Visit to Jhajra Forest Range

It was the first ever field visit to Forest Range for 2008-2010 IFS (P) batch, our batch. Surely, everyone of us was really excited, elated and pretty curious as well, ostensibly because, for many of us, it was a maiden visit to the forest and the fact that they would finally track the dense, woody vegetation, and might possibly encounter some fauna filled them with moments of anxiousness, apprehensions and delight. Dressed in dark-olive colored field dress, which we got stitched recently, all of us started from our hostel at 8.30 o’clock in the morning. The IGNFA bus steadily meandered through the Chakrata road. Also, Cameras started flashing at short intervals inside the bus.
Jhajra Forest Range falls within the administration of Dehradun Forest Division. It’s located at a distance of 8 km from Dehradun. We reached the Guest House of the Range at around 9.00 am. This Guest House was constructed way back in 1885, the remnant of the colonial era; but the legacy as well as the witness to the beginning of scientific forestry in India. In about 15 minutes, Sir Ravi Kumar briefed us as to why and for what purpose the visit to the forest was important. He succinctly explained to us what we were supposed to do. Basically, now onwards, he convinced us that we should observe and feel forest closely: observing it by its crop composition, crown structure, stratification, types of branches, stems, kinds of soil, and so on. They were very essential to get into the nitty-gritty of forest management, and an inevitable knowledge, Resource managers like us must be sufficiently acquainted with. Thereafter, Mam Anu Nagar added some more inputs.
So, we were there inside the forest, beginning with observation and identification of plant species, including various management practices and anything that is unique, fauna, etc. The entire batch was divided into 6 small groups. So, members of one group would do the task together, though moving beside other groups. We entered the forest through IV compartment and walked ahead. The forest was predominantly of Sal (Shorea robusta). It was a moist deciduous forest.
In the junction between IV & II compartments, we turned left. Just across the road, along the boundary of II compartment, a cattle-proof trench had been dug and Agave sp. in staggered manner had also been planted in the ridge/raised portion of the trench. It had been done so for protecting the regeneration in the II compartment from cattle and wild animals. Towards the end, near a fire-line, which moves almost perpendicular to the road, Dendrocalamus sp. had also been planted along-with the Agave sp. The fire-lines clearly demarcated the compartments into smaller units. They’d been created to arrest the spread of forest fires from one compartment to another, a proven fire management practice.

The upper canopy was occupied by Sal crown. The close associates of Sal such as Terminalia tomentosa, Terminalia bellerica, Malotus Philipensis were also present; but they occupied the mid-storey and in lesser density. The Sal at some patches, particularly in some portions of V compartment was attacked by the notorious borer, Heterocerambyx spinicornis. However, it wasn’t easily identifiable. The tree remained healthy from outside, and it required close observation of yellow-colored secretion on the trunk, a manifestation of response of Sal to the infestation, to ascertain its infestation. Further ahead, the density of Mallotus Phiipensis was more and taller too, while the Sal density decreased, and whatever number was present, they looked weak and stunted. It was obviously because of attack by the Sal borer on the Sal, and consequent increase in the incidence of solar radiation in certain portions as a result of death of these infested Sal that the Mallotus philipensis was more and taller.
Wild turmeric plant, bhalu kaja, Malecia auriculata predominantly occupied the ground vegetation. Malecia auriculata was a woody climber; but it looked like a shrub with woody stem standing straight on the ground, at least until the tip of the plant gradually metamorphosed into climber and beginning to lean towards the adjoining trees for support. Besides, at some places, all of the bhalu kaja plants were dead, while new shoots were coming up from the old stumps. Ravi sir explained that it was because of controlled burning done some time prior to summer season during which they had been burned and subsequently dried up.
We then tracked along a rivulet. It contained no water, even though it was rainy season. Nevertheless, there were ample evidences of the characteristics of the rivulet. The velocity of the flow of water must be really high and turbulent as was vividly visible from the damages done to gavian structures- spurs constructed along the banks of this rivulet to streamline the direction as well as velocity of flow of the water. The associates of Sal along the bank of the rivulet slightly changed. We encountered more of Sygyzium cumini (Jamun tree) and Terminalia sp. Mallotus Philipensis was nearly absent.
In addition, the forest would give the look of a mono crop of Sal to a layman; but many other plant species were also identified. Though a scientifically managed forest, it certainly was no less than any natural forest. Some of the other major plant species found were: Muraya kongi; Albizzia procera; Costus speciosus; Kydia clycyna; Glycosma pentaphyllum; Cassia toru; Jatropha curcas; Sepium serviferum; Lantana camara; Acacia pinnata; Vitex negundo; etc.
Lastly but not the least, mention of the foot-prints or pug marks of some wild carnivores spotted on our track is important. We couldn’t identify them; however, some of us were excited about that. Well, the exhaustive tracking of about 10 km in about 5 hrs was the highlight of our first field visit. Our association with the forest and its realities and management has already been begun. The experience was awesome and would linger on in my memory through the times.