Forest Resources in Assam
Assam’s forests are not just ecological assets but also major drivers of the state’s rural and regional economy.
They support direct and indirect livelihoods for millions, contribute to industrial raw materials, generate state revenue through royalties and fees, and foster emerging sectors like eco-tourism and sustainable products.
Why Forest Resources are Important
1. Forests are critical for climate change mitigation
Forests act as carbon sinks, storing large amounts of carbon.
Estimation of forest carbon stock is essential for REDD+ and global climate commitments.
Healthy forests help reduce greenhouse gas concentrations.
- eg. Tropical forests of Northeast India absorb large amounts of CO₂ due to high biomass.
2. Forests significantly contribute to the economy
Forests provide measurable ecosystem services such as carbon storage, water regulation, and soil conservation.
eg. Forests in Brahmaputra basin regulate water flow and reduce soil erosion, supporting agriculture
Standardizing valuation helps quantify forest contribution to GDP, which is often undervalued.
3. Forests ensure ecological resilience under climate change
Vegetation patterns change with climate variations.
Studying forest vulnerability helps in adaptive management.
- eg. Climate-responsive forest management plans help reduce forest fire risks.
4. Forests support livelihoods and rural economy
Timber and Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) like medicinal plants, bamboo, resins provide income.
- eg. Bamboo-based livelihoods in Assam support housing, handicrafts, and paper industries.
Proper market channels and value addition ensure sustainable livelihoods for forest-dependent communities.
5. Forests conserve biodiversity and genetic resources
Forests are reservoirs of endemic and endangered species.
Conservation of gene pool ensures long-term ecological and economic benefits.
- eg. Orchid diversity of Northeast India represents a rich genetic pool with commercial and ecological value.
6. Forests provide scope for sustainable industrial growth
Certification and standardization of forest products help meet industrial demand responsibly.
- eg. Essential oil industries based on lemongrass, citronella, and patchouli depend on forest-linked cultivation.
Research ensures resource extraction does not harm regeneration.
7. Forests act as natural resource banks for the future
Establishment of germplasm banks preserves forest genetic material.
Acts as insurance against species loss and ecological uncertainty.
8. Forests guide land-use planning and governance
Periodic land-use change analysis helps detect deforestation, degradation, and encroachment.
Enables evidence-based conservation and management policies.
Few important forest Resources of Assam
1. Timber
Timber remains one of the most commercially valuable forest resources in Assam, derived from high-value hardwood species. These woods supply raw materials to industries and provide employment across the value chain—from felling and transport to processing and retail.
- Key Species and Uses:
- Sal (Shorea robusta): Dominant in moist deciduous forests of upper Assam; excellent for construction beams, railway sleepers, and heavy furniture due to its durability and strength.
- Teak (Tectona grandis): Often introduced or naturally occurring in patches; prized for high-quality furniture, doors, and shipbuilding (resistant to termites and weathering).
- Gamari (Gmelina arborea): Fast-growing; widely used in plywood, matchsticks, packaging boxes, and lightweight furniture.
- Sissoo (Dalbergia sissoo): Known as Indian rosewood; used for premium furniture, cabinetry, and sports goods (e.g., cricket bats in some contexts).
- Economic Contribution and Examples:
- Timber extraction and trade generate significant revenue for the Assam Forest Department through royalties, transit fees, and auction sales.
- It supports wood-based industries like plywood mills (common in districts like Nagaon and Jorhat), sawmills, furniture workshops, and construction firms.
- Employment: Thousands are engaged in logging (though regulated), transportation (truck drivers, loaders), sawmilling, carpentry, and furniture making. Forest-based artisans (e.g., carpenters crafting traditional Assamese furniture) contribute more to rural employment than large-scale wood industries in many areas.
- Example:
- In Upper Assam districts (e.g., Lakhimpur, Dhemaji), timber from Sal and Sissoo fuels local furniture units and small-scale construction, providing seasonal income to tribal and rural families.
- However, Illegal or unregulated trade (e.g., Khayer/Senegalia catechu smuggling for industrial/medicinal use) highlights both economic lure and sustainability risks.
2. Bamboo
Assam is often called the “bamboo bowl” of India, possessing ~30–50 species (out of India’s ~136) and holding roughly one-third of the country’s bamboo resources. It is dubbed “green gold” or “poor man’s timber” due to its rapid growth (matures in 3–5 years vs. 20–50 for trees), renewability, and versatility.
- Major Uses:
- Handicrafts: Traditional Assamese bamboo products like jaapi (hats), bamboo mats (dola), baskets (kula), fishing traps, and furniture.
