Consumption trends of fuel wood and their impact on forest in Jhansi district, Uttar Pradesh, India

Biomass has been considered as one of the primeval resources of energy and among the most fovoured matter utilized by mankind since over 5 lac year. Fuel wood is one of the commonly used sources of domestic energy in the rural areas of many developing nation. The primary source of fuel wood is cutting down of dry and diseased tree, collecting fallen wood scraps or by lopping branches. Jhansi district falls under the backward areas of the country in terms of standard of living. According to a survey more than 70% of the rural population is dependent on fuel wood for cooking and other domestic purposes which in turn causes inauspicious impact on our forest resources which is already a limited resource. The extension of demand of fuel wood is seen as one of the reasons for biodiversity degradation and the quality of Mother Nature. The study reveals that felling of tree for fuelwood is far greater than the rate of vegetational growth. Collecting large quantities of dead wood from forests for one’s own use is one of another way of degrading forest ecosystem.