Natural Vegetation Class 11 Notes Geography Chapter 5 - CBSE

Chapter : 5

What Are Natural Vegetation ?

  • On the basis of certain common features such as predominant vegetation type and climatic regions, Indian forests can be divided into the following groups:
    • Tropical Evergreen and Semi Evergreen forests
    • Tropical Deciduous forests
    • Tropical Thorn forests
    • Montane forests
    • Littoral and Swamp forests.
  • Natural vegetation is a term used to describe a plant community that has gone unaltered over an extended period to allow each species to adapt as fully as possible to the climate and soil conditions.
  • Planted vegetation: It refers to the planting of trees under human supervision.
  • International Convention: An international convention is an agreement among United Nations member states.
  • Forest area: The forest area is the area notified and recorded as forest land irrespective of the existence of trees. It is based on the records of the State Revenue Department.
  • Actual forest cover: The area inhabited by woods with a canopy is known as the actual forest cover. It is based on satellite and aerial images.
  • Social forestry: Social forestry means managing and protecting forests and afforestation on barren lands to help in environmental, social, and rural development.
  • Community forestry: It involves the raising of trees on public or community land such as the village pasture and temple land, roadside, canal bank, strips along railway lines, and schools.
  • Rural forestry: It lays emphasis on the promotion of agroforestry and community forestry. Agroforestry is
    raising trees and agriculture crops on the same land, including waste patches.
  • Biosphere reserve: A biosphere reserve is a unique and representative ecosystem of terrestrial and coastal
    areas which are internationally recognised within the framework of UNESCO’s Man and Biosphere (MAB)
    Programme.
  • Reserved forest: An area notified under the provisions of Indian Forest acts having a full degree of protection. In protected forests, all activities are prohibited unless permitted.
  • Protected forest: An area notified under the provisions of the Indian Forest Act or the State Forest Acts has limited protection. In Protected Forests, all activities are permitted unless prohibited.
  • Sanctuary: A sanctuary is an area reserved for the conservation of animals only and operations such as harvesting timber and collecting minor forest products are allowed so long as they do not affect the animals adversely.