FACTS ABOUT NATURAL RESOURCES IN KERALA

Soils, Minerals and Forests are among natural resources in Kerala

FACTS ABOUT SOILS OF KERALA

There are ten soil groups in kerala. They are explained below.

Red soil: The red colour of soil is due to the presence of iron Oxide. It is mainly located in southern regions of Trivandrum.

Laterite soil: It is seen in districts of Kozhikode and Kannur.

Coastal alluvial soil : It is seen in the coastal regions along the west.

Riverine alluvial soil: It is seen in the coasts of rivers. The soil has moderate Organic Matter, Nitrogen and Potassium. It is mainly found in Kollam and Alappuzha districts.

Brown hydromorphic soil: It is found in river valleys. The main disadvantage of the soil is the drainage. The soil is rich in organic matter, Nitrogen and Pottasium. It is poor in lime.

Hydromorphic saline soil: It is common in the coastal zone of the districts Ernakulam, Kannur and Trichur. In the rainy season the fields are flooded resulting in losing the salt in soil. Huge amount of salts will sedimented during summer.

Acidic salitic soil (Kuttanad Alliuvium): It is found in the Kuttanad area that spreaded about 875 square km. The main disadvantage of the soil is salinity, flood and acidity. They can be grouped into three categories, the Kayal soils, the karappadam soils and the Kari soils.

Black soil: It is found in the region of Chittur in Palakkad district. The soil is low in organic matter and high in clay matter. It is medium in Phosphorous and Potassium content and low in Nitrogen.

Forest soil: It is formed by the weathering of crystalline rocks in the forest cover. The soil is high in organic carbon and also it is acidic. It is rich in Nitrogen and poor in Phosphorous.

Greyish Onattukara soil: It is the sandy soil found only in the Onattukara region. These soils are rare and available only in the Onattukara region including the places of Karunagapally (Kollam) and in the Karthikapally and Mavelikara taluks of Alappuzha.

FACTS ABOUT MINERALS OF KERALA

Kerala has large deposits of heavy minerals. They are explained below.

Chavara deposit : World class deposits of mineral sands are seen in the coastal tracts between Neendakara and Kayamkulam. The Chavara barrier beach consists of 60% of heavy minerals. Heavy minerals and and China Clay accounts above 90% of entire production of minerals in Kerala.

China clay: The State has large deposits of China clay. It is mainly concentrated in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam and Kasaragod districts.

White Clay: Thiruvananthapuram district have rich deposits of white clay. The deposits of graphite, silica and limestone are considerable in the State.

Lignite: Lignite deposit have been identified in Madai area in Kannur district, Nileswaram - Angakalari – Palayi - Chathamath area, Kadankottumala, near Cheruvathur, Kayyur - Klayikode area near Nileswaram in Kasargod district.

lllmenite, Monazite, and Silicon: It is found in abundance in the Chavara-Neendakara region of Kollam District.

Limestone: It is found in parts of Palakkad and Kannur districts and in Thannermukkom, Vaikorn, Vadanapilly and Kodungalloor.

Limeshell: The largest reserves of lime shell are known to occur in Vembanad Lake and ad-joining portions comprising parts of Alappuzha, Ernakulam and Kottayam Districts. The lime shell resources have been found in Kannur and Kasargod districts in North Kerala.

Gems: Deposits of chrysoberyl have been found in the eastern parts of Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam districts.

Graphite: Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam districts of the state have abundant deposits of graphite.

Iron ore : Iron ore deposit are common at several places in Kozhikode and Malappuram Districts.

Bauxite: Large deposit of bauxite are common in the places of Shooranadu, Adichanalloor in Kollam District and Mangalapuram,Chilambil, Sasthavattom and Attipra areas of Thiruvananthapuram district. Kumbala, Neeleswaram and Kanhangad are the places of deposit in North Kerala.

Mica: The geographical distribution of mica includes Punalur in Kollam district and Kayana in Kozhikkode districts of Kerala. But mining has not advanced so far.

