Time to conserve the genepool of endemic forest trees of Manipur

Thounaojam Monica Devi, Neekee Thangjam
Contd from precvious issue
jhum or shifting cultivation, conversion of forests for non-forestry purposes like infrastructure development etc., and warming due to global climate change. SFR (2021) reported roughly 500 km square of forest cover reduction by the state compared to the 2019 assessment. Global Forest Watch reported a loss of 13.9 ha of natural forest equivalent to 7.97 Mt of CO2 emissions in Manipur in the year 2023 only.
In the 2011 census, Manipur had a population of 27.71 Lakh, showing a 4.8% growth from the 1951 population of 5.77 Lakh. As the population rises, the demand for different forest resources also rises, leading to the conversion of forest area for agriculture through Shifting Cultivation with a reduced rotation period due to limited agricultural land. Encroachment for settlement or conversion for agriculture in the Reserve Forest and Protected Forests such as National Park, Wildlife Sanctuaries, wetlands, etc., increases the risk of forest fire, disease and invasive species. Introducing exotic species in the state for different purposes will lead to the possibility of becoming invasive species, like para grass, considered good fodder plants for cattle. Still, it becomes a menace in the Keibul Lamjao National Park area, restricting the growth of natural fodder plants.
In the 2021 report from FSI, it was stated that 90% of Manipur's total forest cover area is at high risk of forest fires. Developmental works like Border Fencing in the Indo-Myanmar boundary and construction of the Jiribam Tupul Railway Line in the Western Forest Division will lead to the fragmentation of species populations that restrict species from migration. The resilience of the forest ecosystem is at risk due to shifting cultivation, invasive species, forest fires and developmental projects, which hinder forest tree species' ability to adapt to changing environmental conditions.
Forest destruction and species extinction are significant consequences of climate change and excessive human interference.
The latest amendment (2023) of the Forest Conservation Act (1980) exempts all strategic linear projects of national importance and concerning national security within 100 km of the international border, the line of actual control (LAC), and the line of control (LOC). Being a state of India on the International border, Mani-pur shares a 352 km long stretch of land with Myanmar in the southeast. In execution of the regulation from the FCA (amendment), covering 100 km radius along the international border, all forests of the state may be converted for roads, railways, and army-supporting infrastructures.
Therefore, all the forest genetic resources of the state are vulnerable to extinction and may be compromised for national security projects, military purposes, small roadside amenities, and public roads. The forest area along this Indo-Burma border had already been fragile due to widespread forest destruction for logging, mining, gems and ore, firewood collection, and charcoal production.
Traditional knowledge of ethnobotanical uses of tree species is high as the state comprises different tribes and ethnic groups. Lack of use and documentation of tree species may lead to the unavoidable extinction of species as many endemic species were underrepresented in Manipur. Trees, forests, and their genetic resources will have an essential and central role in helping to limit rises in atmospheric carbon and slow climate change impact through sequestration and storage of atmospheric carbon. Knowing the genetic variation of species is necessary to conserve the species. Understanding forest genetic diversity is very important for conserving forest tree species. Genetic diversity provides the basis for forest tree species' evolution and adaptation to the changing environment. The intra-specific diversity of many tree species has facilitated their survival and adaptation to diverse environments, including climate variability over hundreds of millennia.
These diversities relate to the mounting evidence for the adverse effects of climate change on forests, both through direct (temperature, rainfall, etc. effects on trees themselves) and indirect (e.g., increased pest, disease, and fire incidence).
(To be contd)