Conservation & Management of Forest :
Forest resources play very important role in country earning, hence it’s conservation & management become essential.
It can be achieved by-
- Reservation of forest areas.
- Making the forest disease free.
- Prevention of overgrazing & cultivation of new grasslands.
- Simultaneous afforestation.
- Preferring poly or mixed culture trees instead of Mono culture trees.
- Adaptation of Taungya system of afforestation.
In this system, villagers & sometimes forest plantation workers are given the right to cultivate agricultural crops during the early stage of forest plantation establishment.
For the conservation & development of forests, the National Forest Policy (1952) was modified in 1988. According to it, the forests are four types viz-
- Protection Forests
- National Forests
- Village Forests
- Tree-lands (Tree forests)
To encourage forest research, Govt, of India established Forest Research Institute (FRI) at Dehradun (Uttaranchal) and Indian Forest Research & Educational Council was established.
Social forestry, a Novel plan was started for conservation of forest with public cooperation. Under this plan Multipurpose trees are planted at Panchavat level on both the sides of railways, roads & canals on Panchayat lands to obtain fuel wood, fruits, fodder, timber etc.
In addition to efforts at Govt, level to conserve & manage forest, public cooperation was availabel since ancient time. It’s first instance is available in Rajasthan. In 1731, “Vishnoi Lady Amrita Devi” started a revolution in Khejadly Village to protect Khejdi tree (Prosopis). In this revolution 363 members were Marty red including Amrita Devi. As a result, the Govt, put harsh sanctions on cutting the Khejdi trees. Similarly “Chipko movement” running under the leadership of Sunderlal Bahuguna also contributing in conservation of forests. In Tihri & Garhwal, the Ladies gave a slogan which is popular as Chipto slogan as follows-
क्या हैं जंगल के उपकार, मिट्टी, पानी और बयार ।
मिट्टी, पानी और बयार, जिन्दा रहने के आधार ।।
This revolution was started in 1973 in the regions of Tihri & Garhwal. The aim was to prevent the cutting of the trees in the mountain regions by the Govt, contractors. This is mainly done by villagers through the act of hugging trees to protect them from being cut down.
The Aim of “chipko movement” to prevent reckless (blind) cutting of trees & plantation of trees to maintain ecological balance.
In Karnataka state, Appiko movement was started similar to Chipko movement for conservation of forests.
