The mandate of the Forest Conservation Division is to regulate the diversion of forest land for non-forestry purposes through effective implementation of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980.
Forest Policy Forest Policy Division of Ministry of Environment & Forests (MoEF) deals with the National Forest Policy, 1988, Indian Forest Act, 1927 and its amendments including policy matters and legislative matters of other Ministries and State Governments related to forests.
Forest Policy Division deals with forest related Climate Change, Biodiversity, REDD+, etc. in Forestry Wing of MoEF and acts as a National Focal Division for the Forestry International Cooperation on United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF), Asia Pacific Forestry Commission (APFC), and Committee on Forestry of FAO and Centre for International Forestry Research (CIFOR).
e-Green Watch
Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) is the National Advisory Council for monitoring, technical assistance and evaluation of compensatory afforestation and other forestry activities funded by CAMPA fund.
Work based Web-GIS application has been designed and developed to enable automating of various functions and activities related to monitoring and transparency in the use of CAMPA funds and various works sanctioned in the Annual Plan of Operations (State CAMPA) approved by the State Authorities.
Forest Protection Intensification of Forest Management Scheme (IFMS)
The Centrally Sponsored ‘Intensification of Forest Management Scheme’ (IFMS) aims at strengthening forest protection machinery of the State/UT Governments and providing support for area-specific forest management interventions.
The financial assistance is provided on cost share basis – All the North Eastern States including Sikkim and special categories States, namely, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand share 10% of the cost while the rest of the States/UTs share 25% of the cost of the annual plans of operations.
The major component of the scheme include
Forest fire control and management.
Strengthening of infrastructure.
Survey, demarcation and Working Plan preparation.
Protection and conservation of Sacred Groves.
Conservation and restoration of Unique Vegetation & Ecosystems.
Control and Eradication of Forest Invasive Species.
Preparedness for Meeting Challenges of Bamboo Flowering and Improving Management of Bamboo Forest.
Conservation and Management of Mangroves and Coral reefs
The Government has identified 38 mangroves and 4 coral reef sites throughout the country for intensive conservation and management of mangroves and coral reefs.
Mangroves and Coral Reefs
Mangroves are plants that survive high salinity, tidal regimes, strong wind velocity, high temperature and muddy anaerobic soil – a combination of conditions hostile for other plants.
The mangrove ecosystems constitute a symbiotic link or bridge between terrestrial and marine ecosystems and are found in the inter-tidal zones of sheltered shores, estuaries, creeks, backwaters, lagoons, marshes and mud-flats.
West Bengal has the maximum mangrove cover in the country, followed by Gujarat and Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
Not all coastal areas are suitable for mangrove plantation as mangroves require an appropriate mix of saline and freshwater, soft substrate like mudflats to enable it to grow and perpetuate.
The four major coral reefs areas identified for intensive conservation and management in India are
(i) Gulf of Mannar, (ii) Gulf of Kachchh, (iii) Lakshadweep and (iv) Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
The Ministry provides financial assistance to the State Forest Departments for all the four identified coral reef areas for conservation and management of coral and associates.
Objectives
Conservation and management of mangroves and coral reefs Eco-restoration and afforestation in potential and also in degraded coastal areas; Maintenance of genetic diversity especially of threatened and endemic species Creation of awareness on importance of these ecosystems leading to their conservation; and Sanctioning of approved annual MAPs of identified Mangrove and Coral Reef sites.
