1. FOREST                                               2.   WILD LIFE                       3. ENVIRONMENT

FOREST

          Angul district covers forest areas managed under entire Angul, Athamallik, Satakosia(WL) divisions and Pallahara range of Deogarh Forest Division. Established in 1885 Angul Forest Division is the oldest Forest Division in the State. Angul Division is one of the pioneer Divisions where scientific management of forests commenced. Satakosia Sanctuary is one of the unique echo systems of India. 

        Angul  Forest Division covers forest areas of Angul and Talcher civil Sub-division of Angul District. The total geographical area of Angul and Talcher Sub-Disvision is 3336.63 Sq.Km. This includes 427.008 Sq.Km. of Satakosia Sanctuary area. With the transfer of 427.088 Sq.Km. area  to the administrative control of Wild Life Division, the area of the Division is 2909.542 Sq.Km.

          The forest area involves the reserve forests, demarcated protected forests, un-demarcated protected forests and forests under revenue records. Total forest area constitutes 37% of the geographical area.

DENSITY 

          During the passage of time Forests have been depleted due to illicit felling, uncontrolled grazing , fire, encroachments and developmental activities like power units, mines, irrigation projects and other industries. As per the survey of India report the percentage of forest under various density classes are as follows:

          Dense forest- 19%, Open forest- 51%, Shrub Forest- 30 %. 

FOREST TYPE

          Basing  on the champion and Seth classification the forests of the district come under the following types and sub-types.

          3C –           North Indian Moist Decidous  forests.  Moist Peninsular Low level Sal.

          5B-           Northern Tropical Dry Deciduous forests.  Dry Bamboo Brakes.

FLORA

          Sal is the main species in most of the forest Blocks coming under Moist and Dry Decidous vegetation. Piasal, Sisoo, Bandhan, Gambhar, Kurum are reducing fast while Char, Salai, Karada and Barabakalia are increasing in proportion. Teak is planted in the area. There are 146 different varieties of trees, 3 varieties of Bamboo, 59 shrubs, 46 herbs, 24 perennial grasses, 8 varieties of annual grasses and 57 varieties of climbers. 

JOINT FOREST MANAGEMENT

          As per J.F.M. Resolution, 1993 of Govt. of Orissa 227 Vana Sanrakshana Samitis have been formed to protect the forest with the participation of people living in the adjoining villages. 

NON- TIMBER FOREST PRODUCE

          As per the NTFP Policy of the Govt., management of 68 NTFP items has been transferred to the Gram Panchayats. Some of the major items include Lodha, Medha, Phenphena, Siali fibre, Mahua flower, Honey, Myrobalan Mango kernel and Gillo. 

PROTECTION

          The major problem to protection lies in organized timber smuggling, poaching, forest fire, un-regulated grazing and encroachments, Additional help of police and Magistrate are taken to apprehend the culprits and recover the forest produce. Preventive and remedial measures are taken against forest fire. 

          Because of habitat destruction, wild animals especially elephants come close to the village sites and raid crops. Cases of death, injury to human and cattle are also noticed. As a first aid measure, compensations are paid to the victims. However, protection and preservation of the habitat is the only permanent solution. 

DEVELOPMENTAL ACTIVITIES

Forest road

          The total length of the forest road is 264.93 Kms. All are seasonal roads are repaired every year to make it motorable.

Central nursery

          A central nursery has been established at Kulasinga during 1994-95 with DRDA assistance. Seedlings are sold and the sale proceeds are re-invested for raising further seedlings. Similarly there are also central nurseries at Dhandatopa and Takoba to cater to the need of the people and prepare one year superior grade planting stock especially Teak.

Decentralized nursery

          Seedlings are distributed free of cost to the people and institutions. 5,50,000  seedlings were distributed during 2000. One year old economic seedlings consisting mainly of teak will be distributed free of cost during 2003.

Plantation activities

          The plantation activities include A- Economic Plantation, Compensatory Afforestation and Shri Jagannath Bana Prakalpa Plantation. During 1990-91 to 2002-03, Angul forest division has taken up 532 Ha. Of Economic Plantation and 835.70 Ha.  Of Compensatory Afforestation. Another 200 Ha. of Economic plantation will be taken up during 2003-04. Under Shri Jagannath Bana Prakalpa Scheme, 218 Ha. has already been covered and another 182 Ha. will be planted during 2003-04. 

