SUSTAINABLE MOUNTAIN DEVELOPMENT SUMMIT: OUTCOME OF THE DISCUSSIONS ON “FORESTS”

A COHORT OF 65 FROM AMONG THE PARTICIPANTS OF SMDS – 3, KOHIMA, NAGALAND

Theme area 02: Forests

FACILITATORS

Saroj K. Barik

Rajesh Thadani

Vengota Nakhro

Zuthonglo Patton &

Chisayi with

Sanjay Deshmukh

TOTAL NO. OF CONTRIBUTORS: 65

General issues

ISSUES RELATING TO GEOGRAPHICAL SETTING Earthquake prone region Landslides prone Flash floods  ISSUES RELATING TO PEOPLE People are simple Agriculture is marginal Ready cash not available Highly dependent on forest resources

Forest cover reduction: Reasons

BIOTIC Demand for forest products, i.e., timber, fuel, fodder, herbs

and flowers/ fruit

Free grazing

Fires

Insurgency issues Issues of defining inter-state boundaries (that lead to

biodiversity becomes nobody’s property in disputed areas)

Encroachment for agriculture, habitation

Forest cover reduction: Reasons

ENVIRONMENTAL Seismic activity leading to landslides, subsidence Flash floods Fluvial erosion Climate change

DEVELOPMENTAL Dams Road construction Hydro-electric projects Re-defining of forest lands for development Mining Atmospheric pollution - SPM, acid rain Tourism

General issues

ISSUES RELATING TO LAND OWENERSHIP

Community land - managed by the village authority.

Private land

Headman as the sole land owner in some villages

Individual families owning the land

Clans ownership

Only elder brothers owning the land as in some villages

Concerns

LOCAL ISSUES RELATING TO FORESTS Human dependence on forests increasing

Inadequate data on natural resources inventory which is not shared, not analysed and put to right use

Change in forest land use pattern (such as shifting agriculture, change for cash crops, etc.)

Dilemma between “conservation” forestry and “production” forestry while framing forest management policy

Contradiction in policies (felling of trees from community owned forests vis-a-vis those for shifting cultivation), due to lack of specific classification of forest types; need synchronisation

Forest Ecosystem fragmentation is taking place at rapid pace

Concerns

GLOBAL ISSUES RELATING TO FORESTSConcerns of climate change and adaptations Changes in geographic distribution of flora and fauna and in

timing of seasonal events

Threat to high altitude biodiversity within forests due to presence of security forces (presence in large numbers)

Increased frequency of extreme climate events

Challenges in access to clean energy as well as conventional source of energy (fuelwood/ biomass)

Increase in man-animal conflict  

Challenges

CHALLENGES TO FOREST MANAGEMENT Conservation v/s development

Ecosystem services of forests not quantified and valued

Degradation and forest loss due to development projects

Governance challenges: weakening of community institutions, participatory forest management, etc.

Digitisation of forest boundaries

Enhancing forest quality

Upscaling of isolated success stories of traditional forest management systems, JFM and Community Conserved Areas (CCAs)

Codification and recognition of customary laws and practices

Strategies

STRATEGIES IN THE FORM OF ACTION POINTS

Development of a Portal for IMI

Linking forest patches to facilitate species migration (development of corridors)

Development of threat assessment protocols and in situ conservation models of plant species, and define conservation strategies for medicinal and aromatic plants

Establishment of market and industrial linkages to enhance the livelihood opportunities of local communities.

Strengthen role community organisations involved in forest conservation and management

Strategies

STRATEGIES IN THE FORM OF ACTION POINTS Replication of models of “success stories” of forest

conservation and management

Promoting and facilitating clean energy technologies with adequate energy provision for forest dependent communities

Promote diversification of livelihoods to reduce forest dependency

Enhancing forest-based biomass production in the form of food, fuel wood, grass/fodder, timber, bamboo, cane and NTFPs

Integrating forest management practices in academic curricula

Policy and Governance issues

DEVEOPMENT OF POLICIES FOR GOOD GOVERNANCE Awareness and capacity building of stakeholders

Documentation of indigenous knowledge systems

Identification and protection of catchment areas of biodiversity as hydrological significance

Supporting and initiating actions on payments for ecosystem services, REDD Plus preparedness and define means for equitable sharing of benefits with the communities out of the incentives/ awards

Governance with regard to streamlining Forest Policies and Laws thereby bringing transparency in Forest Acts and Rules

Thank you so much!