SOME MINOR FOREST PRODUCTS OF BUXA TIGER RESERVE
Buxa Tiger Reserve is situated in Alipurduar sub-division of Jalpaiguri
district, West Bengal. It lies
between 26o30’ & 26o55’ N latitude and 89o20’ & 89o55’
E longitude. The reserve stretches
over 50 km from west to East and 35 km from west to East and 35 km from North to
South, having a total area of 760.87 sq. km, out of which 385.02 sq. km area is
demarcated as core zone and the rest 375.85 sq. km area is demarcated as buffer
zone. The core zone consists of
Buxa Sanctuary and National Park. The
reserve was constituted in the year 1983 and became the 15 the Tiger Reserve of
the country. The reserve consists
of 195 compartments.
Buxa Tiger Reserve (BTR) has a rich biological diversity of flora and
faunal. It represents most of the
endemic species of northeast India. Apart
from the most common and economically important species found within the moist
tropical multi-tier forest of BTR, there are many minor forest products
available in BTR. Unfortunately
there is no definite extraction procedure adopted for its collection. Forest villagers go inside the definite extraction procedure
adopted for its collection. Forest
villagers go inside the forest and collect the minor forest products for their
livelihood according to their demand.
The following table (Table 1) will give an idea about some minor forest products and other related aspects of Buxa Tiger Reserve.
TABLE
1: MINOR FOREST PRODUCTS OF BUXA TIGER RESERVE
Botanical name of the plant collected |
Family |
Local/ Common
name |
Trade name |
Parts
of the plant collected |
Time
of collection |
Cost
o the collected product at primary
collectors level |
|
Agalaia
spectabilis (Miq.) Jain & Bennet |
Meliaceae |
Lali |
Lali |
Seed
coat |
February
to March |
Rs.
7/kg |
|
Swietenia
mahagomi (L.) jacq. |
Meliaceae |
Mahagoni |
Motha |
Kernel
& Tegmen |
February
to March |
Kernel
Rs. 60/1000 nos. |
|
Caryota
urens AL. |
Palmae |
Rangbhan |
Chagumnar |
Kernel |
May
to June |
Rs.
1/Stick |
|
Thysanolaena
maxima
Ktze. |
Poaceae |
Phuljharu |
Phulijharu |
Inflorescene |
November
to February |
Rs.
80/100 Sticks |
|
Sterculia
villosa roxb. |
Sterculiaceae |
Udal |
Land
Lotus |
Seed
Coat |
April |
Rs.
60/Kg. |
|
Oroxylum
indicum(L.
) Vent |
Bignoniaceae |
Totola |
Totola |
Seed |
February
to March |
Rs.
70/Kg. |
|
Canarium
srtictum Roxb. |
Burseraceae |
Gokul
Dhup |
Gokul
Dhup |
Resin |
September
to January |
Rs.
120/kg |
|
Sapindus
detergens Wall. |
Sapindaceae |
Ritha |
Ritha |
Seed
coat |
November
to December |
Rs.
60/Kg |
|
Piper
longum L. |
Piperaceae |
Pipla |
Piper |
Fruits |
September
to October |
Rs.
120/Kg |
|
Wrightia
arborea (Dennst.) Mabb. |
Apocynaceae |
Khira |
Snake
head |
Seed
Coast |
March |
Rs.60/Kg. |
|
Phragmites
karka
(retz.) Trin. Ex Stend |
Poaceae |
Pundi |
Pundi |
Fruits |
August
to September |
Rs.
70/1000 nos. |
|
Chukrasia
tobularis Jussieu |
Meliaceae |
Chikrasi |
Chikrasi |
Seed
Coat |
January
to February |
Rs.
50/1000 nos. |
|
Schima
wallichii (DC)
Korthals |
Theaceae |
Chilaune |
Chilaune |
Seed
Coat |
January
to March |
Rs.
200/metre |
|
Bauhinia
scandens L. |
Leguminosae |
Sanpelahara |
Sanpelahara |
Stem |
February
to March |
Rs.
200/Metre |
|
Persea
glaucescens (Nees)
Long |
Lauraceae |
Kawla |
Kawla |
Stem
Bark |
Throughout
the year |
Rs.
8-10/kg |
|
Lophopetalum
wightianum Arnott |
Celastraceae |
Narkeli |
Budhnath |
Seed
Coat |
June
to August |
Rs.
1300/1000 nos. |
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
ENVIS Centre is indebted to the Director, Botanical Survey of India, P.C.C.F., West Bengal and Field Director, Buxa Tiger Reserve for extending their helping hand during the field survey and data collection.