Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

TRIBAL ECOLOGY OF TORANMAL FOREST REGION IN SATPUDA HILLS

V.V. Bhaskar

Abstract

Agriculture and medicine of tribals of toranmal region are reported. The biodiversity of their crop plants include four small millets and two cultivars of rice and maize. The small millets kali sangri and safed sangri are identified as two forms of same species Echinochloa stagnina. The importance of these crops in utilization of environmental resources in sustainable way is discussed. Ten herbal preperations of tribal medicine for diseases like mumps, impotence, swellings, cough and asthama in humans and salivation and lithargy in cattle are also reported. The interaction of tribals with their forest environment resulted in both biodegradation of forest species, and also conservation of crop species and cultivars.