This textbook is written for undergraduates & postgraduates, university & college teachers, scientists and professional foresters. It offers a real-life introduction to the field of forestry and an interdisciplinary overview of the theory behind it. This textbook covers forestry in great depth and the real strength of the book lies in its focus on the context and applications of the field. Thanks to its wide scope, it not only serves as a useful introduction to the field but can also be used to understand how many other key forestry topics have changed in recent years as a consequence of the technology advancement. This textbook will significantly help the students for preparation of UPSC-Civil Service Exam, UPSC-Indian Forest Service Exam, ICFRE & ICAR Scientists/NET Exam, University Entrance Exam for admission to M.Sc. and Ph.D. programmes. Contents: PART 1: NATURAL RESOURCES Soil Resources – Munish Kumar What is Soil? - Soil Components - Soils of India - Nutrient Cycling - Nutrient Cycling in Forest Ecosystem - Weathering - Soil Formation - Organic Matter - Carbon Nitrogen Ratio - Humus Water Resources – S. Chellamuthu Introduction - Water Resources of India - Water Requirements of India - Water Resources Management in India - Conclusion Forest Resources – Antony Jospeh Raj & Afaq Majid Wani Introduction - Forest Definition - Global Scenario of Forest Resources - Forest Profile of India - Chronological View of Indian Forestry - Forestry in Five Year Plans - Central Board of Forestry - National Forestry Action Programme Wildlife Resources – Sharad Nema Wildlife Definition - Values of Wildlife - Zoogeographic Regions of World - Indian Fauna and their Distribution - IUCN Categories of Wild Animals - Endangered Wild Animals in India - Protected Areas PART 2: TREE AND FOREST Tree Growth and Forest – P. Ratha Krishnan Introduction - What is Forestry? - Branches of Forestry - Tree Structure and Growth - Classification of Forests - Direct and Indirect Benefits of Forests - Impact of Climatic Factors on Trees and Forest - Site Quality, Bioclimate and Microclimate of Forests - Stand Types - Natural and Artificial Regeneration - Rotation - Thinning Forest Ecology – Munesh Kumar, Etefa Guyassa & Antony Jospeh Raj Introduction - Concepts of Ecology - Ecosystem - Forest Ecosystem - Succession - Vertical Structure - Forest Community Dynamics - Community Structure Characteristics - Methods of Studying Forest Communities - Competitive Exclusion Principle and Ecological Niche Concept Biodiversity and Conservation Biology – Munesh Kumar & Rainer W. Bussmann Introduction - Convention on Biological Diversity - What is Biodiversity? - Types of Biodiversity - The Value of Biological Diversity - Threats to Biodiversity - Loss of Biodiversity - Biodiversity Hotspots - Population Diversity - Measurement of Biodiversity - Biodiversity Conservation Strategy - In Situ and Ex Situ Conservation - Indian Scenario of Biodiversity Conservation - Medicinal Plants Conservation Dendrology – S. Gopakumar Introduction - History of Plant Classification - International Code of Botanical Nomenclature - Identification of Trees in a Tropical Forest Landscape - Botanical Spot Characters and Utilization Aspects of Selected Tree Families - Collection and Submission of Herbarium Specimens PART 3: SUSTAINABLE TIMBER PRODUCTION Plantation Forestry – Etefa Guyassa & Antony Jospeh Raj Introduction - History of Forest Plantations - Status of Global Planted Forests - Significance of Forest Plantations - Paradigm Shifts in Tropical Forest Plantations - Sustainability of Plantations - Planted Forest Management - Constraints in Plantation Forestry Sustainable Forest Management – Manikanda Ramanujam Introduction - What is Forest Management? - Concept of Sustainable Forest Management - Concept of Sustainability - Components of Sustainable Forest Management - Criteria and Indicators of Sustainable Forest Management - Indian Initiatives for SFM - Challenges of Sustainable Forest Management - Constraints to Sustainable Forest Management - Forest Certification Working Plan – Bheemsingh Mohandaas Introduction - Working Plan Code - Organization - Objective and Scope of Working Plan - Brief History - Contents of Working Plan - Preparation of Working Plan Timber Measurements and Timber Inventory – Antony Jospeh Raj Concept and Scope of Forest Mensuration - Tree Diameter Measurements - Tree Height Measurements - Tree Basal Area and Volume Measurements - Stem/ Log Volume Measurements - Stem Form - Timber Inventory - Point Sampling - Plot Sampling - Stand Measurements - Empirical Height Equations, Volume Equations and Volume Table Forest