Conclusion

Land use analyses show that 49% of the total forest land in the district is of evergreen type followed by 22% of semi-evergreen to moist deciduous forests.  Valuation of provisioning goods and services from forest ecosystems is about Rs. 2,05,388/hectare/year, which is implicit in the subsistence, income and local employment. Forestry sector contributes significantly to the district, state and national economy and also to the linked sectors industries, agriculture, fisheries, tourism, health, rural development, energy, etc. Talukwisevaluation of goods and services from forest ecosystem show that Supataluk contributes the highest amount of provisioning goods and services with Rs. 3,218 crores per year (21% of the district), while Mundgodtaluk contributes the least of Rs. 540 crores per year (3.5% of the district). Goods and services that forest ecosystems provide are grossly undervalued evident from GDDP of Uttara Kannada is about Rs 5998 crores, which accounts goods of forests as 180 crores (3% of GDDP), in contrast to Rs.15,159 crores  from the provisioning services from forest ecosystems of Uttara Kannada district. The valuation of goods and services of ecosystems are vital for framing sustainable development policies to curtail further erosion of natural resources.