environmental conditions.
• Restoration projects includes planting salt marshes and repairing coral reefs

37. Agencies and programs
The Coastal Ecosystems Program
The National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grants Program
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Choice of species:
• Heretiera fomes
• Acanthus volubilis
• Pheonix paludosa
• Rhizophora stylosa
• Sarcolibus carinatus
• Thespesia populneoides
• Salvodara spp
• Tamarix spp
• Indigofera argentea
• Acacia chundra
• Lumnitzera littorea
• Barringtonia asiatica
• Manilkara littoralis
• Avicennia marina
• Litsea nitida
• Euphorbia spp
Source: bsi.envis.nic.in/ coastal plants

38. conclusion
• Degraded land is regarded as a powerful tool of attacking the
issues of poverty and backwardness. To mitigate these
problems, we can adopt farming system under different
Agroforestry models viz., alley cropping/hedgerow farming,
multipurpose faming, boundary plantation and plantation with
suitable pastures in erosion prone hilly area to reduce soil and
water erosion. Overall, forest interventions and Afforestation
activities should be adopted to protect lands from further
deterioration and degradation processes.

39. References
• Chaturvedi, O.P., Kaushalk, R.,Tomar, J.M.S.Prandiyal, A.K. and Panwar, P. 2014. Agroforestry for
Wasteland Rehabilitation: Mined, Ravine, and Degraded Watershed Areas. pp. 273-271.
In:Dagar, J,C., Singh, A.K. and Arunachalam,A.(eds.)Agroforestry Systems in India: Livelihood
Security & Ecosystem Services. Part of the Advances in Agroforestry book series (ADAG, volume
10).Springer.
• Development of wastelands and degraded lands. Tenth Five Year Plan 2002-2007.Ch-5.3.
pp.981-594.
• http://www.bsienvis.nic.in/Database/IndianMangroves_3941.aspx
• Kiehl,K and Isermann,M.2007. Restoration of coastal ecosystems – an introduction. Coastline
Reports 7.1-4p.
• Maji, A.K., Reddy, G.P. Obi and Sarkar, D. 2010. Degraded and Wastelands of India Status and
Spatial Distribution. Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi. 167 p.
• Nair, P.K.R.1993 An introduction to Agroforestry. Kluwer Academic
Publishers,Netherlands.489p.
• Singh.G, Singh N. T. and Abrol I. P. 1994. Agroforestry techniques for the rehabilitation of
degraded salt-affected lands in India. Land Degradation and Rehabilitation, vol 5,223-242p.
• Tom, A. and Finch, D. 1998. Restoring Coastal Habitats. National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA). NOAA's State of the Coast Report. Silver Spring, MD: NOAA. 28p.

40. Lets keep our
planet Green
Good for planet,
Good for us