Guwahati: Amid civil society’s calls for Behali Reserve Forest (BRF) in Assam to be declared a wildlife sanctuary, a remote sensing study reveals a concerning 22.88 sq km decrease in forest cover, emphasizing the pressing need for immediate action.
A remote sensing study done to assess the forest cover in Behali Reserve Forest between 1990 and 2022 found a net loss of forest cover of 22.88%.
The study by Bikash Ranjan Parida, Bishal Kanu, and Chandra Shekhar Dwivedi from 1990 to 2022 revealed that in 1990, 93.24 sq km area was under forest (64.03%). However, in 2022, the forest area reduced to 71.9 sqkm (49.4%). It indicates a massive decrease in forests in the BRF during 1990–2022. About 21.34 sq km (22.88%) of forest area shifted to non-forest over three decades due to deforestation and illegal encroachment. However, some patches increased due to various plantation and afforestation activities.
“The problem of encroachments, illegal construction, timber and fuelwood extraction has expanded significantly during the past few decades. Hence, the district and the state forest department need to regulate and manage the activities around BRF,” the study says, recommending the declaration of BRF as a wildlife sanctuary to control and reduce the rate of deforestation.
The Assam government had, last year, issued a preliminary notification but a wildlife sanctuary was granted after the final notification was issued.
Behali Reserve Forest (BRF) is the only remaining tropical wet evergreen and semi-evergreen forest of the Biswanath district of Assam that accommodates more than 900 species of flora and fauna at the foothills of the Eastern Himalaya, situated on the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border. It consists of dense evergreen and semi-evergreen mixed forests, open mixed forests, and plantations, indicating a huge amount of diversity in and around the BRF.
The Behali forest was declared a reserve forest in 1917 and in the year 2003, it became part of the Sonitpur Elephant Reserve. BRF is the only reserve forest in the newly formed Biswanath district. BRF covers an area of 145.61 sq km out of which 72 sq km (~ 50%) is the core forest area.
“At the present day, many protected and reserved forests in Assam are experiencing the problem of large-scale forest degradation and deforestation due to many anthropogenic activities and illegal encroachment. In my study with the help of Remote Sensing data and GIS application, I found that Behali Reserve Forest experienced a rapid rate of forest cover loss from 1990 to 2022. About 21.34 sq km of forest area during 1990 – 2022 shifted into non-forest areas due to illegal encroachment, deforestation and shifting of forest land into agricultural and plantation land. The problem of encroachments, illegal construction, timber and fuelwood extraction has expanded significantly during the past few decades. Therefore, the study suggests the declaration of this reserve forest as a wildlife sanctuary to control the rate of rising forest deforestation and encroachment in the region,” Bishal Kanu, one of the authors of the study who is with the Department of Geoinformatics, School of Natural Resource Management, Central University of Jharkhand, Ranchi told EastMojo.
The study has identified significant deforestation hotspots on the northern and eastern sides of the reserve forest, mainly because of illegal encroachments for settlement and conversion to the plantation and cultivated land. A considerable loss of forest cover has also occurred around human settlements in the reserved/protected forest zones, leading to an increase in human-nature conflicts. Apart from the degradation and expansion of agricultural lands, the felling of trees for timber and firewood are the other factors contributing to the loss of forest cover in the reserved/ protected areas.
“The matter of Behali continues to persist, spanning from the 1990s till now. However, justice remains elusive. The encroachment has intensified, and the wildlife sanctuary lacks adequate protection along its borders. There’s a pressing need for manpower, beat camps, offices, and legal reinforcement. The forests face a threat from monoculture practices of Rubber, Oil Palm, and Mustard on converted and deforested lands. Selective logging has never stopped and hence many of the old trees are gone. The recent inclusion of Senglijan reserve forests in the Behali Wildlife Sanctuary map has exacerbated the situation. Expansion in area doesn’t equate to an increase in forests. It’s crucial to resolve border disputes, halt encroachment, and safeguard what remains,” nature enthusiast Dipankar Borah told EastMojo.
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Ranjit Kakati, Project Associate, DBT-NER Advanced level institutional Biotech Hub, Chaiduar College, Gohpur, says the story of Behali is different from other stories we usually hear about. “Even though it’s a reserve forest, it has intact semi-evergreen forests that are lost in its nearby places like Biswanath, Chariduar, Chaiduar, and Naduar. And after a long battle, this was preliminarily notified as a Wildlife Sanctuary bringing hope to many,” he says.
“In the recent efforts to protect tigers, the government overlooked Behali. The first signs of a tiger were seen near a stream in the forest in April 2022. Later, more signs were found in different spots. Tigers hunted domesticated animals in the area, and people saw them near the Dikal River. Many tiger sightings happened between 2022 and 2023. Rivers like Buroi and Borgang are crucial paths for wildlife between Kaziranga and Behali. The forest is important for animals migrating from Kaziranga and Pakke Tiger Reserve. Although forest cover is decreasing, more forest officials are now patrolling inside. But until it’s officially a Wildlife Sanctuary, it’s not fully protected. Locals and wildlife enthusiasts want Behali to be part of Kaziranga National Park and make a tiger reserve. It’s also a great home for the state bird, the White-winged Wood Duck, and for animals like the slow loris. It’s an elephant reserve with over 150 elephants,” Borah told EastMojo.
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