Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education
भावाअशिप - उष्णकटिबंधीय वन अनुसंधान संस्थान
ICFRE - Tropical Forest Research Institute, Jabalpur

Forest Ecology and Climate Change

Last Updated on : 11 April 2023

The division came into existence in 1992 with three separate divisions namely, Forest Ecology and Rehabilitation division, Biodiversity and Sustainable Management division and Forest Botany division. Forest Botany division merged with Biodiversity and Sustainable Management division in 2001and Biodiversity and Sustainable division merged with Forest Ecology and Rehabilitation division in 2018. Finally, the name of the division was changed to Forest Ecology and Climate Change division.

Major research areas of the division are climate change, valuation of plantations and forests for tangible and intangible benefits and eco-restoration of degraded lands, Biodiversity assessment, wildlife conservation and management, Desertification and land degradation.

Thrust Area

1.         Biodiversity conservation and Ecological security

2.         Forests and climate change.

3.         Forest Botany.

4.         Forest soils and land reclamation.

5.         Ecology and Environment.

6.         Environment Management

Mandate      

 The mandate of the division is to:

  • Conduct studies on climate change and carbon sequestration potential of tropical forest tree species in plantations, natural forests and agroforestry systems.
  • Valuate natural forests and plantations for their tangible and intangible benefits.    
  • Develop packages for eco-restoration of degraded forests and problem sites including mined out overburden dumps, salt affected lands, waterlogged sites along dams and canal command areas, marginal and wastelands.
  • Species inventory, biodiversity assessment and population dynamics of natural forests and industrial plantations.
  • Provide consultancy to PSUs such as CIL, SECL, NCL during forest land division for non-forestry purpose.

Activities 

Research Projects

S. No.

Title of the Project

Funding Agency

Duration

1.

Carbon sequestration through afforestation at RSP, Odisha.

SAIL, Ranchi

Jan 2014 - Mar 2020

2.

Preparation of a user-friendly database of phytodiversity in Satpura Plateau Agroclimatic zone of Madhya Pradesh.

MPSFD

Bhopal

Apr 2015 - Mar 2018

3.

Impact of forest covers change on regulating stream flows of the Narmada River Basin using Macroscale Hydrological Model

MPSFD

Bhopal

Apr 2015-Mar 2019

4.

Assessing the impact of pruning of Diospyros melanoxylon bushes on its yield, quality and natural regeneration of tree species in Maharashtra.

Maharashtra SFD

Jan 2016 –Mar 2020

5.

Biodiversity, regeneration and life history feedback of forest communities in response to canopy opening under selection cum improvement felling system.

ICFRE, Dehradun

Apr 2016 - Mar 2021

6.

 Ecological assessment of flora diversity in MPCA of Chhattisgarh with special emphasis on species of medicinal importance and conservation priority.

Chhattisgarh Medicinal Plant Board

Apr 2016 - Mar 2018

7.

Understanding plant-water relations to annual weather fluctuations in Tectona grandis.

ICFRE, Dehradun

Jan 2017 - Mar 2020

8.

Quantitative assessment of land degradation in forests of Madhya Pradesh and suggest mitigation measures

MPSFD, Bhopal

2020-    2021

CONSULTANCY PROJECTS

S. No.

Title of the Project

Funding Agency

Ending Year

1.

Implementable forestry research for ash utilization promotion and development of research park at APML, Gondia.

Adani Power Maharashtra Ltd.

Mar 2024

2.

Monitoring of NTPC Accelerated Afforestation Programme of plantation in M.P. and Maharashtra.

NTPC

2022

3.

Wildlife Conservation Plan for Damini and Rajendra UG mines.

SECL, Sohagpur Area

2020

4.

Wildlife Conservation Plan for Bhatgaon UG, Mahamaya UG, Kalyani UG and Dugga OC.

SECL,  Bhatgaon Area

2019

5.

Controlling fugitive dust emission through biological reclamation of flyash lagoons in Shri Singaji Thermal Power Project, Khandwa (M.P.)

M.P. Power Generating Company Ltd.

