Forest

Forestry  represents the second largest land  use in India after agriculture.  It covers 774,770 Sq kilometers, which represents 23.57 per cent  of the total land use.  The sector contributes a little more than 1 per cent to Gross Domestic Product (GDP). However, the informal contribution such as eco-system services is many times more.  About 275 million rural poor people in India depend on forests for at least part of their subsistence.  89 million tribal population, 471 million cattle population and 300 million cu. metre removal of fuel wood creates tremendous biotic pressure on forests.   The rural people earn from fuel wood,  fodder, poles and a range of non-timber forest products such as fruits, flowers and medicinal plants.  70 per cent of India’s rural population depends on fuel wood to meet domestic energy needs.  Half of India’s 89   million tribal  people live in forest fringe areas.

Human Forest Relationship

Human forest relationship goes a long way and in present circumstances competent management and effective long-term planning is essential to conserve and sustain forests.  The successes in Arabari forests in West Bengal, Sukhomajhari Project  and Chuharpur Herbal Nature Park in Haryana, Jogimati Reserve Forests in Chitradurg range, Karnataka, Angul   Ghumsar and Bhanjanagar  in  Orissa, Chandel Kalan and Bhanpur Kalan in Rajashtan, Village  Chopra in Uttaranchal, Bider in Karnataka, Katandih in Chhattisgarh as well as self initiated, voluntary forest protection committees in many parts of the country understood the need for adoption of participatory principles.  The strong initial focus on industrial forestry needed a change to   protecting, managing and developing the forests.  With gradual learning from the social forestry, experiments in the eighties, the role of local  people  was formally recognized and  management based on principles of  “Care and Share” was adopted.  The National Forest Policy (NFP) was revised in 1988 which represents a major shift in forest management intentions.  The livelihood requirement of fuel wood, fodder and small timber of rural and tribal population was the first change in  Policy.  Since 1990, State Forest Departments were instructed to encourage involvement of  local communities direct in forest management arrangements.  Commonly known as Joint Forest Management (JFM) .

Combined Effort

The Government issues guidelines from time to time.  It provided initially the basic framework like access to forest land,  sharing of  benefits from sale of trees,  emphasis on planting  of  fruit trees shrubs, grasses and medicinal plants which has culminated today in participation of  women, extension of  Joint Forest Management to good areas and contribution for regeneration of resources.

All  State Governments and the Union  Territories have adopted JFM as  their focal strategy.  The Forest Departments and    the Village Communities are  partners in the village level Joint Forest Management Committees. The JFM  gives a definite share with respect to final  and intermittent products from the regenerated forest areas.  These shares are   much more than what was available to these members under their traditional entitlement under the original forests on revenue settlement.

There are more than 1,6000 JFM Committees who manage an area of 22 million hectare in the country today.

The Joint Forest Management refers to combined  efforts of local communities and Forest Departments.  There is a change in the   management objectives which has been transformed from revenue generation to environmental and ecological security.  It releases restoration of bond between people and forests.  Most important aspect is that it provides legal support.

JFM Committee  represents a village level democratic Institution.  The General Body of the Committee consists of all willing adult members of  villages and is chaired by the President  who is   elected by consensus  on  majority vote.  For day-to-day functioning of JFMC, the members elect an Executive Body.  The President of General Body is also the President of EB.  To ensure effective and meaningful participation of women and other section of society,  there are  ample provisions in  the policy guidelines.  The JFMC is also   known by different names in different States such as  Forest Protection Community(FPC), Village Forest Committee (VFC), Van Sanrakshan Samiti (VSS) etc.

A Micro Plan is being prepared by JFMC  which represents the document, which includes the basic data about the village and the various proposed activities in the next five to ten years.  This document is prepared in accordance with the activities identified by the local communities.

The Joint Forest Management Committee (JFMC) takes up various activities related to conservation protection, afforestation of   different models, nursery raising, soil and moisture conservation work, awareness generation, management entry point activities forest protection,  livelihood improvement and development of forests.

Promotional  Activities

Entry point activities are promotional activities, which are being started to gain confidence of people.  They include water harvesting structures like check dams for irrigation, drinking water requirement, amelioration  of soil moisture regime, digging of sales to supply drinking water, construction of roads and culverts, supporting infrastructure,  school building, community holder, promotion  of alternative energy sources etc.

Benefits

JFM has brought   many benefits to people at large.  Requirement of fuel-wood and  timber has become easy.  The direct flow of ecological benefits,   employment through wage work, creation of  assets,  poverty reduction and livelihood options.  Production of flower, fruits, and 50 to 100 per cent share in final harvest.                                                                                      Indirect benefits brings ecological  restoration.  It increases forest cover, there is always improvement of soil moisture regime and crop   protection in farms of adjoining forest areas.  It also reduces soil erosion.

JFMC brings livelihood security.  Self Help Groups (SHGs) are formed under JFMC to realize full potential of their skills and resources for livelihood improvement.  In many villages, leaf   plate making, silk warm rearing, bamboo basket making and other accessories, heavy collection and processing, vermin-composting and eco-tourism are being taken.

 *Senior Media & Communications Officer, PIB, Delhi.