Ethno Medico Forest (EMF) : A new concept from Chhattisgarh, India.

Research Note - Pankaj Oudhia
© 2001,2002,2003 Pankaj Oudhia - All Rights Reserved

Since few decades, due to increasing demand of timber the forests of Chhattisgarh are decreasing. The increasing population pressure and urbanization are also responsible factors. This decrease in forest cover is resulting in decreasing population of associated species and in this way, many herbs are becoming endangered. By travelling Raipur, the capital of Chhattisgarh, to Jagdalpur, you can clearly understand what the human beings have done with the forests. It is very hard to find natural forest in this 300 (plus) kms. Long way, except in few patches. In most of the places, the forest cover has converted into wasteland and the wherever greenery is there, it is due to commercial plantation of high value trees, planted by the state forest department. For common person and also for tourists, these commercial plantations are like forest but for the traditional healers and natives of the state, it is just harmful act and wastage of forest resources. The trees are planted in rows with the application of chemical and natural inputs. The purpose of this commercial plantation is to grow or cultivate the economically important tree species through proper management. The natural flora growing with the trees considered as weed and to remove it the caretakers conduct weeding operation and apply weedicides. The trees are also protected from insects and diseases. All these cultivation activities occur mostly in area where at present no forest is present but in surrounding areas the natural forests are still there. The presence of man made forest in between the natural forests disturbs the natural balance in natural forests to great extent. I have seen the man made forests in almost every corner of Chhattisgarh. These plantations are based on the principle of monoculture, i.e. promotion of only one species, a real curse for native flora and fauna. In many areas, I have seen the commercial plantation of exotic tree species like Eucalyptus. Although these commercial plantations are economically viable, give good returns and look nice but as herb expert, I feel very odd to see the level of greediness of human beings. At different forums, I opposed these man made forests (i.e. commercial plantations) but got reply that it is adopted from different countries.

I am not aware that what strategy, the other planners are adopting but through my ethno botanical surveys in different parts of Chhattisgarh, I have got the shocking information that the natives and traditional healers of Chhattisgarh are not happy with this monoculture. After detailed discussion with them, we decided to develop advanced and improved version of man made forest in different parts of Chhattisgarh. I have given it a name Ethno Medico Forest (EMF). To develop EMF in any particular areas first of all we conduct detailed surveys in nearby forest having same flora and fauna and try to study the unique arrangements of the nature. With the help of the natives and traditional healers, we list out the common herbs present in surrounding areas. After preparing exhaustive list of herbs, we collect different propagation parts from these herbs in different season and just dump it randomly in selected area, chosen for the development of EMF. We have specific method of planting. We simply take the herb or propagation parts and stand in any part of the EMF area and without seeing back, just throw away the material. After this throw, we never see it (at least up to ten years). One by one we throw all herbs in EMF area. No dug out or seed bed is used. We do not use any input to support initial plant growth. We believe that our job is to just dump the original material in EMF area and the rest will be done by the Mother Nature. We have observed that in two years, the area starts shaping into natural forest. We do not prepare any routine path to go inside the forest. During initial years, many species became dominant but we ignored this. We have observed that in four to five years due to nature's rule the EMF develops like the forests of surrounding area. We do not allow any type of human activities inside the EMF area. As result, in many terms the EMF is far better than the surrounding forest areas where human activities are common. We have also observed that by leaving the forest in its own shoulders, it becomes more resistant and do not permit the entry of any exotic species. In our EMF, we have dumped obnoxious weeds Parthenium and Lantana but the native species repelled (?) Away these exotic species. These weeds are headache in surrounding natural forests. The traditional healers truly describe the reason. According to them, our activities and encroachment inside the forests have reduced the defensive power of these forests and that is why they are not enough strong to restrict the entry of new exotic species. We know that it is not possible to plant or establish the new forests according to nature's law but through our experience we are now confident that every little ecofriendly effort is supported by Mother Nature whole heartedly. The EMFs are one of the promising examples.

We have tried this concept in many parts. Our EMF project of Kondagaon is one of the successful projects. This is new concept and in India, it is general tendency that in spite of good indigenous technology, the experts believe that foreign technology is more promising and this is the reason, the forest officials have yet not started work an this novel concept. I searched the reference literatures and internet, but yet not got related information or work from any corner of the world. This is good surprise for us that the traditional healers are glad with this project and they are collecting herbs from EMF area. It is a matter of scientific investigation to evaluate the medicinal properties of herbs from EMF and natural forest areas and to find out the significant difference but the healers prefer herbs from EMF area. As I am not the expert of fauna, we only introduce native flora in EMF area and this is our observation that the associated fauna came in the EMF area spontaneously. In man made forests, the caretakers plant spiny and thorny herbs in fence in order to save their forest from invaders but in EMF we never use any kind of fence. This is the reason that in many areas it acts as corridor between two natural forests. If any animal damages any valuable species, we simply ignore this, considering it is according to nature's law. Our EMFs are in very small areas. We want to implement this concept in thousands acres in order to get real effect. Also our oldest EMF is only eight years old. I want to study it up to 100 years at least. (Unfortunately it is not possible for me). The EMFs are best place to understand the nature's law, selection and arrangement. When we enter EMF area, we feel odd to walk on the small herbs as they are parts of EMF. In many parts due to absence direct approach, we miss to reach there, to see the nature's experiments. This article is first written document on this novel concept developed after taking the view and suggestions of the traditional healers and natives. I would like to request the experts and researchers to think on this aspect and try to develop EMFs in their areas. We are confident that the EMFs are far better than the commercial plantations in terms of conservation of natural bio-diversity. Plantations are essential, but it must be done; far from the natural forests. Every time I visit EMF, I gain new experience. I will write more on these EMFs in my future articles year by year.

Thank you very much for reading the article.