Coimbatore Forest Division

Coimbatore, owing to its fortunate location, is extravagantly gifted with forests, wildlife, rivers, lakes, hill stations and what not; the region is endowed with a touch of nature all around. The Western Ghats range of mountains is the official address of a lot of large natural streams of water, which include Siruvani, Noyyal, Aliyar and Bhavani.
These rivers are like a blessing for the local population that water for drinking purpose and irrigation purpose is completely taken care of! The forest region of the Coimbatore district covers a total area of 69,348 hectares. The southern urban centre of Coimbatore enjoys pleasant climatic conditions throughout the year along with green environment and fresh air, all this because of the luxuriant forests.

Geography of Coimbatore Forest Division

The Coimbatore Forest Division can generally be parted into seven different sections based on geographic divergence.

• Walyar Valley
• Bolampatty Valley
• Naickenpalayam Valley
• Plain Forests around Mettupalayam
• Thadagam Valley
• Nilgiris Slopes Reserved Forests
• Velliangadu Valley

With respect to geology, the whole forest area can be classified to the metamorphous terrain of oldest known rocks consisting assortments of rock. Feldspars, Gypsum, Igneous rocks, Kanker, Limestone, Metamorphic rocks and Sedimentary rocks are some of the rock types and minerals present in the region. Some of the perennial rivers and their affluents of the region include Bhavani River, Kodungarapallam River, Moongilpallam River, Moyar River, Siruvani River, Thekkampalli pallam River, Walayar River and so on.

Forest Types - Coimbatore Forest Division

Forest Type: Southern Thorn Forests 6A/C1
Features:

• Annual rainfall - 60 to 70 cm
• Climatic conditions - Extremely dry
• Floristic Composition - Canthium diccoccum, Acacia ferruginea, Zizyphus species, etc
• Under Storey Tree Species - Carissa carandas, Gmelina asiatica, Atlantia monophylla, Randia dumetorium, etc
• Under Growth Vegetation Types - genus Capparis zeylanica, Senna auriculata, Mundulea sericea, etc
• Ground Flora - Aerva lantana, Pavania zeylanica, etc

Forest Type: Southerly Dry Mixed Deciduous Forests 5A/C3
Features:

• Abundant growth of economically valuable species
• Over Wood Tree Species - Terminalia bellerica, teak, Santalaum album, Hardwickia binata, genus Dalbergia paniculata, siris tree, etc
• Under Storey Tree Species - Acacia intsia, Bauhinia malabarica, Morinda tinctoria, Sterblus asper, etc

Forest Type: Phoenix savannah 5/E3
Features:

• Tree species - genus Phoenix sylvestris, genus Diospyros melonoxylon, Cochlospermum religiosum, genus Bauhinia longan, etc
• Undergrowth vegetation - Heteropogon contortus, Cymbopogan mardus, etc

Forest Type: West Coast Semi-Evergreen Forests 2A/C2 
Features:

• Upper Storey Tree Species - Actinodaphne hooker, Bischofia javanica, Garcinia gummi-gutta, Calophyllum elatum, Cinnamomum supharatum, Machilus macarantha, genus Syzygium sp.,etc
  

Forest Type: West Coast Tropical Evergreen Forests 1A/C4
Features:

• Typical Rain Forests - Abundant rainfall, high humidness, and a brief dry season
• Upper Storey Tree Species - shingle tree, genus Cedrela, genus Toona, Cullenia resavrana, ironwood tree, genus Syzygium sp., Vateria macrocarpa, etc
• Under Growth Vegetation Types - Strobilanthus sp. Leea indica, genus Laportea orenulata etc

Animals of Coimbatore Forest Division

The Coimbatore Forest Division is a varied home ground for a lot of South Indian animals. Some of the animals of Coimbatore Division include Asian Elephant, Panther, Gaur, Sloth Bear, Sambar Deer, Spotted Deer, Barking Deer, Mouse Deer, Wild dog, Nilgiri Tahr, Sus scrofa, Bonnet Mecaque, Black-naped Rabbit, Malabar Giant Squirrel, Common Langur,  Indian Porcupine, Amphibian fauna like  frogs, toads and caecilian and Reptiles like King Cobra, Common Cobra, Lizards, Geckos, Agamas, Skinks, Chameleon, etc.

Birds of Coimbatore Forest Division

Birds extend a critical function in the appropriate management of the system that took shape by the fundamental interaction of a community of organisms with their physical environment. Birds are the primary reason behind insect control condition, dispersal of seeds and transfer of pollen from the anther to the stigma of a plant, which are more significant for the welfare of the woodlands. Thanks to the various flora types as the Coimbatore Forest Division offers effective protection for a lot of endangered bird species. Thus, the forest division is a heaven for bird watchers and nature buffs.

Some of the birds of the Coimbatore forest division include Nilgiri ringdove, Black-and-Orange Flycather, Malabar Parakeet, Nilgiri Flycatcher, Grey Junglefowl, Malabar pied Hornbill and Pale Harrior, Black-and-Orange Flycatcher, Nilgiri Flycatcher, Grey-headed Bulbul, Small Sunbird, White-bellied Treepie, Blue winged or Malabar Parakeet, Grey-headed Bulbul, White-bellied Blue Flycatcher, Rufous Babbler, Striated or Redrumped Swallow, White bellied blue Flycatcher, Whitebreasted Waterhen, Small greenbilled Malkoha, Rosy Pastor or Rosecoloured Starling, Yellow Throated Bulbul, Maroonbreasted or Loten's Sunbird, etc.

Tribal Settlements across Coimbatore Forest Division

In the Coimbatore Forest Division, tribal villages can be spotted across the Karamadai Range. The Karamadai Range houses almost 22 tribal villages with a total population of around 1600 people. Some of the tribal settlements in the forest division include Mel Pillur, Muthamankombai, Nellimarathur, Kandiyur, Manar, Veerakkal, Neeradi, Kadamankombai, Keel chengalur, Sadivayal South, Sadivayal North, Korapathy, etc.

Quick Facts: Coimbatore Forest Division

Places to Visit in the Coimbatore Forest Division

• Anuvavi Subramanya Temple
• Baralikadu Boting Point
• Dharmalinga Easwaran Temple
• Kallar Horticulture Farm
• Kovai Courtallem
• Mangarai Falls
• Maruthamalai Temple
• Palamalai
• Pillur Dam
• Siruvani Dam
• Vaidhegi Falls
• Velliangiri Hills
• Vettumaduvu Falls-Chinnampathy

Forests area of the Coimbatore Forest Division: 693.48 sq km
Forest area of the Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary: 958.59 sq km
Total forest area of the district: 1652.07 sq km
Elephant Corridors: Jaccanari - Vedar Colony Corridor, Kallar - Jaccanari Corridor, Kallar - Nellithurai Corridor, Anaikatti - Veerapandi Corridor, Maruthamalai - Thanikandi Corridor and Kalkothi - Walyar Corridor

Contact Details:
District Forest Officer
Forest Campus, North Coimbatore,
Mettupalayam Road
Coimbatore -641043
Ph - 0422- 2456911
Email: dfocbe@nic.in

Comments / Discussion Board - Coimbatore Forest Division