Oct. 2019

6.

Wildlife Conservation Plan for Churcha and Katkona Collieries.

SECL, Baikunthpur

2019

7.

Wildlife Conservation Plan for Kanchan Expansion Project.

SECL, Johilla Area

2019

8.

Wildlife Conservation Plan for Jhilimili and Pandavpara underground mines.

SECL, Baikunthpur Area

2019

9.

Wildlife Conservation Plan for Dipka Expansion Project.

SECL, Dipika Area

2018

10.

Use of ash pond decant water for agriculture purpose around NTPC- Ramagundam Super Thermal Power Station.

NTPC- Ramagundam

2016

All India Coordinated Research Project

Sl No

AICRP No.

Title

Principal Investigator

  1.  

13

Valuation of forests for GDP, Green GDP and Payment of eco-system goods and services

Dr. Avinash Jain

  1.  

14

Forest Fire Research and Knowledge Management

Dheeraj Kr. Gupta

 

19

Assessment of water requirement of different forest tree species and its impact on subsoil moisture

Dheeraj Kr. Gupta

  1.  

22

Preparation of Forest Soil Health Cards under different Forest Vegetations in all the Forest Divisions of India

Dr. Avinash Jain

  1.  

24

Combating desertification by enhancing vegetation cover and people livelihoods in degraded drylands and deserts of India

M. Rajkumar

  1.  

31

Study of climate driven effects on Indian forests through long term monitoring

Dr. Avinash Jain

  1.  

 

Estimation of economic losses in real term per hectare basis due to Forest Fire in Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh

Dheeraj Kr. Gupta

(Co-PI)

Trainings

Sl. No.

No. of Trainings

Year

User Group

1.

Carbon sequestration by industrial plantations

2019-20

Officer of MPPGCL

2.

Carbon sequestration through afforestation

2019-20

Officer of Steel Authority of India Ltd.

3.

Forestry sector in disaster risk reduction and climate resilience

2019-20

Officers from Indian Forest Service and disaster management cells, ITBP, Scientists, Professors and students.

Other achievements

Significant achievements

  1. Assessed carbon stock and annual sequestration in 42.12 lakh trees of different species planted during 1958 to 2014 covering 1013 ha area at Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP), Odisha and found to increase carbon stock from 144.28 t/ha to 166.11 t/ha during four years period, with an annual increase of 5.46 t/ha.
  2. Quantified tangible and intangible benefits of plantations and natural vegetation at Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP). Tangible benefits included timber, fuel wood and fodder; while intangible benefits included pollution control, soil conservation & remediation and improvement in underground water table. Intangible benefits were quantified by Contingent Valuation Method. The average WTP as proposed by the participants was calculated to be Rs. 840.70.
  3. The sites having pruned bushes depicted higher regeneration and more number of regenerated individuals through root suckers as compared to unpruned tendu poles in Gondia and Gadchiroli forest divisions of Maharashtra.
  4. Preparation of Wildlife Conservation Plans for open cast and underground coal mines of South Eastern Coalfields Limited in the states of Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh under an MoU between ICFRE and Coal India Limited (CIL).
  5. As Member of Task Force constituted by Government of Madhya Pradesh to monitor the environmental impacts of Majhgawan Diamond Mining Project, Panna during 2016-2018.
  6. Completed a three years study on plant-water use in Tectona grandis (Teak) using Sap flow sensors.
  7. Studied sap flow pattern using sa flow sensors in two girth classes (10-30 cm and 30-60 cm) of Tectona grandis (Teak) and found that stems with 10-30 cm girth had high sap flow compared to that of 30-60 cm. The average sap flow found in the stem with 10-30 cm girth was 0.791 kg h-1 while only 0.054 kg h-1 in the stem higher girth. The rate of flow (flux) was observed to be higher in the heartwood and lesser in the sap wood for lower girth class, while it was the reverse for stem with higher girth class.
  8. Impact of canopy opening on population structure and community composition under selection cum improvement (SCI) felling system is being studied in Teak, Sal and Mixed forests of Madhya Pradesh. In mixed deciduous forests, a total of 895 stems ha-1 was recorded and found that Diospyros melanoxylon has the highest tree density, followed by Tectona grandis in the community. Whereas highes basal cover was recorded for Tectona grandis (7.65 sqm ha-1 ) followed by Diospyros melanoxylon (1.43 sqm ha-1) and Lagerstroemia parviflora (1.10 sqm ha-1 ). Further studies are ongoing.
  9. Published a Technical Bulletin on Virtual herbarium with bi-lingual description of medicinal plants collected from Chhattisgarh, India.
  10. Conducted field survey and litter accumulation study, higher litter accumulation rate (19.17 t/ha) in the deciduous lying in Vidarbha region found to be the additional factor for forest fire compared to that of the evergreen forest (15.26 t/ha) of western ghat in Maharashtra besides anthropogenic activities and low humidity.
  11. Assessed the impact of Implementation of Bundelkhand Special Package during the years 2011-16 and found that 1301 ha (new permanent 5 ha and new seasonal 1296 ha) increase in water body area. Soil moisture also showed significant changes in the vicinity and downstream of the structures. Ground water level analysis using spatial mean of water level for post-monsoon period (November month) shows significant change (³ 1 m) in rise at 5% level in post-scenario.
  12. Due to decrease in forest area (876 sq. km) from the years 1985 to 1995, surface runoff increased in monsoon and post-monsoon season (June- Dec) by 103.2 MCM (Million cubic meter) and baseflow (groundwater contribution to stream) decreased by 2.5 MCM. Similarly, During the years 1995 to 2005, decrease in forest area (296 Sq km) increased surface runoff during monsoon and post-monsoon season (June- Dec) by 34.7 MCM (Million cubic meter) and baseflow (groundwater contribution to stream) decreased by 0.846 MCM. Thus, forest cover acts a flow regulator which minimizes the peak flow in monsoon season and thereby increases the baseflow in lean season.

