Shifting cultivation and consequential damage to forest ecosystem
Shifting cultivation:- It is a class of primitive subsistence agriculture. In this, a plot of land is cleared by felling the trees and burning them. The ashes are then mixed with soil and crops are grown. After some time, the land is abandoned and the farmers move to a different place. > The evil effects of shifting cultivation are devastating and far-reaching in degrading the environment and ecology of these regions. > The earlier 15–20 year cycle of shifting cultivation on a particular land has reduced to 2–3 years now. This has resulted in largescale deforestation, soil and nutrient loss, and invasion by weeds and other species. > The indigenous biodiversity has been affected to a large extent. To mitigate the environmental loss and to provide other alternatives of livelihood to the local population, we have made an attempt in this paper to suggest environmental management options for shifting cultivation areas. Impact of shifting cultivation:-...