Land-Use/Cover Changes in the Kewer Gadhera Sub-Watershed, Central Himalaya - Impact of Global Changes on Mountains: Responses and Adaptation - page 307

and the people were able to run their livelihood from the forest and its
products. In India, similar approaches were adopted to conserve forest
resources. The forerunners of the Chipko movement were highly appreciated
worldwide. Here, Gram Sabha (village assembly), the lowest unit of
governance in the federal system of India, works for taking decision on the
various developmental works including forest resource management. Gram
Sabha has the control over community forestland and grassland and they
manage it according to the needs of the people. The forest department and
the Gram Sabha take initiatives to manage the forest resources, also fulfi l
the fuel wood, and fodder needs of the villagers.
Establishment of VP
VP literary means organization of villagers who look after the plantation
of trees and conserve them in the community land located around the
villages. The concept of VP in the Uttarakhand Himalaya is a century old
but started in an organized way during the British rule. However, recently
it got momentum and everywhere in the region, VPs were established. With
establishment of VP forestland increased tremendously.
Government initiatives towards afforestation
The Soil Conservation Department (SCD) was established during the 1980s
as a sister organization of the Forest Department. The forest department
owns and manages the forest of the state except the community forest.
This department is working mainly to look after forest related matters.
Meanwhile, due to large forest cover and undulating terrain, this department
could not look after forest depletion and soil erosion. To cope with these
problems, SCD was established. SCD is largely working in the areas where
forest depletion and soil erosion is excessive. It delineates the areas for wide
afforestation and its conservation. Apart from that the department has the
responsibility to check the illegal felling of trees. There are more than fi ve
sub-offi ces of the SCD in each development block with its one headquarter.
Recently, most of the patches, where complete depletion of forests took place
during the past, now reforestation has taken place. These patches are located
along the courses of small perennial streams. Forest Bill (FB) of 1982 was
successfully implemented and as a result of its rigorous implementation,
regeneration of forests was noticed in the entire area.
Impact of Climate Change on Land-Use Pattern
To penetrate the reality of climate change an appraisal of climate data is
required. Currently, the perception of all groups of society towards the