Pest Management – C.T. Ashok Kumar & Veeresh Kumar Introduction - Natural Forest Pest Control - Silvicultural Control - Silvicultural Practices to reduce Insect Activity - Mechanical and Physical Control - Biological Control - Microbial Control - Chemical Control - Classification of Insect Pests - Conclusion Forest Disease Management – S.T. Naik Introduction - Plant Disease - Nursery Diseases - Root Diseases - Heart Rots - Forest Disease Control: General Principles - Diseases of Teak, Sal, Shisham, Khair, Neem, Sandalwood, Casuarina, Eucalyptus and Bamboos Forest Fire Management – K. Sasikumar Introduction - Classification of Forest Fires - Fire Environment - Occurrence of Forest Fire, Its Behaviour and Dynamics - Forest Fire Monitoring in India - Damages caused by Forest Fires - Methods of Extinguishing Forest Fire - Method of Protection against Damage by Fire - Fire Terminologies Problem Soils and Its Management – S. K. Uttam 269-280 Introduction - Salt Affected/Saline Soils - Acidic Soils - Waterlogged Soils PART 4: FORESTRY CONCEPTS AND TECHNOLOGIES Tree Seed Technology – P. Masilamani Introduction - Seed Collection - Seed Extraction - Seed Drying - Seed Processing - Seed Dormancy - Pre-Sowing Seed Treatment - Seed Storage - Seed Testing- Conclusion Forest Tree Improvement – Sanjeev Thakur & N.B. Singh Introduction - Elements of Tree Improvement Programme - Species and Provenance Trials - Mass Selection - Plus Tree Selection - Seed Orchards - Progeny Testing - Advance Generation Breeding - Genetic Engineering - Clonal Forestry - Achievements in Tree Improvement - Glossary of Terms Wood Science and Technology – R. Ezhumalai Introduction - Tree Growth - What is Wood? - Wood Structure - Moisture Content of Wood - Wood Destroyers and Preservatives - Abnormal Wood and Wood Seasoning Defects Clonal Forestry – A.V. Santhoshkumar & Jiji Joseph Introduction - Vegetative Propagation Methods in Forest Trees - Application of Vegetative Propagation in Forestry - Incorporation of Vegetative Propagation Techniques in Tree Breeding - Applications of Clonal Forestry Wildlife Management – K.C.A. Arun Prasad Wildlife Management: Definition - Concept of Wildlife Management - What to Conserve? - How Protected? - Protected Area Planning - Ramsar Sites - World Cultural and Natural Heritage Sites - Biosphere Reserves - Tiger Reserves - Project Elephant - Habitat Management - Wildlife Census - Reintroducing Rare and Endangered Species - Ex-Situ Conservation Forest Nursery Technology – J. Jayaprakash, Rajkumar & A.C. Rathore Introduction - What is Forest Nursery? - Significance of Forest Nursery - Classification of Forest Nurseries - Seedling Quality - Nursery Planning and Management - Nursery Site Selection - Collection of Planting Materials (Seeds, Wildings and Cutting) - Bareroot Nursery - Container Nursery - Rooted Cuttings - Plant Propagation Structures PART 5: MODERN FORESTRY APPROACHES Economic Value of Forest Ecosystem – C. Sekhar & A. Vidhyavathi Introduction - Valuation of Natural Resources - Forest Ecosystem - Valuation of Forest Cover - Costs on Forestry - Valuation Techniques - Selected Economic Valuation Methods for Intangible Benefits - Distributional Concerns - Practical Difficulties of Economic Valuation of Forests Application of Remote Sensing and GIS in Forestry – N. Satheesh & T. Mohan Raj Introduction - Remote Sensing Technology - Satellite Remote Sensing - Aerial Photography - Geographic Information System - Role of Remotes Sensing and GIS in Forestry - Forest Resource Monitoring - Forest Resource Estimation and Harvesting - Forest Resource Protection - Wild Animals Management and Others Forest Based Industries – K.T. Parthiban, S. Umesh Kanna & S. Vennila Introduction - Major Forest Based Industries - Pulp and Paper Industries - Match Industries - Timber and Sawnwood Industries - Plywood Industries - Particle Board Industries - Dendro Biomass Power Generation Industries - Oil and Biodiesel Industries - Value Addition Industries - Projected Wood Demand for Various Industries - Challenges of Forest Based Industries - Measures for Better Development of Forest Based Industries - Contract Farming Methods - Industrial Policy and Forest Based Industries - Conclusion Modern Logging Methods – Smitha Rajesh & Rajesh G. Nair Introduction - Impacts of Logging on Forests - Methods of Logging - Logging Terminologies - Felling: Manual Felling and Mechanized Harvesting Systems - Felling Equipments (Chain Saw, Harvester, Feller Buncher) - Extraction Equipments (Skidder, Forwarder, Yarder, Helicopter) - Processing Equipments (Delimber, Chipper, Mulcher) - Loading Equipments (Log