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The continuing exploitation of our forest resources has damaged the forest ecosystem almost beyond repair. The depletion of forest cover is due to expansion of agriculture, habitat destruction, overexploitation, pollution, toxic imbalances in community structure, epedemics, floods, droughts and cyclones. As a consequence of the denudation of hill slopes, soil erosion and recurrent floods have emerged as major problems. According to one estimate by the National Remote Sensing Agency, India has been losing about 1.3 million hectares of forest cover every year. This is an alarming rate indeed. It is now generally realised that forests are life sustaining agents. They play a vital role in maintaining the ecological balance. The recent concern for environment has resulted in rethinking on these issues. Looking at the present state of our forest resources and their degradation, it is imperative to utilise them in a judicious manner, so that they may be regenerated in a short time to make them sustainable.