FOREST DEVELOPMENT AGENCY 

          Under the National Afforestation Programme, Forest Development Agencies have been constituted on the line of DRDA under the respective divisions to execute plantations, pasture developments, soil and moisture conservation and entry point activities. The work will be implemented in the villages through Vana Sanrakshana Samities in Territorial Forest Divisions and Eco- Development Committees in wildlife division. The duration of the scheme is 5 years. During the period, an amount of Rs. 510.32 lakhs will be spent in 105 villages and in the process 3978 Ha. of area will be planted .For 2002-2003, Rs. 150.41 lakhs have been sanctioned. With this amount 2193 Ha. of plantation will be done during 2003-2004. Under entry point activities, Rs. 56.80 lakhs have been released which will be utilized towards developmental activities like Creation of Water Harvesting Structures, Digging of Tube wells etc. Micro plan for each Vana Sanrakshana Samities and Eco- Development Committees have been prepared after discussion with the concerned villagers. 

AWARNESS GENERATION

Vanamahotsava Week is celebrated during Ist week of July every year. Tree planting is done in institutions, office campus and on community lands. Awareness is created through arrangement of meetings.

          Wildlife week is celebrated during Ist week of October every year to create awareness on wildlife.

ECO-CLUB 

Eco clubs have been turned in 100 schools of the district to spread environmental awareness and carry out action-based programmes for protection and improvement of environment. Each club as 40 student members. 

FOREST MANAGEMENT 

          The Reserved Forests of Angul were managed under well laid silvicultural principles and working plan since last 100 years. The first Working Plan was prepared by Mr. T.I. Pocock, Extra Asst. Conservator of Forests for the period 1908-09 to 1922-23. Thereafter a series of working plans have been prepared to regulate the silvicultural policy.

The forests have become degraded because of mismanagement under selection working circle due to over production from timber coupes. Therefore, Govt. of Orissa has put a ban on green felling since 1992. However, bamboo coupes worked in ninetees. At present, no coupe is in operation because of expiry of working plan. 

DISTRICT ENVIRONMENT SOCIETY

         The District Environment Society, Angul was constituted in the year 1993 and Registered under Societies Registration Act of 1860 on 13.10.1993. The Collector, Angul is the Chairman of the society and the Divisional Forest Officer, Angul (T) Division is the Secretary of the Society. The District Environment Society, Angul has been promoting environmental awareness for the last 10 years.It celebrate various forestry festivals like World Environment Day/ World Forestry Day/ World Earth Day/ and Wild Life week etc. Various plantation programmes have also been under taken up by the society. It also recommends the names for Prakruti Mitra  and Prakruti Bandhu Awards every year to the State Government. The Prakruti Mitra award for the year 1994,1995, 2000, 2001 & 2002 where awarded to President, Chhendipada V.F.P.C., President, Kuluma Yuvak Sangha, Kuluma, President , Sabuja Bharat Bana Sarakshyan Committee, Paranga , President , Madan Mohan Patna and Baradashi VSS, Purunagarh, President Golabandha VSS respectively and Prakruti Bandhu award for the year 2000, 2001 and 2002 were awarded  to Sri Bauribandhu Bej of Talcher. Sri Bidesi Mohapatra , Headmaster , Baniabahal U.P. School and Bibhuti Bhushan Samant of Purunagarh. The society has also organized various training camps on wildlife. A new action plan for the year 2002-2003 have been approved in the last Governing Body meeting of the society. 

WILDLIFE

          Angul district is endowed with rich floral and faunal extravaganza.  Forests are the abode of wild animals.

          As per definition, wildlife includes any animal, bees, butterflies, crustacean, fish and moths and aquatic or land vegetation, which forms part of any habitat.

          Wildlife has tremendous values in terms of recreation, regeneration, economic and conservation of forests.

          All wildlife habitats act as major watersheds. Wildlife habitats are great repository of biodiversity. Angul district boasts of several wildlife habitats viz. Satakosia gorge Sanctuary, Malyagiri, Bulajhar, Panchadhara and Mahanadi river system. All these are fragile and unique wildlife habitat of tremendous biological diversity.

Satkosia gorge Sanctuary represents one of the unique gorge ecosystems in India. The forests mostly conform to deciduous type. It is the meeting point of two biotic provinces viz. Chhotnagpur plateau & Eastern ghats, thus representing maximum floral and faunal diversity. It is the southern most natural gharial habitat in India. It has tremendous economic value in terms of spawning ground for prawns and a variety of fish. Similarly Malyagiri hills represent semi evergreen to moist deciduous forest with innumerable plants of great medicinal value besides a host of wild animals.

          The wild animals found in the district have an admixture of Northern and Southern India. The wild animals found are elephant, tiger, leopard, Bison, Sambar, barking deer, spotted deer, wild boar, sloth beer, Pangolin, Manitor lizards, civet cat, porcupine, mongoose, snakes like python, cobra, Viper and Kraits etc. The prey-predator relationship is quite favourable.

