Environmental

Monitoring and Ecosystem

Restoration
Assignment on REDD+, Joint Forest Management,
Relevance to People
 KIRORI MAL COLLEGE , DELHI
UNIVERSITY
Name –Mahima Kumari
Class – Semester IV
Roll no – 2231250
University Roll No – 22036557116
Subject – GE Botany
Subject teacher – Dr. Leena Sakhya
 REDD+
REDD & REDD+
• REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) is the global endeavour to create an
incentive for developing countries to protect, better manage and save their forest resources, thus contributing to the
global fight against climate change
• REDD+ goes beyond merely checking deforestation and forest degradation, and includes incentives for positive
elements of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks.
• REDD+ conceptualizes flow of positive incentives for demonstrated reduction in deforestation or for enhancing
quality and expanse of forest cover.
• It works on the basis of creating a financial value for the carbon stored and enhanced in biomass and soil of
standing forests. Countries that reduce emissions and undertake sustainable management of forests will be entitled
to receive funds and resources as incentives.
• REDD+ approach incorporates important benefits of livelihoods improvement, biodiversity conservation and food
security services.

• The incentives so received from REDD+ would be passed to the local communities involved in protection and
management of the forests. This will ensure sustained protection of our forests against deforestation.
Will India Benefit from REDD+?

India's sustained efforts for conserving and expanding its forest and tree
resources have the possibility of being rewarded for providing carbon
service to the international community in addition to providing traditional
goods and services to the local communities.

• The incentives so received from REDD+ would be passed to the local

communities involved in protection and management of the forests. This
will ensure sustained protection of our forests against deforestation

• It is estimated that a REDD+ programme for India could provide

capture of more than 1 billion tonnes of additional CO2 over the next 3
decades and provide more than USD 3 billion as carbon service incentives
under REDD+.
India's Position on Redd And Redd+

India believes REDD needs to be seen in the broader context of REDD+, not in
isolation or in a truncated form since reduction of deforestation, and conservation
and improvement of forests are two sides of the same coin, and so should be
treated at par.

India's stand was finally accepted in 13th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties
(COP 13) at Bali when elements of conservation, sustainable management of forests
and enhancement of forest carbon stocks were added to the then existing text of
reducing deforestation and forest degradation as part of Bali Action Plan.

It has presented an ambitious Green India Mission programme under its National
Action Plan on Climate Change.
India‘s initiatives related to REDD+

India has made a submission to UNFCCC on "REDD, Sustainable Management

of Forest(SMF) and Afforestation and Reforestation (A&R)" in December 2008

A Technical Group has been set up to develop methodologies and procedures

to assess and monitor contribution of REDD+ actions

A National REDD+ Coordinating Agency is being established

• A National Forest Carbon Accounting Programme is being institutionalized

• India is hosting the Conference of Parties (COP-11) of the Convention on

Biological Diversity (CBD) in 2012, to coincide with twenty years of Rio
convention.

• Study on the impact of climate change on India's forests assigned to the

Indian Network for Climate Change Assessment (INCCA), has been released in
November 2010.
Joint Forest Management

 What is Joint Forest Management?

 JFM is an initiative that involves the local communities that live adjacent to the forest in the
institutionalization of participatory governance over the nation's forest resources.
 Rehabilitating degraded forestlands with the help of Forest Protection Committees is one of the
program's main objectives.
 This co-management initiative seeks to build partnerships between forest fringe communities and
the Forest Department (FD) based on shared respect and duties and responsibilities for the
preservation and regeneration of the forest.
 JFM was established in accordance with the National Forest Policy, which stressed the value of
involving local people.
 Subsequently, the government issued the appropriate resolutions and directives to establish such
institutions and strengthen them further.
 The majority of Indian states have accepted JFM and issued resolutions approving such
partnerships in accordance with the established rules, despite the fact that each state has a
different institutional setup.
Joint Forest Management – Examples

• Gaddi & Gujjar Tribes: The Gaddi and Gujjar tribes in the Himalayan
states control the grazing of cattle, which helps to preserve
biodiversity by preventing the development of wild grass.

