VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL DISTRIBUTION OF FORESTS IN UTTARAKHAND HIMALAYA: A GEOGRAPHICAL ANALYSIS

Forests of Uttarakhand Himalaya are distributed vertically and horizontally. Their types and diversity vary according to climate and altitudes, the main drivers. This paper examines the vertical and horizontal distribution of forests in Uttarakhand Himalaya. Data was gathered from the secondary sources mainly from the Forest Survey of India 2005, 2011, and 2017. Forest density along with altitudinal gradient and horizontally was also analyzed. Our result shows that forest cover is high in the districts which are located in the mountainous mainland. In the meantime, the districts where the area under snow-clad is high, and which lie in the plain region, forest cover is less. In terms of altitude, the forest area below 3,000 m is less. Total forest area is 63% of the total area whereas forest cover is only 45%. Forest use is less in the highlands and its use is high in the middle altitudes and river valleys. The middle altitudes and the valleys region have a comparatively high population. Forest degradation has observed high in these locations. It is suggested that forest can optimally be used in the highlands and it can be conserved in and surrounding the rural and urban settlements.