"It was a wonderful experience interacting with you and appreciate the way you have planned and executed the whole publication process within the agreed timelines.”
Subrat SaurabhAuthor of Kuch Woh Pal
The book, ‘FORESTS OF KARNATAKA-WHY AND HOW OF WHERE THEY ARE,’ attempts at understanding the diverse forests of Karnataka, their current status, and the primary factors that led to their transformation from their pristine (original and un-spoilt) states to the present states. Although formation of different types of forest depends fundamentally upon the general climatic and soil-related factors which vary from place to place, the present conditions of the forests are to a considerable extent reflective of the treatments meted out to them over the centuries. Past treatments of the forests include past forest management practices such as forest reservation, logging, clear-felling, raising plantations, forest protection, etc. as well as other biotic factors such as shifting cultivation, expansion of agriculture, heavy withdrawals of biomass, introduction of plantation crops, recurring fires, over-grazing, encroachments, etc. As a matter of fact, we now have different types of forest in different parts of the state depending upon the nature and intensity of the past interventions. The book while analysing various factors that resulted in degradation of a vast majority of the state’s forests has also suggested ways and means of how the existing forests can be protected from further degradation, enabling them to recover and rejuvenate.
Dipak Sarmah
Shri Dipak Sarmah, a retired Indian Forest Service (1977) officer of the Karnataka cadre, started his career in the Western Ghats, serving in the region for more than a decade. He also served in the Government of India as a Deputy Adviser, Planning Commission, and as Deputy Inspector General of Forests, Forest Policy, Ministry of Environment and Forests (1991-1995). Later, he served in several positions in the Government of Karnataka including Secretary (Forest), PCCF (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden, superannuating in December 2013 as PCCF (Head of Forest Force). Post retirement, Shri Sarmah has devoted himself to writing on various aspects of forestry, wildlife, and agroforestry with special emphasis on the state of Karnataka. He is the author of several books on these subjects. In 2011, Shri Dipak Sarmah was nominated by the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India to the Monitoring Committee to supervise mining operations. He continues to serve as the Chairman of the Committee to date.