• Bishnoi Community: The Bishnoi people in Rajasthan are crucial to

ecological preservation through the famous Chipko Movement.

• Maldhari Tribe: The lion population has increased due to

cooperative conservation efforts with the nomadic Maldhari tribe,
which lives close to Gir National Park.

• Mundas & Santhals: In the Chotanagpur region, the Mundas and

Santhals worship the Mahua and Kadamba trees, while in Orissa
and Bihar, the tribes adore the Tamarind and numerous other
trees.
Joint Forest Management – Process

Village communities are given responsibility for the management and

preservation of the surrounding forests under JFM.
By speaking with the local population or with the assistance of NGOs
active in certain regions, forest departments take the initiative to
establish such committees.
NGOs are also involved in the creation of these participatory
institutions and frequently serve as the catalysts for capacity building,
information distribution, monitoring, and evaluation.
The establishment of forest protection committees, village forest
committees, village forest conservation, development groups, etc., is
a requirement for the communities.
An executive committee oversees the day-to-day operations of each
of these organizations.
The communities receive the benefit of utilizing small non-timber
forest products in exchange for their services to the forests. Thus,
the forest can be preserved in a sustainable manner
Joint Forest Management – Importance

• Increase in Agricultural and Forest Produce: Forest Committees are established to

collaborate with locals and actively participate in boosting agricultural and forestry
production as well as processing their output.

• Employment Generation: In order to discourage villagers from illegally chopping trees

and encroaching on forests, employment options are provided in communities, such as
sustainable tourism.

• Reduction in Forest Pressure: Other fundamental amenities are attempted to be

offered in order to reduce pressure on the forest.

• Preservation of Forest Rights: Together with the Forest Rights Act, the Panchayat
(Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act of 1996 significantly contributes to ensuring the
rights of forest residents.
 • Maintenance of Gender Balance: The Joint Forest Management
Committee (JFMC) maintains gender balance with a dedicated
women's subcommittee.

• Implementation of MGNREGA: The JFMC implements the Mahatma

Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee program in peripheral
forest areas and offers training in animal husbandry, poultry farming,
dairy development, and managing small forestry firms.

• Non-Wood Forest Products: JFM also values non-wood forest

products (NWFP).

• Importance in the Way of Life: NWFP is essential to the way of life in

communities that depend on forests. They satisfy fundamental needs,
offer profitable employment during hard times, and enhance
agricultural and wage labor wages.

• Enhancement in Rural Health: JFM's collection of medicinal plants

plays a significant role in rural health.
Relevance for People, Nature,and Climate

 Challenges
 Joint Forest Management - Challenges
 Nature of Passed Laws: Laws like the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006, and the Panchayat Extension to Scheduled Areas
(PESA) Act, 1996, have been passed, granting indigenous peoples and people who live in forests management rights
over forest resources.
 Need for Funds: Communities seek the considerable funds that the forest departments owe them as part of the scheme.
 Dilemma: There are concerns over whether the program should be discontinued.
 Expensive Nature: JFM program implementation is expensive. For instance, afforestation costs around Rs 20,000 per
acre.
 Lack of Legal Rights: Forest Protection Committees (FPC) lack legal standing as well as financial and executive authority.
 Discretionary Power: In several States, the Forest Department has the discretionary authority to dissolve FPCs.
 Ineffective Plan & Management: Ineffective management and micro-plan design is another major challenge faced by
Joint Forest Management.
 Participation of Women: Despite having formal representation on management committees, women don't participate.
 Local Conflicts: Conflicts between and within communities hinder the operation of the Forest Protection Committees
(FPC).
Ecological Impact

 Ecological Impact of Joint Forest Management

 Recruitment was significant in four states, namely Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh,
Orissa, and West Bengal, accounting for 17% of the regenerating individuals.
 Over 10% of the open forest in Karnataka has been brought under JFM, and much
wasteland could still be brought under JFM.
 JFM plantations are dominated by exotic firewood species and are deficient in timber
and nontimber species, resulting in lower biodiversity.
 The rate of biomass growth in JFM forests was higher than the national average.
 Other JFM support activities revealed that various biomass conservation programs
were launched, with a large number of energy-saving and alternative energy devices
installed.