INDO-BURMA RAIN FORESTS

(Mizoram-Manipur-Kachin Rain Forests)

OVERVIEW

Mizoram-Manipur-Kachin Rain Forests
Source:http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/ecoregions/naga_manipuri_chin_moist_forests.cfm

          Located in Northwestern Myanmar, the Mizoram-Manipur-Kachin Rain Forests are best known for its biodiversity with 149 known mammal species and 580 known bird species. Being a rain forest, it receives over a two thousand millimeters of rainfall each year. This is due to the monsoons from the Bay of Bengal.  These rain forests are also the home of several plant species including several species of Dipterocarpaceae and bamboo.

Map of Rain Forests

Source: http://www.eoearth.org/article/Mizoram-Manipur-Kachin_rain_forests

 HUMAN IMPACTS

          There are three main threats to the the Mizoram-Manipur-Kachin Rain Forests: logging, slash and burn agriculture, and tiger trade.

Logging:

          Logging was an incredibly popular in the past and was used for timber and fuel wood. Fortunately, the Myanmar Forest Policy, which focuses on the balanced approach towards conservation and development issues implicit in the concept of sustainable forestry, was enforced. This policy is good because it expands timber trade opportunities for smaller, more sustainable businesses while decentralizing the large companies. This is beneficial because it is easier to enforce conservation laws on small, private businesses that don’t have too much money than it is with large corporations. This policy also “encourages community forestry and people's participation in forest management to meet the basic needs of the rural people, but prescribes severe punishments for forest offences. (5)

          Due to this wonderful policy, logging is sustainable in these rain forests for now. Currently, the biggest threat related to logging in these rain forests is subsistence agriculture. This is when people cut down trees in the forest and temporarily use the area and then leave the area barren and worthless for future use.

Slash and Burn Agriculture:

          Slash and burn agriculture is currently the biggest threat for the Mizoram-Manipur-Kachin Rain Forests. This is when people cut the trees and burn the area that they need in order to start an agricultural business. Though good for the economy, this is incredibly detrimental for these precious rain forests. In these rain forests Jhum cultivation is practiced. Since rain forest trees are so tall, cultivators not only burn that land that they need for agriculture, but they also cut down surrounding trees so that sunlight can come in and help with the process. Not only do they destroy a large portion of the rain forest when they do this, but they also simply use the land until it is infertile and then repeat the process in a different area of the rain forests.

 

With its fertile soil, these forests are commonly used to produce cereals, bananas, and rice. The growing of livestock is often common in these rain forests.

Tiger Trade and Tiger Poaching

          Along with most of Asia, tiger trade is illegal in the Mizoram-Manipur-Kachin Rain Forests due to its endangered status. Even with this ban, multiple illegal businesses continue to capture rare tigers and trade or poach them. Supposedly a booming business in Asia, it is unfortunately difficult to stop these illegal to stop these businesses and has become a huge threat in the conservation status of not only the Mizoram-Manipur-Kachin Rain Forests, but pretty much anywhere that is home to tigers.

CURRENT SITUATION

          “Burma holds more than half of mainland Southeast Asia's closed forests-forests that have caused the country to be called "the last frontier of biodiversity in Asia" (Forest Department, 1997b). Yet these forests are not inexhaustible resources. Deforestation is increasing, and an analysis of current satellite data shows that Burma's remote frontier forests are now threatened” (8). Only about 3% of the Mizoram-Manipur-Kachin Rain Forests are currently protected by the government. This is the reason why so many illegal businesses have taken advantage of the vulnerability that these rain forests are in. In order to stop these illegal businesses, immediate action must be taken.

Protected Area	Area (km2 )	IUCN Category
Intanki	310	IV
Tamanthi	1,250	UA
Barail	370	PRO
Keibul Lamjao	40	II
Yagoupokpi Lokchao	190	IV
Murlen	200	DE
Khawnglung	40	IV
Phawngpui	50	II
Unnamed	60	?
Puliebadze	120	IV
Dampa	600	IV
Pablakhali	240	IV
Ngengpui	150	IV
Bogakine Lake WS	10	?
Kyaukpandaung	140	PRO
Total	3,770

Protected Regions of the Rain Forests

Source: http://www.caaltd.org/Rainforest/Myanmar/MyanmarRainforests.aspx 

FUTURE PROSPECTS

        Since Myanmar is currently actively spreading awareness. "Forest resources of Myanmar are being managed towards sustainable development within the context of security of resource base, production, conservation of biodiversity, replenishment of renewable resources, and social and cultural dimension." (5) Rain forests of Myanmar are on their way to a better conservation status. The Burmese government has spent almost eight hundred million dollar for conservation efforts of their forests, which will hopefully help them achieve their multiple future goals such as restoring 30% of their forests and raising the percentage of protected areas within the forests. If Myanmar were to stay intent and active with achieving their goals, it is very likely that these rain forests will no longer be at a vulnerable state and, in return, have a good conservation status.

RECOMMENDATIONS

          To improve or maintain positive human impacts, it would be favorable for the government to become stricter in enforcing their laws. Two of the three major threats (logging and tiger trade) are either supposed to be government controlled or illegal, yet people and illegal companies continue to destroy the rain forest and endanger the species within them. Thought the Burmese government has acknowledged the big issue of conservation and has created a plan to fix it, it would be useless unless they were to follow through with it (like in the case of enforcing their current laws). Another important aspect in improving this ecosystem is spreading awareness. Myanmar is not the most well known country and it is important to make people aware that it is home to the Mizoram-Manipur-Kachin Rain Forests and for people to know how important it is to save it. If people were to know that it is a biodiversity hotspot and that it is at a very vulnerable state, they would take more action in helping to conserve these rain forests.

WORKS CITED

1. http://worldwildlife.org/ecoregions/im0131
2. http://www.caaltd.org/Rainforest/Myanmar/MyanmarRainforests.aspx
3. http://www.globalspecies.org/ecoregions/display/IM0131
4. http://www.eoearth.org/article/Myanmar_coastal_rain_forests
5. http://www.fao.org/docrep/003/W5693E/W5693E14.htm#TopOfPage
6. http://www.unescap.org/rural/doc/sads/myanmar.PDF
7. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slash-and-burn#South_Asia
8. http://www.mekonginfo.org/assets/midocs/0003009-environment-logging-burma-s-frontier-forests-resoures-and-the-regime.pdf