Gandhinagar: In a first-of-its-kind initiative in the state, the ‘Forest Soil Health Card’ was today unveiled to play a key role in the sustainable development of Gujarat’s forests. For this initiative, a total of 1,215 soil samples were collected from 444 locations across the state at three different depths and analyzed. Forest and Environment Minister Mulubhai Bera stated that the insights from this analysis will help achieve better forest growth outcomes in the coming years.

The launch event took place in Gandhinagar under the aegis of the ICFRE – Arid Forest Research Institute (AFRI), Jodhpur, covering 28 territorial forest divisions of Gujarat. This marked the first time the Forest Soil Health Card has been implemented specifically for forest lands in the state.

Minister Bera highlighted that the concept of a Soil Health Card was first proposed 20 years ago by then Chief Minister and current Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the 2005 Agriculture Festival, initially for agricultural crops. The national Soil Health Card Scheme for agricultural lands was later launched by the Government of India on 19 February 2015, aiming to help farmers prevent soil degradation and reduce excessive use of chemicals. Gujarat has long been monitoring soil quality for agriculture, and this new initiative is expected to similarly improve forest land health across the state.

He further added that specialized laboratory facilities for soil testing are now available in APMCs under the Cooperation Ministry, delivering effective results. The Minister also said that the state is currently celebrating a Sewa Pakwada, during which around 3.8 million trees will be planted across 41,000 schools as part of the ‘Ek Ped Ma Ke Naam 2.0’ initiative.

Minister Bera urged all officials to ensure 80–90% survival of planted trees, emphasizing that protecting these saplings is a collective responsibility.

Dr. A.P. Singh, Gujarat’s Chief Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) and Head of Forest Force, explained that under a three-year CAMPA-funded project, Forest Soil Health Cards were developed for Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Dadra & Nagar Haveli. Soil samples were tested for elements such as Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Sodium, among others, providing vital data on soil quality and suitability for various forest species.

As an example, the Miyawaki forest in Dholera was highlighted, where soil testing guided the selection of tree species, resulting in successful plantation outcomes. Dr. Singh emphasized that these cards will facilitate the creation of richer and more sustainable forests in Gujarat.

The Forest Soil Health Cards have been prepared for all 28 territorial forest divisions of Gujarat, including Aravalli, Bharuch, Bhavnagar, Banaskantha, Chhota Udepur, Gandhinagar, Gir East Dhari, Gir West Dhari, Godhra, Jamnagar, Junagadh, Kutch-East, Kutch-West, Mahisagar, Morbi, Narmada, Patan, Porbandar, Rajkot, Sabarkantha, Surat, Surendranagar, Dang-North, Dang-South, Valsad-North, Valsad-South, and Vyara-Tapi.

Dr. Ashutosh Tripathi, Director of AFRI, Jodhpur, said that while the Soil Health Card scheme for agriculture started in 2015, forest lands were not initially included. Hence, the Forest Soil Health Card was developed, based on extensive scientific research and soil analysis over the past five years. A one-day workshop and training session on the Forest Soil Health Card was also organized for forest officials.

Officials attending the program included PCCF (Social Afforestation) R.K. Sugur, PCCF (Wildlife) Jaipal Singh, APCCF C.K. Sonwane, along with DCFs, ACFs, and RFOs from the forest department.

Scientific Methodology

Under the CAMPA-funded project, 1,215 soil samples were collected from 444 locations at three different depths and analyzed for 12 key parameters, including pH, EC, organic carbon, Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, Sulfur, Zinc, Boron, Iron, Manganese, and Copper.

Significance of the Forest Soil Health Card

• Provides data linking soil quality and forest vegetation, aiding sustainable forest management.
• Helps plantation agencies identify suitable locations for planting, ultimately benefiting local communities.
• Identifies soil-related constraints at the field level.
• Offers customized data for forest divisions, enabling better soil and nutrient management for tree growth.

This initiative is expected to transform forest management in Gujarat, paving the way for healthier, resilient, and more productive forests across the state. DeshGujarat