Climate change has brought about a paradigm shift in the way agroforest segment is perceived.Plantation sector has been getting a lot of visibility considering the increasing demand for raw material and the dwindling supply from the natural forests. Plantations have witnessed a myriad variety of species but the most common ones are pines, acacias, eucalypts, teak and poplar. Economic upswing, climatic change, emission regulations and changing human landscape has seen a blurring of lines between forestry and agricultural segments. Plantations have the capacity to change the economic scenario of a region by utilizing the vast areas of degraded lands. It has been widely recognized that forestation is a viable solution for soil conservation, protection of habitats, watershed maintenance, and related conservation and environmental purposes.
Apart from the tangible fiduciary benefits, plantations can be considered an ideal economic-cliamatic-socio tool for developing countries like India , China, Brazil etc. Some other benefits which are an offshoot of a plantation program are…
- Improved water retention and quality
- Reduction of floods during wet seasons and maintenance of water supplies during dry seasons,
- Natural erosion blocker
- Plantations have a moderating influence on the local microclimate through evaporative cooling and humidification
- They also act as windbreaker
- Soil is replenished continuously in a natural way without the application of any fertilizers / chemical
- Plantations sustain biodiversity
In the light of the alarming state of our nature and environment , plantations act positively towards soil and water conservation as they protect the soil surface from the direct impact of rain. A perennial improvement in soil structure is effected through root penetration and the addition of organic matter from decomposing leaves, roots, and wood.