- Construction: Housing frames, scaffolding, rural bridges, and low-cost buildings.
- Paper/pulp: Raw material for paper mills.
- Furniture and modern products: Flooring, panels, activated carbon, and even clothing fibers.
- Economic Contribution and Examples:
- Supports a vast rural cottage industry..
- Assam’s Bamboo Industrial Park and policies (e.g., Assam Bamboo and Cane Policy 2019) aim to boost industrial applications, exports (e.g., bamboo mats, shoots, handicrafts), and job creation.
- It generates employment in harvesting, processing, artisan clusters, and emerging value-added units (e.g., bamboo flooring or charcoal).
- Example: In Goalpara, Barpeta, and Kamrup districts, bamboo-based handicrafts are a major source of income for women self-help groups and artisans.
3. Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFP)
NTFPs are non-wood forest products harvested sustainably without felling trees. They are crucial for tribal and forest-fringe communities, often providing 5–75% of household income in some pockets (higher during lean agricultural seasons or crises).
- Key Examples:
- Medicinal plants:
- Sarpagandha for hypertension.
- Chirata for liver ailments.
- Various herbs sold to pharmaceutical companies.
- Resins and gums: From trees like Pinus or local species.
- Fruits and wild edibles:
- Wild bananas,
- Berries,
- Mushrooms, and
- Leafy vegetables.
- Honey: Wild forest honey collected from beehives in reserved forests.
- Lac: Resin secreted by lac insects on host trees – used for dyes, varnishes, and shellac.
- Medicinal plants:
- Economic Contribution and Examples:
- Provide cash income, nutrition, and traditional medicine; act as a safety net during crop failures or floods.
- Support small-scale trade: Honey and lac collected by tribal groups (e.g., Bodo, Karbi) sold in local markets or to traders.
- Example:
- In Dima Hasao and Karbi Anglong hills, communities collect medicinal plants and honey, contributing 20–50% of annual household income.
- Wild edibles buffer food insecurity.
- Lac cultivation (on trees in fringe forests) offers seasonal cash to farmers in Nagaon and Goalpara.
Some Medicinal Plants of Assam
Local Name | Uses | Part of Use |
Sarpagandha | High blood pressure, Heart Disease | Root |
Brahmi | Improves memory power, hair growth | Whole plant |
Kalatulsi | Cough, ringworm | Leaf |
Gandh Kachu | Oil from rhizome used as traditional medicine | Rhizome |
Kala Haldi | Blood purifier | Rhizome |
Moran ada | Infections, cough | Rhizome |
Pipoli | Diarrhoea | Leaf |
Doron | Liver diseases, cough, pneumonia | Leaf |
Bishalyakarni | Fever, insect bite | Leaf |
Agyachita | Piles, gastric problem, lack of appetite | Root |
Bhot jalakia | Antacid | Fruit |
Cham Kachu | Curing ulcers in animals; stomach complaints; used as vegetable | Root and leaf |
Bon tulsi | Malaria, jaundice, piles | Root & seed |
4. Wildlife & Tourism (Eco-Tourism)
Assam’s protected areas attract global tourists, generating direct revenue (entry fees, safaris) and indirect benefits (hotels, guides, transport, souvenirs).
- Key Sites:
- Kaziranga National Park (UNESCO site): Famous for one-horned rhinoceros; also elephants, tigers, birds.
- Manas National Park (UNESCO site): Tiger reserve with diverse wildlife (elephants, rhinos, golden langur).
- Economic Contribution and Examples:
- Revenue: Kaziranga , Manas earns from entry fees, jeep/elephant safaris, boosted local businesses (lodges, eateries, handicraft sales)
- Employment: Creates jobs for guides, jeep drivers, hotel staff, souvenir sellers, and homestay owners in fringe villages.
5. Other Resources
- Fuelwood and Fodder: Essential for rural households (cooking, livestock feed); collected sustainably in many areas.
- Agarwood (Aquilaria malaccensis): High-value resinous wood (“oud”); used in perfumes, incense, and medicines.
- Example: Golaghat, Jorhat, Sibsagar, and Hojai are the Agarwood producing hubs. It has a great international trade potential.
- Cane (Calamus spp.): Used for furniture, baskets; supports artisan livelihoods similar to bamboo.
In summary, Assam’s forest resources drive a multi-layered economy: timber and bamboo fuel industries and crafts; NTFPs sustain tribal households; eco-tourism brings foreign exchange and jobs; and high-value niches like agarwood offer premium income. Sustainable management is essential to balance economic benefits with conservation amid ongoing challenges like encroachment and climate impacts.