Status of Woody Plants in DDF of North Gujarat

1. The dry tropical ecosystems are among the world's most threatened, the dry deciduous forest forming a major proportion of these ecosystem and home for diverse plants and animals. In India this forests is being progressively converted to scrub, savannah and wasteland due to fuel wood collection, lopping  for fodder,  severe grazing/browsing,  and  rapid industrialization and  agriculture expansion.

2. This habitat destruction threatens the survival of many species. The increase in the proportion of declining species with increase in disturbance intensity indicated that local anthropogenic pressure is severe on this  forest resources.

3. Similarly in the forest of North Gujarat Region (NGR) ,especially the predominant dry deciduous forest faces continuous habitat degradation in the form of encroachment for agriculture, mining and other  industrial activities.   

4. Further the tree species in the forest are used by local people for constructing house, furniture, fuel wood, and fodder for cattle has added to the degradation. All these directly influences the  reduction in floral diversity, change in  species composition and forest  structure.