Draft National Forest Policy 2018

Why in news?

Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) recently released the draft National Forest Policy 2018.

What are the highlights?

• Objective - The draft forest policy, 2018 will be an overarching policy for forest management.
• It aims at bringing a minimum of one-third of India’s total geographical area under forest or tree cover.
• It seems to address the concern of decline in forest productivity.
• Concepts - The draft has introduced some new concepts such as:

1. economic valuation of ecosystem services
2. forest certification
3. national forest ecosystem management information system

• Approach - The 1988 forest policy had a local community- and ecology-centric approach.
• From this, the new draft shifts the focus to timber and forest-based industries.
• It identifies “production forestry” and plantations as the new thrust area.
• Tribal to Timber - The importance offered to the rights of local, forest-dependent communities are being diluted.
• It is substituted by the demand for raw material from forest-based industries.
• The draft aims to use degraded land available with forest corporations to produce “quality timber”.
• This goes against the emphasis on “fuelwood and fodder development” as in 1988 policy.
• Production forestry - The 1988 policy had sections called ‘Rights and Concessions’ and ‘Tribal People and Forests’.
• These are replaced by ideas of 'Production Forestry', increasing the productivity of forest plantations and facilitating forest industry interface.
• Industry - The draft stresses the need to stimulate growth in the forest based industry sector.
• It encourages forest corporations and industrial units to step up growing of industrial plantations.
• Livelihood - The current draft mentions about the livelihoods of local communities -

1. as passive recipients of benefits accruing from wildlife tourism
2. as labour for forest-based industries
3. in relation to non-timber forest produce (NTFP)

• PPP - The draft proposes a public-private partnership model for afforestation and reforestation activities.
• This will be in “degraded forest areas and forest areas available with Forest Development Corporations and outside forests”.
• Plantation choice - The draft recommends 'commercially important species' like poplar and eucalyptus.
• Both of these are non-indigenous plantation species.
• Protection measures - The policy proposes to restrict schemes and projects which interfere with forests that cover steep slopes.
• Catchments of rivers, lakes, and reservoirs, geologically unstable terrain and such other ecologically sensitive areas are also covered.
• The ecologically sensitive catchment areas shall be stabilized with suitable soil and water conservation measures.
• Planting suitable trees and grass like bamboo in these areas is also suggested.
• Mechanism - It suggests setting up of two national-level bodies for better management of the country’s forests.
• These are the National Community Forest Management (CFM) Mission and the National Board of Forestry (NBF).
• NBF will have to be headed by the central minister in charge of forests.
• The state boards of forestry will have to ensure inter-sectoral convergence, simplification of procedures, conflict resolution, etc.
• The state boards of forestry will have to be headed by state ministers in charge of forests.
• Besides, efforts will be made to achieve harmonization between policies and laws like Forest Rights Act (FRA) 2006.
• Community participation - Efforts to ensure synergy between gram sabha & JFMC (Joint Forest Management Committee) will be taken up.
• This is for ensuring successful community participation in forest management.
• The CFM mission will address participatory forest management.
• Financing - The compensatory afforestation fund which is being transferred to the states will provide for management of forests.
• It will source afforestation and rehabilitation works in degraded forest areas and for bringing new areas under forest and tree cover.
• Efforts for tapping funds from other national sectors will be taken up.
• This may include rural development, tribal affairs, national highways, railways, coal, mines, power, etc.
• Forest fire - The draft policy includes measures to safeguard ecosystems from forest fires, which include:

1. mapping the vulnerable areas
2. developing and strengthening early warning systems
3. remote sensing technology to control fire
4. improved community participation

• Climate change - Forests are natural carbon sinks, assisting in climate change mitigation.
• Climate change concerns will be factored in all forest and wildlife areas working/management plans and Community Ecosystem Management Plans.
• Wildlife rich areas and corridors outside protected areas would be identified and maintained for ensuring ecological and genetic continuity.
• Human-wildlife conflict - Quick response, dedicated teams of well equipped and trained personnel would be developed.
• Health and veterinary services, rescue centres, speedy assessment of damage and quick payment of relief to the victims are other short term actions.
• Monitoring and management of population of wildlife would be adopted as part of long-term measures.

Source: The Wire, Livemint