Matheran Forests

Matheran was declared an Eco-Sensitive zone (ESZ) by the Union Environment Ministry on 4 February 2003. Matheran means forest on forhead. Matheran is quite dense in vegetation and has evergreen to semi evergreen trees with lots of shrubs, herbs, bushes and ferns. The vegetation is quite dense and almost 90-95 percent of the plateau is under thick forest canopy throughout the year providing shade. Thus it attracts and is always covered under mist and fog during monsoon.

The soil too is laterite and porous making it bright red in color. Due to poor soil depth, the vegetation on the edges of the plateaus is poor. Due to heavy rainfall, there are many land slides and much of the soil flows down the mountain. After years of contuinity the soil of Mathern will be lost.

There have been zero reported incidents of leopard attacks in Matheran. Might be in the surrounding mountains though.

There are different types of forests spread all over the Matheran plateau as well as its slopes and sides.

Matheran at its top is densly forested as well as its base and mid bases whereas in its slopes its steep exposed basaltic rocks with little to no vegetation. Most of the red laterite soil on the top of matheran whereas different soil type in its base or slopes.

Various forests in Matheran mountain.

1. Madh Rai (Wild Palm Grove)

2. Bekri forest

3. Rambagh forest

4. Varosa forest

5. Maldunga forest

6. Black forest

7. Mango grove forest

8. Vetaleshwar forest

9. Hashyachipatti forest

10. Matheran top forest