Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

Vol. 28, Nov Suppl Issue 2022; Page No.(S206-S212)

ETHNOBOTANICAL STUDY OF PLANT RESOURCES ANDIDENTIFICATION OF REASONS FOR DEGRADATION OFVEGETATION BY USING MATRIX RANKING AND PAIRED MATRIXCOMPARISON ON LAMDENG FOREST AREA UNDER LANGOLRESERVE FOREST, MANIPUR, INDIA

Sadananda, Ch., Lulloo, P., Devdutta, P., Premkumar, K., Imotomba, R.K., Amarjit, R.K.,Monica, M., Jamjuri, P., Chinkheinganba, L. and Lungcham, M.

Abstract

Lamdeng Forest in Imphal West District, Manipur, India had severely degraded due to overexploitation.At present, the forest is rejuvenated with constant efforts to revive it by the joint approach of the State forestdepartment and the nearby inhabitants of the forest. A paired comparison matrix study was undertaken toidentify the possible reason for the loss of the vegetation in which setting fire on the forest for huntingwildlife emerged as the top reason. There were other five reasons which contributed to the loss of vegetationin the past. The study also documented 37 important trees, bamboo, and shrub species by using the matrixranking method on the basis of 6 identified utilities provided by them. Among all the plant species, thehighest point was assigned to Castanopsis hystrix with 273 points attributed by the 20 respondents. From theutility points, it had also 5 numbers of applications. Other important species were Lannea grandis,Mesuaferrea, Meyna spinosa, and Vitex negundo.