          The avifauna includes parakeet, peafowl, Quails, Emerald doves, Owls, Nightjar, Pigeon, Bulbul, Myna, Hill myna, Babblers, Bee eater, Barbets, Hornbills, Dove, Indian roller, King fisher, Folden Oriole, Kestrel, Robin, Fly catcher, patridges, Crow pheasant, crows, Drongos etc.

          During winter many migratory species of birds come to Mahanandi River viz. Brahmani duck, Bar headed geese, shovlers, pochards etc. The river Mahanandi is the natural abode of wildlife like gharials, muggers, tortoise, terrapins and different kinds of fishes.

          Food, water, shelter and cover management are keys to management of wild animals. Though this district abounds in natural resources yet certain management inputs are needed to protect and conserve these vast wild tracts.

          Protection is the first and foremost need and much efforts are being made in this regard. Regular group patrolling is being undertaken in all vulnerable forest areas. Antipoaching squads have been deployed in critical areas. The staff have been provided with arms and ammunitions, VHF sets and vehicles for intensive patrolling and to combat armed organised forest brigands. At present one section of A.P.R. force, Armed Home Guards, Armed Security Guards have been deployed inside Satkosia Gorge Sanctuary for which significant improvement has been achieved so far. The provisions of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 (amended) have been enforced for which poaching has been reduced significantly.

          Habitat improvement measures viz. plantation of fodder and fruit bearing species, water harvesting structures, check dams, game tanks have been constructed in critical areas to augment the requirement of wild lives during pinch period.

          Large-scale immunization of domestic cattle have been taken up to prevent spreading of disease like Foot and Mouth disease (FMD) & Rinderpest (RP) among wild lives in and around the sanctuary.

          Mahanandi Elephant reserve has been declared taking Satkosia and Baisipalli sanctuaries during June, 2002. Satakosia Gorge Sanctuary has already been proposed under Project Tiger and has been cleared by the steering committee on Project Tiger , Govt. of India. Once notified it would provide much needed impetus in management of tiger habitat. Project Tiger would provide umbrella cover in management of the flagship species of the top predator in biological pyramid. Malyagiri hills and Panchadhara bills ( Athamallik Division) due to their potential wildlife population are being considered to get protected area status soon.

          Infrastructure & developmental activities have been undertaken to a great extent in terms of staff quarters, antipoaching sheds, mobile barracks, vehicles, arms  & ammunitions, V.H.F sets etc. Improvement of forest roads have been done under food for work programme. Similarly renovation of game tanks, construction of new game tanks have been done in elephant zones. Maintenance of salt licks, watchtower and game tanks have been done under central assistance to augment water requirement of wild animals.

          Gharial Reserch & Conservation Unit (GRACU) has been established at Tikarpara inside Satakosia Gorge Sanctuary since 1975. At present there are 8 gharials and 3 muggers inside the GRACU. A nature interpretation center has been upgraded at Tikarpada.

          Regular census of crocodiles in Mahanandi River is being undertaken during winter every year. Similarly regular census of elephants, tigers and other wild animals is being done to monitor the wild population.

          Uses of polythene bags, use of tape recorders/ sound boxes have been banned inside Satkosia Gorge sanctuary. Similarly eating of non-veg items has also been prohibited for benefit of wildlife. The recent census figure of some important wild animals in Angul district & Satakosia Gorge Sanctuary is enumerated below:         

           Forest Development Agency has been implemented in all divisions of the district with the Central assistance under National Afforestation Programme to cater to the bonafide need of villagers and to take up entry point activities. Accordingly eco- development committees ( EDCs) have been formed in sanctuary area and VSS ( Vana Samrakhyana Samiti) in territorial division. This has a participatory action plan involving local people in forest protection and improvement. This seems to be encouraging.

          Since most of the forests of Angul District are deciduous in nature, forest fire becomes a problem and menace to flora and fauna. In order to prevent the same, several measures are being taken viz. creating awareness among people, engaging fire watchers, creation and maintenance of fire line, deployment of fire fighting squad during fire season etc. But residents in and around the forests have the pivotal role for prevention and suppression of forest fire.

          Forest is an open treasure for which public awareness and consciousness is needed for its protection and conservation. In order to save and conserve wildlife of Angul District concerted effort should be made at all levels. Unless wilderness is preserved and habitat contiguity is maintained environmental degradation cannot be stopped. Therefore all should made sincere endeavor for protection and conservation of our vanishing wilderness in general and wildlife in particular.