Utilization pattern of fuelwood plants by the Halam community of Tripura,Northeast India

The present study was undertaken to identify the fuelwood plant species and their utilization pattern by the Halam community of Tripura. The main objective of this study was to assess the species preference as fuelwood, the total value index, and the fuelwood value index (FVI) of 22 species. The majority of the households use the plant resources for domestic purpose. Although the community’s mostly preferred fuelwood species were Tectona grandis L.f, Shorea robusta C. F. Gaertn, and Gmelina arborea Roxb, a total of 22 species were reported from the study site. Trewia nudiflora L., Albizia procera Benth., Dysoxylum procerum Hierm., and Cassia siamea Lam. were also reported as fuelwood species with good wood quality (FVI). Thus awareness on the use of these species as fuelwood can be increased in the community to reduce stress on the preferred species and the surrounding forest.