Geoscience Reference
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six months from October to March. Changes in the farming systems were
noticed during the last decades as in many areas, the cropped land that
was characterized by cereals are converting into cultivation of paddy and
wheat crops. As the population increased, the cereal crops were not enough
to feed the people. Meanwhile, the production of paddy and wheat crops
is considerably high. Keeping the high yield of paddy and wheat crops in
view, large-scale changes in the cropping pattern was noticed during the
1980's. This happened mainly in the mid-altitudes and valley regions. In
the highland villages, subsistence crops dominate in the cropping pattern.
Other land use
Another category of land includes land under fruit plants, barren land,
community grassland, and cultivable wasteland. It covers 40.38% area.
In and surrounding of the villages, extensive grassland slopes are found.
These are community grassland on which livestock rearing is dependent.
Fruits are also grown in the villages however; the area under fruit trees is
considerably low.
Land-cover change
Village wise land-cover changes are given in Table 12.3. During the last
four decades, community forest land increased by 69.72%. Unirrigated
land also increased by 28.09% while irrigated land decreased -23.3%.
There was a considerable decrease in agricultural land (-12.53%). Negative
changes (-4.10) are also found in other categories of land use. Village wise
changes in community forest land show that Ali village registered 1405.33%
increase followed by Bedula village (425.66%). Bunga village had the third
place with 394.95% increase in forest cover. Out of total 17 villages, fi ve
villages obtained considerable decrease in community forestland. These
villages are located along the stream or near roadsides. Irrigated land is
proportionately less. It is available only in the fi ve villages with limited
proportion of land. There are very little changes in agricultural land in
reference to irrigation. Agricultural land also decreased during the past
mainly due to land abandonment. In the villages, Kaub, Naini, Ali, Kewer
Talla, and Kewer Malla, emigration took place at a large-scale. This has led
to land abandonment on the one hand and increase in forestland, on the
other. During the same period, Uttarakhand State as a whole, registered
1.3% increase in forestland. In Dehradun district alone, 10.6% forestland
was increased. As a result of this, Dehradun district restored its natural
beauty for which, it has been known for the centuries.
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