- The primary goal of the 1988 National Forest Policy is to safeguard environmental stability and uphold ecological balance, particularly atmospheric equilibrium, crucial for the survival of all life forms, including humans, animals, and plants.
- India has implemented a series of legislations dedicated to enhancing environmental quality.
- The Indian Parliament approved several acts such as the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, the Water Act of 1974, the Air Act of 1981, the Forest Conservation Act of 1980, and the Environment Protection Act of 1986.
- The continuous commitment to conservation, preservation, and protection is evident in forest management policies.
- Consequently, the National Forest Policy underwent amendments in 1988, incorporating various changes in the approach to forest management.
OBJECTIVE
- Preserving the nation’s natural heritage involves maintaining the existing natural forests, showcasing the country’s extraordinary biological richness and genetic resources with their diverse flora and fauna.
KEY OBJECTIVES:
- Controlling Soil Erosion and Denudation: Focus on preventing soil erosion and denudation in river, lake, and reservoir catchment regions to promote soil and water conservation, mitigate floods and droughts, and prevent reservoir siltation.
- Addressing Sand Dune Expansion: Implement measures to control the spread of sand dunes in the desert areas of Rajasthan and along the shorelines.
- Significantly Increasing Forest/Tree Cover: Undertake extensive afforestation and social forestry programs, particularly in deforested, degraded, and unproductive regions, to boost the country’s forest/tree cover.
- Enhancing Forest Production: Increase forest production to meet critical national demands, ensuring a sustainable supply of forest products.
- Promoting Efficient Use of Forest Products: Encourage the optimal utilization of forest products and maximize wood substitution to reduce the ecological impact.
- Raising Awareness and Minimizing Impact: Implement strategies to raise awareness among the public while minimizing the impact on existing forests, fostering responsible and sustainable practices.
- People’s Participation in Forest Management: Promote people’s participation in forest management through initiatives such as Joint Forest Management, ensuring local communities are actively involved in conservation efforts.
ACHIEVEMENTS
Key Features of the National Forest Policy of 1988:
- Substantial Increase in Forest and Tree Cover: Emphasis on achieving a significant increase in both forest and tree cover to enhance environmental sustainability.
- Community Participation through Joint Forest Management: Involvement of local communities in the preservation, conservation, and management of forests, facilitated by the Joint Forest Management Programme.
- Meeting Local Communities’ Needs: Addressing the needs of rural and tribal communities by providing access to firewood, forage, minor forest produce, and small timber.
- Conservation of Biological Diversity and Genetic Resources: Implementing ex-situ and in-situ conservation efforts to safeguard the country’s biological diversity and genetic resources.
- Contribution to Environmental and Ecological Stability: Acknowledging the significant contribution of forests to the country’s environmental and ecological stability.
- Major Study Topics Identified: The policy identifies crucial study topics, including increasing forest produce production, reclaiming wastelands, addressing marshes and mining spoils, promoting social forestry practices, encouraging forest product replacements, and enhancing animal management.
- Database Enhancement for Informed Management: Recognizing the need for a stronger database, the policy mandates periodic surveys using contemporary methodologies to better evaluate the state of forests and assess the success of forest management initiatives.
- Guiding Text for Forest Management: Over the past 32 years, the National Forest Policy of 1988 has served as the guiding text for forest management, providing a comprehensive framework for sustainable practices and conservation efforts.
DRAFT NATIONAL FOREST POLICY 2018
- The draft aims to be an overarching policy for forest management.
- Seeks to bring at least one-third of India’s total geographical area under forest or tree cover.
- Addresses concerns about the decline in forest productivity.
New Concepts Introduced:
- Economic valuation of ecosystem services.
- Forest certification.
- National forest ecosystem management information system.
Shift in Approach:
- Moves from a local community- and ecology-centric approach to focusing on timber and forest-based industries.
- Identifies “production forestry” and plantations as new thrust areas.
Tribal and Community Rights:
- Dilutes the importance given to the rights of local, forest-dependent communities.
- Shifts focus to raw material demand from forest-based industries.
- Aims to use degraded land for forest corporations to produce “quality timber.”
Production Forestry:
- Replaces sections like ‘Rights and Concessions’ and ‘Tribal People and Forests’ from the 1988 policy.
- Emphasizes increasing the productivity of forest plantations and facilitating the forest industry interface.
Forest Industry Emphasis:
- Stresses the need to stimulate growth in the forest-based industry sector.
- Encourages forest corporations and industrial units to grow industrial plantations.
Livelihood:
- Addresses the livelihoods of local communities.
- Frames them as passive recipients of benefits from wildlife tourism, labor for forest-based industries, and non-timber forest produce (NTFP).
Public-Private Partnership (PPP):
- Proposes a PPP model for afforestation and reforestation activities.
- Focuses on degraded forest areas, areas available with Forest Development Corporations, and outside forests.
Plantation Choice:
- Recommends commercially important species like poplar and eucalyptus.
- These are non-indigenous plantation species.
Protection Measures:
- Proposes restricting schemes and projects interfering with ecologically sensitive areas.
- Suggests stabilization measures for ecologically sensitive catchment areas, including planting suitable trees and grass.
Mechanism:
- Recommends the setup of two national-level bodies – the National Community Forest Management (CFM) Mission and the National Board of Forestry (NBF).
- NBF to be headed by the central minister in charge of forests, ensuring inter-sectoral convergence.
Community Participation:
- Aims for synergy between gram sabha & JFMC for successful community participation.
- CFM mission to address participatory forest management.
Financing:
- Compensatory afforestation fund to provide for forest management and afforestation works.
- Efforts to tap funds from national sectors like rural development, tribal affairs, national highways, railways, coal, mines, power, etc.
Forest Fire Measures:
- Includes measures to safeguard ecosystems from forest fires.
- Involves mapping vulnerable areas, developing early warning systems, remote sensing technology, and enhanced community participation.
FAQs – National Forest Policies in India
1. What is the primary goal of the 1988 National Forest Policy?
A: The primary goal of the 1988 National Forest Policy is to safeguard environmental stability and uphold ecological balance, particularly atmospheric equilibrium, crucial for the survival of all life forms, including humans, animals, and plants.
2. What are the key legislations aimed at improving environmental quality in India?
A: India has enacted several legislations, including the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, the Water Act of 1974, the Air Act of 1981, the Forest Conservation Act of 1980, and the Environment Protection Act of 1986, dedicated to enhancing environmental quality.
3. How has the National Forest Policy evolved over the years?
A: The National Forest Policy underwent amendments in 1988, incorporating various changes in the approach to forest management. The continuous commitment to conservation, preservation, and protection is evident in these policy changes.
4. What are the key objectives of the National Forest Policy?
A: The key objectives include controlling soil erosion and denudation, addressing sand dune expansion, significantly increasing forest/tree cover, enhancing forest production, promoting efficient use of forest products, raising awareness, and fostering people’s participation in forest management.
5. How has the National Forest Policy contributed to environmental and ecological stability?
A: The policy has led to a substantial increase in both forest and tree cover, actively involved local communities through Joint Forest Management, addressed the needs of rural and tribal communities, and contributed significantly to the country’s environmental and ecological stability.
6. What are the major study topics identified by the National Forest Policy of 1988?
A: The policy identifies major study topics, including increasing forest produce production, reclaiming wastelands, addressing marshes and mining spoils, promoting social forestry practices, encouraging forest product replacements, and enhancing animal management.
7. How has the National Forest Policy guided forest management in India over the years?
A: Over the past 32 years, the National Forest Policy of 1988 has served as the guiding text for forest management, providing a comprehensive framework for sustainable practices and conservation efforts.
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