Dehradun: In the first of its kind, the Uttarakhand Forest Department has started the use of AI in preparing working plans for better forest management.
Chief Conservator of Forest, Working Plan, Sanjiv Chaturvedi said that the usage of AI is started on a pilot basis and the results are encouraging.
Chaturvedi said, "We have started the use of AI on a pilot basis in preparing a working plan of Garhwal Forest Division and the initial results are very encouraging as we have got lots of excellent analysis as well as management prescription for better Biodiversity Conservation, Sustainable Forest Management and in dealing with challenges of impact of climate changes on vegetation".
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Uttarakhand has around two-thirds of its area covered by various types of forests ranging from tropical forests in plains, temperate forests in mid Himalayan region, and alpine meadows in high-altitude areas.
For every Forest Division, a working plan is prepared for a period of 10 years after a very comprehensive ground exercise in which all the data about biodiversity, wildlife, watershed area as well as potential threats are identified and accordingly, management prescriptions are recommended after analyzing these data. These plans are then approved by the Central Government.
As per the Supreme Court order, all activities in forest areas of country can be carried out only in accordance with such approved working plans.
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Chaturvedi further elaborated that with the use of advanced AI software, on the basis of field data collected about forest types and tree species composition, a better analysis of the ecosystem is being provided, clearly identifying the priority species and areas requiring specific management interventions. AI tools are further being used in identifying proper silviculturist systems to be applied to a particular type of forest and it also provides a good assessment of the stability of a particular ecosystem as per species composition.
After studying the result for the Garhwal Forest Division, the Uttarakhand Forest Department plans to replicate it further for other Forest Divisions of Uttarakhand. (with Agency inputs)
