Forest utilization patterns and socio-economic status of the Van Gujjar tribe in sub-Himalayan tracts of Uttarakhand, India |
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| Authors: | Jyotsana Sharma Sumeet Gairola R D Gaur R M Painuli |
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| Institution: | Department of Botany, HNB Garhwal University (Central University), Srinagar Garhwal-246174, Uttarakhand, India |
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| Abstract: | The present study was conducted on the Van Gujjar tribe inhabiting a sub-Himalayan tract in the North Western Himalayas of
Uttarakhand State, India. The Van Gujjars have been practicing transmigration over hundreds of years. They migrate each year
with their households and livestock between summer and winter pastures. A few years ago with the announcement of the establishment
of the Rajaji National Park, the tribe has been forced out of the forest area and rehabilitated outside the park, which has
affected their lifestyle. The newly established rehabilitation colony in the Gandikhata area of Haridwar District of Uttarakhand
State was taken as a case study. The aims of the present study were to understand and evaluate the socio-economic status of
the Van Gujjars in their newly established rehabilitation colony, the utilization pattern of forest resources by the tribe
and their relative preference for selective trees for various uses. A total of 176 households were interviewed (giving equal
weight to all economic classes and family every size) by using pre-structured questionnaires. The education level was very
low (12.9%) and the average income per household was recorded as Rs. 36000 (approximately $ 803) per year. The major source
of income was dairy production (80.6%) followed by labor employment (13.9%), NTFPs (4.2%) and agricultural production (1.4%).
More than 90% of fuel wood and fodder is extracted from the forest. The average fuel wood and fodder consumptions per household
per day were recorded as 25.86 and 21.58 kg, respectively. A total of 35 species of cultivated plants and 89 species of wild
plants were found to be utilized as food sources. Selectively 25 wild tree species are well known as being used by the Van
Gujjars as fodder, fuel wood, agricultural implements, household articles, dye, medicine, fiber and other products. According
to their utility value, the most preferred and useful tree species is Ougeinia oojeinensis, followed by Terminalia alata, Bombax ceiba, Shorea robusta and Dalbergia sissoo. |
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| Keywords: | ethnography forest use livestock fuel wood fodder income sources semi-nomadic tribe India |
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