Prof M. Junaid Jazib
Forests constitute a very important resource base in the Himalayas, the world’s youngest mountain range, which covers over one fifths (18%) of India’s geographical area. Pir Panjal range of mountains, comprising of rocky peaks and undulating valleys is in the western part of the Inner Himalayas running in southeast to northwest direction from Jammu Shivaliks to Banihal in the state. Rajouri and Poonch, the twin hilly districts of the state lying on the southern aspect of the range, and majorly delimiting and representing it, form the politico-administrative mapping of the Pir Panjal Himalayas which consists of hills and slopes generally harboring a good deal of floral and faunal biodiversity. The rich biodiversity of the region is extensively used and utilized in various forms including medicine, food, fuel, fodder, fiber, timber, for making agricultural implements, and for a multitude of various other purposes by the inhabitants who themselves exhibit rich ethno-cultural diversity. The Temperate broadleaved forests form the most significant ecosystems in the foothills and the mountainous regions of the mighty Himalayas throughout. These forests despite being very rich in their floral composition are, by and large dominated by a few widely distributed plant genera, essentially and importantly including the species of Quercus commonly known as oak. There, for that matter, about 35 species of Quercus are indisputably reported to exist either in abundance or somewhat narrowly distributed from the North Eastern to the westernmost part of the Himalayas. Oak vernacularly known as Reen or Banjj is a medium to very large sized tree, taxonomically belonging to the family Fagaceae. Ecologically as well as economically, it is one of the most important tree genera in the Pir Panjal foothills with its several species and variants richly growing in the region. It grows on cool moist soils of temperate climates at up to 3000ft elevations, either in pure or in mixed forests along with conifers, rhododendrons, walnut, horse chest-nut, birches, maples, etc.
Though growing wildly and nowhere domesticated, the large and sky-high tall trees in and around agricultural fields, standing elegantly like sentries, give a graceful look besides serving number of other principal economic and ecological purposes. The tree is intricately associated not only with agro-pastoral ecosystems of the rural populace here but, in a broader sense, with the life support system in the region where the modern facilities of life are still a far off matter. It has assumed sort of socio-cultural importance among the rural tribals and nomads whose socio-economy reliably revolve around the tree and who are without having much diversified subsistence. Their heavy and multifarious dependence upon the species is due to the fact that a large chunk of the populace (being rural or agrarian in character) is associated with pastoralism and farming. Thus the economically not so sound people of the area owe a great deal to the species which serve many purposes concurrently like providing fodder, fuel wood, timber and constructional wood, etc. The palatable and nutritious Leaves of the tree (ReeN and Banjj) are an excellent fodder for livestock especially for cows and buffaloes and many a households who have very little of land to grow other fodder crops almost solely depend upon it. Foliage is also customarily used for spreading material and roofing in mud houses in hilly habitations. In agricultural implements yoke, ploughs, tool handles, etc. are exclusively made from the oak wood. Tree is expansively used as fuel wood in hilly areas. Charcoal obtained by oxygen deficient heating of the branches and twigs of oak is not only stored for winter usages in households but is of preferred by local iron workers. It is also at times sold in the nearby markets and urban settings during winters when the electric power supply habitually play hide and seek. Owing to its high density (of about 0.75 g/cm3) Oak wood has great strength and hardness and is used for building residential houses, cowsheds and especially for erecting temporary huts in upper reaches for seasonal or transhumant uses by the nomads during their rotational stays . The pillars, the beams, the roof-supports and the roofing material all are preferably made from the oak wood. For it having good nail holding capacity and acceptable smoothness wood is commonly used for doors, window and paneling. Wood is very resistant to insect and fungal attack because of its high tannin content its planks and sawn blocks are used for many other household and constructional purposes.
The branches of oak are used as fencing material in the rural rajouri poonch to demarcate and protect territorial boundaries in the hills. Ecologically oak provides a wide range of ecosystem services including soil formation and its protection from erosion, replenishing crop land fertility, maintaining the health of mountain streams and regulating the hydrological regime, helping to stabilize local and regional climate through direct influences, building up a moisture regime favorable to wild species as well as those of agronomic and horticultural value and creating surplus for possible carbon trading at international level.
Regrettably the vast landscape in the pir Panjal region has been deprived of hitherto abundantly growing oak forests particularly during the last decades of turmoil and disturbance in the state. Large areas had been clear felled by the local contractors and forest smugglers. Even the Police department and central police and security agencies have remained largely involved in ruthless removal of the tree cover merely for fuel wood purposes. For several years now some disease has attacked the tree species which is an added threat to its existence otherwise believed to be a ubiquitous in Pir Panjal range. A large scale action plan and an effective campaign is required to be in place to save the species for its local socio-economic vitality as well as in larger interest of the humanity for its greater ecological significance.
(The authoris is Asstt. Professor Deptt of Environmental Studies Govt. Degree College Thannamndi)
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