Loader) - Transport (Trucks and Trailers) - Logging Operations in Tropics - Reduced Impact Logging Ecotourism – Sanjayan Kumar Introduction - Important Terminologies - What is Ecotourism? - Objectives of Ecotourism - Characteristics of Ecotourism - Principles of Ecotourism - Positive Impacts of Ecotourism - Threats to Ecotourism - Ecotourism in Protected Areas - Ecotourism Experiences from Parambikulam Tiger Reserve and Periyar Tiger Reserve in Kerala Biofuel from Tree Borne Oilseeds – M. Paramathma & Ashutosh Pandey Introduction - Biofuels - Tree Borne Oilseeds - Characteristic Features of Potential Tree Borne Oilseeds - Status of Biofuel Production from TBOs in India - Biofuel Production Processes PART 6: PRACTICES FOR INCREASING FOREST COVER Urban Forestry and Recreational Values – Ramakrishna Hegde Introduction - Increasing Impact of Process of Urbanization on Forests - Impact of Urban Growth on Indian Forest Resources - Urban Forestry in India - Benefits of Urban Forests - Establishment and Maintenance of Urban Forests Agroforestry Practices – Sharad Nema Introduction - Concept and Definitions of Agroforestry - Importance and Impact of Agroforestry - Classification of Agroforestry Systems - Selection Criteria for Suitable Agroforestry Trees - Multipurpose Tree Species in Agroforestry - Soil Fertility Improvement in Agroforestry - Agroforestry Models for Different Agro-Climatic Zones of India - Tree-Crop Interactions under Agroforestry System - Future Prospects of Agroforestry Social Forestry – A. Venkatesh, K.P. Mohapatra, Manoj-Kumar, D.J. Rajkhowa & I.S.L. Mawphlang Introduction - What is Social Forestry? - Classification of Social Forestry - Social Forestry Plantations in Specific Areas - Social Forestry Programmes in India - Support for Social Forestry - Different Social Forestry Schemes Implemented in India Joint Forest Management (JFM) – A. Venkatesh, Manoj-Kumar, D.J. Rajkhowa & I.S.L. Mawphlang Introduction - Origin and Evolution of JFM - JFM: Definition - Structures of JFM - Salient Features of JFM - Participatory Assessment and Planning - Role of NWFPs in JFM - Extent of JFM in India - Recent Policy Changes on JFM Land Degradation and Wasteland Management – S.B. Lal & Antony Jospeh Raj Introduction - Land Degradation - Types of Land Degradation - Causes of Land Degradation - Assessment of Land Degradation - Effects of Land Degradation - Wastelands - Land Degradation in India - Historical Background of Wasteland Development in India - National Action Programme to Combat Desertification - Wasteland Management PART 7: SOCIAL VALUES AND BENEFITS Forest Products Utilization – Manmohan J.R. Dobriyal Introduction - Lumber/ Timber - Composite Wood/ Engineered Wood - Veneers, Plywood and Other Composite Woods - Improved Wood/ Modified Wood - Fuelwood - Pulp and Paper Wood - Charcoal - Other Multiple Uses of Wood - Non-Wood Forest Products Forest Policy and Legislations – L. Chandrasekar What is Policy? - The 1894 Forest Policy - The 1952 Forest Policy - The 1988 Forest Policy - Indian Forest Act 1927 - Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 - Forest (Conservation) Act 1980 - Forest Rights Act 2006 - International Tropical Timber Agreement Forest Tribes in India – Jadegowda Introduction - Concept and Definition of Forest Tribe - History of Forest Tribes in India - Classification of Indian Forest Tribes - Demography and Distribution of Forest Tribes in India - Tribal Economy - Policy related Tribal Development Soil and Water Conservation – Munish Kumar & S.K. Uttam Soil Erosion - Water Erosion - Wind Erosion - Factors Affecting Soil Erosion - Soil and Water Conservation Methods - Control of Wind Erosion - Predicting Soil Erosion PART 8: FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE Climate Change and Forests – C. Buvaneswaran Introduction - What is Climate Change? - Stern Review - Greenhouse Effect - Climate Change and Its Influences on Forests - Global Initiatives on Climate Change - Observed Climate Changes in India Forest Carbon Sequestration and Carbon Trade – Antony Jospeh Raj Overview on Global Carbon Cycle - Carbon Dioxide Emissions - Carbon Sequestration - Carbon Sequestration in Forest - Forest Carbon Accounting - Carbon Trade and Carbon Market - Climate Change Mitigation Efforts in India PART 9: EVENTS AND ORGANIZATIONS International Conferences, Meetings and Conventions – M. Senthil Kumar International and National Forest Organizations – Antony Jospeh Raj Intergovernmental Organizations - Non-Governmental Organizations - International Research Institutes - Regional Institutes - Indian Forestry Research & Education Organizations Bibliography