Procedures for
Monitoring Industrial plantations
M. Rajkumar
Scientist-C
Forest Ecology and Climate Change Division
Tropical Forest Research Institute, PO. RFRC, Mandla Road, Jabalpur
Government of India
Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change
Guidelines
Notification on Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of
developmental projects issued in 1994 and further revised
notification in year 2006 under the provisions of Environment
(Protection) Act, 1986 EIA Guidance Manual for industries, power
plants, townships, and area development projects is directed to
develop greenbelts in and around their projects.
MoEF&CC categorises offences relating to environmental clearances
Category for 26 Sectors
Non-compliant actions as serious and non serious with conditions
attached to environmental clearances (EC)
Includes mining, thermal power plants, cement and iron and steel.
Example for Serious offence:
Non-installation of pollution abatement equipment like an
electrostatic precipitator for curbing particulate emissions.
Non-utilisation of flyash will be a serious offence
Greenbelt development in 33 % of the project area
Not complying with Resettlement and Rehabilitation (R&R) and
Command Area Development (CAD)
Green belt
Total green area including landscaping area should be 1/3 rd (about 33%) of
the plant area.
Benefits:
•Check erosion
•Improve the microclimate
•Controlled level of pollution
•Maintain ecological balance
The punishment
The governments (Central or state) may serve a show-cause notice under Section
5 of the Environment (Protection) Act of 1986.
Direct closure order for the industry may be issued.
Selection of plants for Green belts
Limitations for growing plants: Climate and soil characters
Soil conditions can be improved, but climate – overcome through
right choice of species
Species for plantation in different bio-climatic conditions.
For effective removal of pollutants: it is necessary
(1) plants grow under conditions of adequate nutritional supply (for
health and growth)
(2) absence of water stress and
(3) well-exposed to light and breeze (i e. away from engineering
structures)
15 Agro-climatic zones
Annual Rainfall
Soils
Shapes of crowns
for effective absorption of pollutants and removal of dust particles
For absorption of gases:
Not too high
Long duration of foliage
Openness of foliage in canopy
Big leaves – broad laminar surface
For removal of Suspended particulate matter:
Height and spread of crown
Leaves firm
Rough bark
Abundance of axillary hairs
Hairs on laminar surface
Mimusops elengi मौलसरी
Sapotaceae
HT: 10 m
Growth: Slow growing in early stages
Crown: Spreading
E/D: Evergreen
Adenanthera pavonina
रक्तचंदन
Mimosaceae
HT: 20 m
Growth: Quick
Crown: Spreading
E/D: Deciduous (Mar-Aug)
Adina cordifolia
Haldu
Rubiaceae
HT: 20 m
Growth: Slow
Crown: Oblong/Round
E/D: Deciduous (Jun-Sept)
Aegle marmelos
Bael
Rutaceae
HT: 12 m
Growth: Slow
Crown: Oblong
E/D: Evergreen
Ailanthus excelsa महानिंब
Simarubaceae
HT: 20 m
Growth: Quick
Crown: Round
E/D: Deciduous
Alstonia scholaris सप्तपर्णी
Apocynaceae
HT: 15 m
Growth: Quick
Crown: Round
E/D: Evergreen
Annogeisus latifolia धौरा
Combretaceae
HT: 15 m
Growth: Slow
Crown: Round/Oblong
E/D: Evergreen
Caesalpinia pulcherrima
गुलेतूरा
Caesalpiniaceae
HT: 4 m
Growth: Quick
Crown: Spreading
E/D: Evergreen
Bridelia retusa
Kaji
Euphorbiaceae
HT: 10 m
Growth: Quick
Crown: Spreading
E/D: Deciduous (May-Oct)
Carissa spinarum
जंगली
करौंदा
Apocynaceae
HT: 3 m
Growth: Quick
Crown: Round
E/D: Evergreen
Regeneration: By seeds, root suckers
Mallotus philippensis कामला
Euphorbiaceae
HT: 12 m
Growth: Slow
Crown: Round
E/D: Evergreen
Regeneration: By seeds
Sapindus emarginatusरीठा
Sapindaceae
HT: 10 m
Growth: Quick
Crown: Oblong/Round
E/D: Evergreen
Regeneration: By seeds
Trema orientalis जियो
Ulmaceae
HT: 6 m
Growth: Quick
Crown: Round/Oblong
E/D: Evergreen
Regeneration: By seeds
Selection of plants stabilization of fly ash
Suggested procedure for Plantation:
Fly ash is deficient in plant nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus and other
minerals
Contains toxic metals like Copper, Cadmium, Cobalt, Chromium, Manganese,
Lead, Zinc and Boron
Some suitable and inexpensive soil additives:
Nutrient contents of some commonly used organic manures:
Mixing of farmyard manure (FYM) in 1:4 proportion (Chaphekar, et al. 1986).
