Ecological Infrastructure Development Inland Area

In the semi-arid, human dominated and fragmented landscape of grasslands, like in the present project area, maintaining the wildlife and biodiversity and productivity of grasslands need to entail not only the protection and sustainable use of grasses either by cutting or by grazing, but also link it to designing of efficient economic systems around the grassland derived products e.g. milk, wool, cheese etc. It is quite clear that the grasslands (vidis) areas need concerted and immediate actions towards their rehabilitation and restoration work, so that to gain in ecological values.

The forest area of Gujarat is reported to be 21,909 sq. km (Gujarat Forest Statistics 2017-18) that constitutes 11.18% of the geographical area of state. The forests of Gujarat are largely located along the eastern hilly fringe of the state. However, forest cover is limited to 14,757 sq. km. This forest cover includes 10,250 sq. km of forest cover in recorded forest area and 4,507 sq. km of forest cover outside recorded area of forests. The open forests in the districts of Dahod, Panchmahal and Vadodara districts are more than 70%. In Banaskantha and Sabarkantha districts the open forests are more than 50%. It indicates at large parts of the forests in these districts being degraded lacking suitable forest cover.