Gold: Gold occurs in Kerala mainly in Wayanad and Nilambur regions. The gold mine found in the Attapady valley of Palakkad is a good sign.

FACTS ABOUT FORESTS IN KERALA

• The Kerala forest is divided into four types. They are Tropical Wet Evergreen Forests, Tropical Moist Deciduous Forests, Tropical Dry Deciduous Forests and Mountain Sub Tropical Plantations.
• The recorded forest area is 11,125.59 square km which is 28.90% of the total land area of the state. 9157.10 sq. km were reserve forests, 214.31 sq.km were proposed reserve and 1754.18 sq.km wew vested forest.
• The Western Ghats is considered as one among the World's eighteen hot spots of bio-diversity.
• In Kerala grasslands are generally found above 1500 m.
• 51% of the total forest cover is in the southern districts and the remaining 4.9 percent is in the central and northern regions.
• The largest area under forest cover is Idukki and Pathanamthitta districts.
• The district with no forest area is Alappuzha.

Kerala Forest Department (KFD)

• Its headquarters is Thiruvananthapuram.
• The Kerala Forest department is headed by Principal Chief Conservator of Forests.
• The Forest Department is subdivided into Circle, Division, Range and Section.
• Kerala Forest Department was formed in 1956.
• The first Forest Minister of Kerala is K.C. George.
• The first Chief Conservator of Forest is Las Redo (Madras) .

Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI)

• KFRI was founded in 1975.
• It is situated at Peechi.
• It conducts research in tropical forestry and biodiversity.
• KFRI became a subsidiary of Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment (KSCSTE) in the year 2003 together with five other Research and Development Centers.

Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment (KSCSTE)

• KSCSTE is constituted in 2002.
• KSCSTE is a self governing institute working beneath the Science, Technology & Environment Department of State Government.

Industries related to Forestry

• Travancore Plywood Industries, Punalur. It was established in 1962. It produces quality plywood.
• Kerala State Wood Industries Ltd, Nilambur. It was established in 1981.
• Federation of SC/ST Societies, Thiruvananthapuram was established in 1981. It functions as marketing of minor forest products collected by the SC/ST Societies from the forest.
• Kerala Forest Development Corporation, Kottayam was established in 1975. They promote the production of raw materials for the forest based industries.
• Plantation Corporation, Kottayam was established in 1962. It is the largest Plantation company in public sector.
• Bamboo Corporation, Angamaly was established in 1971.
• State Farming Corporation, Punalur was established in 1972.
• Forestry Industries (Travancore) Ltd, Aluva was established in 1960.
• Oil Palm India Ltd, Kottayam is established in 1977. It is a Joint venture of Government of Kerala and Government of India.

Mangrove Forest

• Mangroves are wetland ecological unit established by the grouping of specific flora and fauna adapted to semi saline swamps by the side of coasts.
• The first community reserve in India is Kadalundi Vallikunnu Community Reserve. Kadalundi is famous for its bird sanctuary.

Forest Area in Kerala districtwise

• Thiruvananthapuram - 989 sq.km
• Kollam - 1215 sq.km
• Pathanamthitta - 1551 sq.km
• Alappuzha - 21 sq.km
• Kottayam - 294 sq.km
• ldukki - 3719 sq.km
• Ernakulam - 469 sq.km
• Thrissur - 918 sq.km
• Palakkad - 1571 sq.km
• Malappuram - 1212 sq.km
• Kozhikode - 631 sq.km
• Wayanad - 1677 sq.km
• Kannur - 753 sq.km
• Kasaragod - 57 sq.km

Important Forest Regions

• Wayanad : Ambalavayal, Ambukuthimala, Pakshipathalam, Pulpalli, Mananthawadi, Thirunelli
• Idukki: Chinnar, Devikulam, Thekkady, Mattupetty
• Malappuram: Nilambur
• Pathananithitta: Sabarimala, Konni, Ranni, Nilakkal
• Palakkad: Nelliyambathi, Silentvalley, Parambikkulam
• Thiruvananthpuram: Kulathupuzha, Palode, Paruthippalli