For growing grasses: mix in top soil (upto 15 cm)
For tree saplings: pits of suitable dimensions (60x60x60 or 90x90x90 cm)
Watering: regular watering - daily for grass and trees 2-3 times a week
Plantations
How to do sampling? How to monitor?
Measures for data collection in natural as well as plantation forests:
Individual
In vegetation sampling an individual is a separate entity, such as a tree, shrub or
herb. In case of grasses, the vegetative growth is often with multiple blades arising
from a common root or rhizome; here we define the individual as a clump.
Population
A population consists of a collection of individuals, of the one particular species.
Vegetation
The vegetation of an area is the total plant cover of that area or 'an assemblage of
plants growing together in a particular location'.
Flora
The flora of an area is the sum of the plant species in an area. "Flora" refers to
the species composition of the vegetation.
A well planned sampling plan is very important for effectively
implementing field work sampling. One should in advance have
information about the following:
a)Size of study area
b)Topography of the site
c)Previous surveys or studies in the area or region
d)Existing secondary information (e.g. climate, geology and soil type)
e)What is the data to be collected?
f)Number of samples to be collected in how many replications?
Sample units (plots):
Quadrat: A square or rectangle shape is used as a sampling unit. The choice of dimensions
and shape of the quadrat is done based on the ground reality or spread of the vegetation
cover. A measuring tape or pre-measured rope is laid on the ground or tied on the four
corners of the quadrat to define the quadrat boundaries.
Random and Systematic (Regular quadrats)
Transect: Long and thin quadrats that are used to sample along narrow stretch of
vegetation or in order to sample across two types of different adjoining
vegetation.
Transect sampling is done only in those areas where the likelihood of
encountering a species (density) is very low.
Line intersects can be used in difficult terrain, where it can estimate without
having to locate quadrats.
Line transects feature only a length dimension, usually defined by a tape
stretched across the area to be sampled.
Belt transects have a width as well as length.
Line transect Belt transect
Size: Quadrat size depends on the morphology of the species, the homogeneity
(uniformity) of vegetation and the local conditions of the study site.
Generally,
10m x 10m or (31.62 m x 31.62 m) sized square quadrat is used for tree sampling,
5m x 5m sized quadrat is used for shrub species sampling and
1m x 1m sized quadrat is used for herb sampling.
It can vary based on the forest type or plantation.
The quadrat should be slightly larger than the 'minimal area' of that vegetation.
It is advisable to undertake a pilot study to determine the appropriate quadrat
size.
Number: The decision of how many quadrats to sample requires balancing
between
(a) and (b):
(a) need to include enough quadrats to capture the true variability within the
vegetation being sampled
(b) the available labour, time and cost
A decisions about how many qudrats to sample may also be based upon the total
area sampled.
Often 30% of the total area is assumed to capture a representative sample.
In Plantations
31.62
m
50 m
20 m
31.62
m
10
m
100 m
Laying 0.1 ha square quadrat
31.62 m
31.62 m
m
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44
Divide the land (Compartment) into different strata
Lay quadrats/plots in different strata
Measure collar diameter: ~4 inch from ground,
using vernier caliper
2-4 inches from the ground
Measure height: using tape
For large trees
Quadrat is laid
1.3 m (girth at breast height – gbh)
Girth measurement with meter tape or scale
Equipments used while sampling
Measuring tapes
Used for laying quadrats and sometimes to measure the girth of the tree
Global positioning systems (GPS)
GPS are satellite-based systems that provide locational data on or near the surface
of the earth for users with a GPS receiver
Clinometer
Used to measure the height of a building,
tree, or other feature using a vertical
angle and a distance.
Altimeter
Soil sampling
Collect soil samples: One sample (250 gms) from each land parcel
One composite sample from three mixtures.
Surface soil: 0-15 cm depth.
0cm
15cm
250 gms
bring to the
lab
Soil sampling
Thank you
