Impact of Agricultural Practices on Forest Degradation in Radhanagari Wildlife Sanctuary

Fuente: Zenodo
Salvato in:
Dettagli Bibliografici
Autori principali: Shinde, Sambhaji D., Mane, Sandip S.
Natura: Recurso digital
Lingua:inglese
Pubblicazione: Zenodo 2025
Soggetti:
Accesso online:
Tags: Aggiungi Tag
Nessun Tag, puoi essere il primo ad aggiungerne!!
_version_ 1866901417566928896
author Shinde, Sambhaji D.
Mane, Sandip S.
author_facet Shinde, Sambhaji D.
Mane, Sandip S.
contents <div> <p><strong><em><span>Abstract </span></em></strong></p> <p><em><span>With sustained population growth, the pressure to expand agricultural land for food, fiber, and fuel continues to rise, posing a significant threat to forest ecosystems. Radhanagari Wildlife Sanctuary, a biodiversity-rich area in Maharashtra, India, has witnessed increasing forest degradation due to unsustainable agricultural practices. This study examines the impacts of shifting cultivation, deforestation, and land-use patterns on forest health within and around the sanctuary. Local farmers, in an effort to increase agricultural productivity, have been reverting to traditional methods of slash-and-burn agriculture. Forests are cleared and burned to enrich the soil with wood ash, which also helps control insect pests in crops like rice. These lands are cyclically cultivated with rice, ragi, groundnut, and other oil seeds. Historically, these cycles were followed by sufficient fallow periods that allowed natural forest regeneration. However, recent trends reveal shortened fallow intervals and increased frequency of forest cutting and biomass collection. As a result, regeneration has become inadequate, leading to expanding deforested patches and increased fragmentation of the once-continuous forest cover. This study highlights the urgent need for sustainable land-use planning and community engagement to mitigate forest degradation and protect the ecological integrity of Radhanagari Wildlife Sanctuary.</span></em></p> </div>
format Recurso digital
id zenodo_https___doi_org_10_5281_zenodo_15855093
institution Zenodo
language eng
publishDate 2025
publisher Zenodo
record_format zenodo
spellingShingle Impact of Agricultural Practices on Forest Degradation in Radhanagari Wildlife Sanctuary
Shinde, Sambhaji D.
Mane, Sandip S.
Wildlife Sanctuary, forest, forest degradation, deforestation, slash-and-burn agriculture, soil erosion, Western Ghats, biodiversity loss, sustainable land use, stepped agriculture, shifting cultivation, environmental impact
<div> <p><strong><em><span>Abstract </span></em></strong></p> <p><em><span>With sustained population growth, the pressure to expand agricultural land for food, fiber, and fuel continues to rise, posing a significant threat to forest ecosystems. Radhanagari Wildlife Sanctuary, a biodiversity-rich area in Maharashtra, India, has witnessed increasing forest degradation due to unsustainable agricultural practices. This study examines the impacts of shifting cultivation, deforestation, and land-use patterns on forest health within and around the sanctuary. Local farmers, in an effort to increase agricultural productivity, have been reverting to traditional methods of slash-and-burn agriculture. Forests are cleared and burned to enrich the soil with wood ash, which also helps control insect pests in crops like rice. These lands are cyclically cultivated with rice, ragi, groundnut, and other oil seeds. Historically, these cycles were followed by sufficient fallow periods that allowed natural forest regeneration. However, recent trends reveal shortened fallow intervals and increased frequency of forest cutting and biomass collection. As a result, regeneration has become inadequate, leading to expanding deforested patches and increased fragmentation of the once-continuous forest cover. This study highlights the urgent need for sustainable land-use planning and community engagement to mitigate forest degradation and protect the ecological integrity of Radhanagari Wildlife Sanctuary.</span></em></p> </div>
title Impact of Agricultural Practices on Forest Degradation in Radhanagari Wildlife Sanctuary
topic Wildlife Sanctuary, forest, forest degradation, deforestation, slash-and-burn agriculture, soil erosion, Western Ghats, biodiversity loss, sustainable land use, stepped agriculture, shifting cultivation, environmental impact
url https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15855093