Soil and Moisture Conservation and Afforestation Project in Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh

CAT in partnership with the Himachal Pradesh Forest Department is working towards the protection of the environment and ecology of Dharamsala Forest Division which is under pressure due to increasing biotic interference.

Forest degradation and habitat destruction are commonplace scenarios in the forests of India today. Large scale human interference and accompanying anthropogenic factors have converted pristine green forests into rocky, barren areas. The State of Himachal Pradesh is no exception. The study region of Dharamsala forest too contains land under the custody of the Forest Department which has degraded over time resulting in empty slopes subject to all factors of erosion. After years of large scale exploitation of the land for slate, the P 49 K Chakban area had been left severely damaged with extensive soil erosion and deforestation.

With an urgent need to plan a scientific and systematic Afforestation project in the area, CAT embarked upon this important project in 2007 with the goal of restoring the P 49 K Chakban area in Dharamsala to its initial state by increasing green cover.

In May 2007, the first phase of the Soil Moisture Conservation and Afforestation project was successfully completed with the introduction of Dangis (Loose Boulder Masonry) on site. The introduction of Dangis was to prevent water run off in the area, to enable soil moisture conservation and to stabilise the area in preparation for tree and grass plantation. The Dangis were also built using stones lying in the area.

In June 2007, pits measuring one sq. ft were dug to accommodate saplings of different indigenous plant species before the onset of monsoon. Following this, in July - August 2007, 1210 of these pits were used for plantation whilst the remaining ones would help retain water and prevent direct runoff.  Six varieties of trees, including Walnut (Juglans spp) and Baan (Quercus incana), have now been planted in the P 49 K Chakban area of Dharamsala as a part of this essential initiative to increase the green cover in the area. Apart from planting of more than one thousand trees, four different varieties of robust grasses have also been sown to help bind the soil.

The project has been a great success to date and even during the extremely heavy rains in the region on 9th July 2007, the Dangis ensured no soil erosion occurred in the area.