An Ecology of Shrinkage of Kaki Reserved Forest and the Socio-Economy of the Forest Villagers

Abstract

There are 16 forest villages in Kaki reserved Forest of Nagaon district of Assam. Majority of the forest villagers are traditional forest dwellers mostly tribal. The cultural ecology of the forest villagers is forest oriented; they are very fond of forest and the values, culture and practices are forest base. They hold forest knowledge; enjoy direct and indirect benefits. But over the years' shrinkage of forest in their vicinity deteriorated the traditional socio-economy and tribal cultural ecology of those forests dwelling of those people. There is lot of social transformation in the forest villages due to the process of deforestation. In an ecological backdrop this study finds the problem of deforestation on the socio-economy of the people surrounding, particularly of the forest villagers to bring the problem in limelight. It provided an introduction to the ecology on shrinkage of Kaki Reserved Forest and the material cultural life of the forest villagers. Further it is a study on physiographic, population migration, habitation, settlements and the environment of the area.