Author: Marina Khatun
DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.70798/PP/030200002
Abstract: Land use patterns, agricultural production, environmental sustainability, and socioeconomic growth in rural areas are all significantly influenced by vegetative cover. An exceptional illustration of how natural vegetation, agricultural land, woodland patches, wetlands, and human settlements interact to produce the regional landscape may be found in the northern West Bengal district of Dakshin Dinajpur. With rich alluvial soils, widespread farming, and little forest cover, the district is primarily agricultural. Through soil protection, moisture retention, biodiversity support, and agricultural appropriateness, vegetation affects how land is used. By examining the physical environment, agricultural methods, forest distribution, settlement expansion, and environmental challenges, this paper investigates the relationship between vegetative cover and land use patterns in Dakshin Dinajpur. The study’s foundation is secondary data gathered from pertinent academic literature, district statistical handbooks, and government records. The results show that the district’s traditional vegetative landscape has changed due to population pressure, infrastructure development, and agricultural expansion. Nonetheless, vegetation still affects land capability, ecological balance, cropping intensity, and settlement dispersion. In order to ensure environmental conservation and balanced regional growth, the study emphasizes the significance of integrated land use planning, social forestry, and sustainable vegetation management.
Keywords: Agricultural Production, Environmental Sustainability, Socioeconomic Growth, Natural Vegetation, Agricultural Land, Woodland Patches, Wetlands, Agricultural Methods, Dakshin Dinajpur.
Page No: 15-24