Human intervention and change of landscape History and ecology in the high range of Kannur since 1920

Abstract

The research examines the impact of human intervention in the high range of Kannur since 1920. The area of study is the Western Ghats portion falling in the Kannur district, i.e., the Eastern part of the district. Till the early decades of 20th century the high range region was relatively unoccupied or less occupied. A s a result area was known for its rich vegetation and biodiversity. The inhabitants in the high range during the period were native people who were following traditional agricultural practices which can be corroborated with the colonial records available during the period. Present research tries to explore how the 20th century migration and the subsequent human interventions on the nature reshaped the landscape of the high range of Kannur. Coupled with this, the change in the traditional mode of cultivation and crops and the transition of rural economy are also looked into. Population in the high range of Kannur in the early years of 20th century was very small. Hence, human intervention in the region was not much visible. Descriptive memoirs of various amsams in the east of the district give ample evidences regarding the existence of low population and the availability of unoccupied land in the high range. They engaged in traditional mode of cultivation known as punam and cultivated crops like paddy, pulses and spices like turmeric and plantain. Ever since the migration of peasant migrants from Travancore to North Malabar started, the scenario in the region began to change. Migration of the peasants into the hinterlands of Kannur takes place in the late 1920s. Followed by this there was a large scale increase in population in the high range which may be observed through the census reports in the succeeding decades. Naturally, human intervention in the high range began to be more intense. More forest areas began to be cleared and brought under cultivation. Along with this the migrant people introduced here new crops like tapioca, rubber and cocoa which required new agrarian knowledge. Introduction of new crops by the migrant people eventually brought about the disappearance of the traditional agrarian practices and crops from the high range. What actually intensified the human intervention in the high range was the demographic transition in the region. The pattern of demography continued changing until about the end of 1970s. By this time the entire high range area had turned into rubber plantations and tapioca orchards.People living in the high range, since the introduction of new crops , began to be attracted towards it and started practicing the new agrarian system introduced by the migrant people.The new crops had some positive impacts as far as the people are concerned. Firstly, tapioca was met as a source to meet poverty. Rural areas especially the high range had been reeling under poverty until about the end of 1980s. At the same time, rubber could ensure a regular income after a few years. Due to these factors, high range people started shifting their traditional agrarian practices to the new system. But, in the newly introduced practice, landscape got reshaped, especially with the expansion of rubber cultivation. When the settlement process came to cease by late 1970s, the indigenous agrarian systems, knowledge and traditional crops all had disappeared from the high range. Demographically ,the region witnessed substantial changes. Number of house holds and the nature of construction underwent drastic changes. From earlier cucca buildings, they expanded into puccabuildings by 1990. From this period onwards human intervention in the high range reached next level by exploiting natural resources unwisely. Mining of various dimensions comprising land mining, granite and laterite mining plays a pivotal role in reshaping the landscape of the high range of Kannur. Expansion of road network intensified by the democratic decentralisation, urbanisation etc. have key roles in changing the ecology and landscape of the high range.