GIS for planning environmentally sustainable activities in Kulathupuzha reserve forest, Kerala, India A. Deva Kumar Varma World Bank Project Cell Forest Headquarters, Trivandrum, Kerala State. Tel: 0471 - 314610 dkvarma@hotmail.com Abstract Planning and management of forests form an integral part of environmental planning. Forests play a vital role in maintaining a balanced environment not only on a regional but also on a global scale. This is particularly so in the case of tropical forests which are known to maintain a unique climatic microcosm. Indiscriminate exploitation within forested areas over the years, in the name of development and otherwise, has lead to serious degradation. And, Geographical Information System (GIS) is increasingly being used to prepare purposeful plans for maintaining a healthy environment for posterity. GIS technology is being put to use by the Kerala Forest Department (KFD) with World Bank assistance for preparing management plans within its administrative domain. The key areas where GIS technology is employed are (1) demarcation of environmentally degraded areas including potential ones, and (2) develop models to locate centers of viable economic activity to ease pressure on the environment. At KFD, an integrated system of GIS and remote sensing is used for the demarcation of environmentally sensitive areas. Actual demarcation is performed by GIS based on predefined criteria. The criteria is so defined that it will result in three zones viz., degraded, semi-degraded and no degradation. Plans are prescribed for these three zones separately taking into account the spatial characteristics of each zone. Economic sustainability is a key factor responsible for environmental degradation, due mostly to over exploitation. GIS is looked upon to provide solutions to wean away people living on the fringes from unsustainable activities. One way to address the issue is to take a relook at the existing centers of economic activity or plan for new ones where none exists. GIS is utilised for doing just that, with the help of spatial modelling coupled with small area geodemographics. Introduction The State of Kerala is endowed with a rich tropical forest cover that is well above the national average and home to some of the rarest and finest varieties of flora and fauna. This vast and fragile resource, a microcosm in its own right, has to be carefully managed for our well being as it plays a vital role in maintaining a balanced environment not only on a regional but also on a global scale. Undoubtedly, the challenge is unique and calls for highly skilled management pratices particularly as they are under threat from unsustaintable activities (Raghunathan, 1994). With a growing awareness that our forests form a part of the whole system responsible for maintaining environmental health, planning and management of forests is increasingly being viewed as an integral part of environmental planning. The management and conservation of these resources are the responsibilty of the Kerala Forest Department. So far, it has been able to take up these challenges in its stride exihibiting a rare mixture of fine craftmanship and technological ingenuity. As part of its continued effort to keep abreast with modern technological advancements the Department is now embarked upon an ambitious project of inducting GIS and remote sensing tools in its arsenal to provide for economic, fast and reliable information on ground realities to achieve the goal of drawing up purposeful management plans. The project is being implemented with World Bank aid as part of its institutional capacity building programme. Kulathupuzha Reserve Forest Kulathupuzha forms a part of the southern most reserve forests of the State. Falling in the SOI sheet No. 58 H/1 Kulathupuzha reserve covers an area under 1000 sq.km. Its forest constitutes predominantly of tropical wet - and semi - evergreens and moist deciduous types. Apart from settlements some parts are occupied by departmental plantations mainly of teak, eucalyptus and acacia. The plantations are grown by planting sapplings on cleared natural forests. Plantations are raised to sustain and supplement the timber needs of a few industries in the State.  Figure 1. Map showing major reserves forests in Kerala.
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