Personnel of the Division

Sl. No

Name

Designation

Contact Number

Email Address

1.

Dr. Avinash Jain

Head & Scientist-F

9826563036

9424617880

jainavi@yahoo.com

jaina @icfre.org

avinashjain171@gmail.com

2.

Shri. M. RajKumar

Scientist-C

9424625519

rajkumarm@ icfre.org, rajinecol@gmail.com

3.

Shri Dheeraj K. Gupta

Scientist-C

7587525086

dkg@ icfre.org tfri.gis.cell@gmail.com

4

Deepika Jangam

Scientist-B

 

djangam@icfre.org

5

AJIN SEKHAR

Scientist-B

 

sekhara@icfre.org 

6

Smt. Chandralekha Taksande

Chief Technical Officer

7974591192

9425852867

lepandecn@icfre.org

7.

Dr. Nidhi Mehta

Assistant Chief  Technical Officer

9977736839

9479986839

mehtan@icfre.org

mehtanidhi@gmail.com

8.

Shri K.S. Sengar

Senior Technical Officer

9755665931

sengarks@icfre.org

9.

Shri Saikat Banerjee

Technical Officer

9008441155

9480190182

banerjees@icfre.org

saikatantara@gmail.com

10.

Shri Swaroop Aharwar

Steno - I

9424955788

aharwars@icfre.org

11.

Shri Raghvendra Singh

Technical Officer

7898954883

singhra@icfre.org

12

Shri Sanjay Komra

Technical Officer

9424679102

sskomra@icfre.org

13.

Smt Pooja Singh

Sr. Technician

9179040152

poojas@icfre.org

14.

Shri V. Ramu Naik

Sr. Technician

9303023885

naikv@icfre.org.in

15.

Shri Rajjan Singh Warkade

Office Attendant

7247045451

6232782151

 

Contact 

Dr. Avinash Jain

Head

Forest Ecology and Climate Change Division

Phone: +91-761-2840008 (O), +91-9826563036, 9424617880 (Mob)   

E-mail: hod_fecc_tfri@icfre.org

 

 

Designed & Developed By : IT Division, ICFRE HQ
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