2. vegetatIon (2022)

Mysore area is described as an undulating table land, fertile and well watered by perennial rivers whose waters dammed by anicuts (check dams built across rivers of different sizes) enrich their banks by means of canals.

Mysore area is situated in the angular area where the Eastern and Western Ghat ranges converge into the Nilgiri hills. Physiographically, the region in which the districts are situated may be classified as partly maidan (plains) and partly semi-malnad (hilly).

Cultivated area includes rain fed, irrigated, plantations and hedges.

FOREST DIVISION OF MYSORE (2010)

Mysore Forest Division Earlier, Mysore Forest Division (MFD) was comprised of a much larger area including Yelandur Range, Srirangapatna Range, Metikuppe Range and Kakanakote Range. Subsequently, Srirangapatna Range was included in the Mandya Forest Division and during 1992, Yelandur was included in Chamarajanagar Wildlife Division. Metikuppe and Kakanakote ranges were included in Nagarhole National Park of Hunsur Wildlife Division.

At present Mysore Forest Division is spread over p arts of Mysore and Chamarajanagar districts (Srinivasan, 2002). MFD is bounded on the north by Mysore City, on the east by Kollegal Forest Division, on the south by Bandipur National Park and on the west by Hunsur Territorial and Hunsur Wildlife Divisions. The tract under study lies between latitudes 11o 48’ to 12o 22’ N and between longitudes 76o 15’ to 77o 8’ E. The division has three sub-divisions, namely, HD Kote sub-division with headquarters at HD Kote, Mysore sub-division and Sandalkote sub-division both with headquarters at Mysore (Srinivasan, 2002).

Mysore division has the following ranges under three sub-divisions

I. MYSORE SUB-DIVISION: i. Mysore range ii. Greening urban area range iii. T. Narasipura range

II. HD KOTE SUB-DIVISION i. HD Kote range ii. Sargur range iii. Nanjangud

III. SANDALKOTE SUB-DIVISION consists of one Assistant Conservator of Forests, one Range Forest Offcerandotherfield staff

The forests include dry deciduous, scrub forests, scrub lands, forest blanks and plantation (mixed species, teak, acacia and eucalyptus). Water bodies are tanks, reservoirs, lakes and river islands.

Croplands include agricultural plantation, horticulture croplands, and used or unused lands of mining and quarrying.

The built-up areas are defined as areas with construction, primarily buildings or houses. The extent of area for each landscape element is given in figure 10. Agricultural land covers about 78% of the land, forest constitute 12% and 6% water bodies.