Syllabus Paper 1 Indian Forest Service Examination UPSC

FORESTRY

PAPER 1

Section A

1. Silvicultural Principles:

ØEcological and physiological factors influencing vegetation

ØNatural and artificial regeneration of forests

Ø Methods of propagation

Ø Grafting techniques

Ø Site factors

ØNursery and planting techniques-nursery beds

Ø Polybags and maintenance

ØWater budgeting

Ø Grading and hardening of seedlings

ØSpecial approaches

ØEstablishment and tending

2. Silviculture - Systems :

ØClear felling

ØUniform shelter wood

ØSelection

ØCoppice and conversion systems.

ØManagement of silviculture systems of temperate, subtropical, humid tropical, dry tropical and coastal tropical forests with special reference to plantation silviculture

ØChoice of species

ØEstablishment and management of standards

ØEnrichment methods

ØTechnical constraints

Ø Intensive mechanized methods

ØAerial seeding

ØThinning

3. Silviculture - Mangrove and Cold

desert :

Mangrove :

ØHabitat and characteristics

ØMangrove, plantation-establishment and rehabilitation of degraded mangrove formations

ØSilvicultural systems for mangrove

ØProtection of habitats against natural disasters.

Cold desert –

ØCharacteristics,

ØIdentification and management of species.

4. Silviculture of trees :

ØTraditional and recent advances in tropical silvicultural research and practices.

ØSilviculture of some of the economically important species in India such as

                           i.            Acacia Catechu

                       ii.            Acacia nilotica

                  iii.            Acacia auriculiformis

                   iv.            Albizzia lebbeck

                        v.             Albizzia procera

                   vi.            Anthocephalus Cadamba

               vii.            Anogeissus latifolia

          viii.            Azadirachta indica

                   ix.            Bamboo spp

                       x.            Butea monosperma

                   xi.            Cassia siamea

              xii.            Casuarina equisetifolia

          xiii.            Cedrus deodara

           xiv.            Chukrasia tabularis

               xv.            Dalbergia sisoo

           xvi.            Dipterocarpus spp.

      xvii.            Emblica officindils

  xviii.            Eucalyptus spp

          xix.            Gmelina arborea

               xx.            Hardwickia binata

          xxi.            Largerstroemia lanceolata

      xxii.            Pinus roxburghi

 xxiii.            Populus spp

  xxiv.            Pterocarpus marsupium

       xxv.            Prosopis juliflora

  xxvi.            Santalum album

xxvii.            Semecarpus anacardium

xxviii.            Shorea robusta

  xxix.            Salmalia malabaricum

      xxx.            Tectona grandis

  xxxi.            Terminalis tomemtosa

xxxii.            Tamarindus indica

Section B

1. Agroforestry, Social Forestry, Joint

Forest Management and Tribology :

Agroforestry –

ØScope and necessity

ØRole in the life of people and domestic animals and in integrated land use, planning especially related to

(i)                      Soil and water conservation;

(ii)                 Water recharge

(iii)             Nutrientavailability to crops

(iv)          Nature and  ecosystem preservation including ecological blances through pest-predator relationships and

(v)  Providing opportunities for enhancing bio-diversity, medicinal and

other flora and fauna

ØAgroforestry systems under different agro-ecological zones

ØSelection of species and role of multipurpose trees and NTFPs, techniques, food, fodder and fuel security

ØResearch and Extension needs.

Social/Urban Forestry :

Ø Objectives

ØScope and Necessity

ØPeoples participation.

JFM –

ØPrinciples

ØObjectives

ØMethodology

ØScope

ØBenefits

ØRole of NGOs

Tribology –

Ø Tribal scene in India

Ø Tribes

Ø Concept of races

ØPrinciples of social grouping

ØStages of tribal economy,

Ø Education, cultural tradition, customs, ethos

ØParticipation in forestry programmes

2. Forest Soils, Soil Conservation and

Watershed management :

Forests Soils:

Ø Classification

Ø Factors affecting soil formation

ØPhysical, chemical and biological properties.

Soil conservation –

ØDefinition

ØCauses for erosion

ØTypes - wind and water erosion

ØConservation and management of eroded soils/areas

Ø Wind breaks, shelter belts

ØSand dunes

ØReclamation of

(i)     Saline and alkaline soils

(ii)  Water logged and other waste lands.

ØRole of forests in conserving soils.

Ø Maintenance and build up of soil organic matter

Ø Provision of loppings for green leaf manuring

Ø Forest leaf litter and composting

Ø Role of microorganisms in ameliorating soils

Ø N and C cycles

ØVAM.

Watershed Management –

ØConcepts of watershed

ØRole of mini-forests and forest trees in overall resource management

Ø Forest hydrology

ØWatershed development in respect of torrent control

ØRiver channel stabilization

ØAvalanche and landslide controls

Ø      Rehabilitation of degraded areas-hilly and mountain areas

ØWatershed management and environmental functions of forests

Ø Water-harvesting and conservation

ØGround water recharge and watershed management

ØRole of integrating forest trees, horticultural crops, field crops, grass and fodders.

3. Environmental Conservation and Biodiversity :

Environment

Ø     Components and importance

Ø     Principles of conservation

Ø     Impact of deforestation

Ø Forest fires and various human activities like mining, construction and developmental projects, population growth on environment.

Pollution

ØTypes

ØGlobal warming

ØGreen house effects

ØOzone layer depletion

ØAcid rain

ØImpact and control measures

ØEnvironmental monitoring

ØConcept of sustainable development

ØRole of trees and forests in environmental conservation

ØControl and prevention of air, water and noise pollution

ØEnvironmental policy and legislation in India

ØEnvironmental Impact Assessment

ØEconomics assessment of watershed development vis-a-vis ecological and environmental protection.

4. Tree Improvement and Seed Technology :

ØGeneral concept of tree improvement

Ø Methods and techniques

ØVariation and its use

Ø Provenance

ØSeed source

ØExotics;

ØQuantitative aspects of forest tree improvement

ØSeed production and seed orchards

Ø Progeny tests

ØUse of tree improvement in natural forest and stand improvement

Ø Genetic testing programming,

ØSelection and breeding for resistance to diseases, insects, and adverse environment; the genetic base

ØForest genetic resources and gene conservation in situ and ex-situ.
ØCost benefit ratio, economic evaluation.