On the ecological history of the Western Ghats

Over three millennia of forest utilization and management by traditional societies, and the practice of state forestry, since last 200 years, have moulded the forest ecosystems of the Western Ghats. Major vegetational changes here began with the migrations of agri-pastoral people, beginning in the m...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Current science (Bangalore) 1997-07, Vol.73 (2), p.146-155
Main Author: Chandran, M. D. Subash
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Coniferous forests
Deciduous forests
Deciduous trees
Forest conservation
Forest ecology
Forest management
Montane forests
Old growth forests
SPECIAL SECTION: BIODIVERSITY OF WESTERN GHATS
State forests
Trees
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Summary:Over three millennia of forest utilization and management by traditional societies, and the practice of state forestry, since last 200 years, have moulded the forest ecosystems of the Western Ghats. Major vegetational changes here began with the migrations of agri-pastoral people, beginning in the middle of 4th millennium BP. The pre-colonial times had mostly village oriented traditional landscape management. Since colonial times, the forestry became more state centered, paying scant consideration to traditional management and to other forces of history which moulded the Western Ghat landscapes. The present landscape and vegetation of the region are replete with reflections of history which may be of great ecological interest.
ISSN:0011-3891