Non-Timber Phyto Resourses from Different Tribal Dominated Areas of Ayodhya Hills in Purulia District for their Sustenable Use

Abstract

Non-timber forest produces (NTFPs) include all such resources that can be availed from forests without felling of trees. As such, they form an integral part of lives of tribal communities surviving in and around forests in good understanding with them. Through extensive field work of 5 years in Ayodhya hills and adjoining areas as many as 125 plant species occurring in their ambience could be documented which have indigenous traditional use in the area. In the context of commercial prospects an item-wise enumeration of NTFPs along with their uses was prepared. The phytoresources that could be recorded from field survey are 19 species of fruit plants, 4 species for lac culture, 3 resin yielding species, 3 for tannin and gum, 6 species for oil seeds and 11 species have minor carpentry for making sticks, toys, handles of hoes and other agricultural implements.