Forestry

Forestry in Sikkim is a very important element of the state economy. Sikkim is blessed with a vast forest resource. The proof is the forest department of Sikkim which controls more than 80% of the total geographical area as forest area. The north eastern state has a large diversity of forests. For example, it has dry deciduous forests in the valleys and Alpine scrubs and grasslands at high elevations.

In the past two decades, the forest department of Sikkim has been taking measures to improve the forestry at Sikkim by encouraging plantation and conservation of fuel woods and fodders so as to help in the economic upliftment of the rural people who depend upon these for their living.

The first step taken towards development of forestry around Sikkim is through promotion of afforestation. The first major step towards afforestation in Sikkim was taken in the year 1997-98 by the forest department. During that year around one lakh plants were planted in each Assemble Constituency in collaboration with Village Level Implementation Committees. Most of the plantations were carried out in the degraded forest areas. Moreover, the villagers were financially helped by providing seedlings of fuel woods, fodders and timbers to be sown in their own lands.

The forestry in Sikkim has added revenue to the state economy through the timber that it supplies for various use. Moreover, the forestry of Sikkim also contributes indirectly to the state revenue and is more important because it adds to the beauty of the state thereby attracting more tourists and hence generating more revenue for the state.