National Forest Policy of India: Objectives, Evolution & Strategies

National Forest Policy of India is a guiding document for forest conservation, sustainable management, and ecological security. The evolution of Indian forest policy started from the 1894 Forest Policy to the 1952 Forest Policy, which focused on national requirements and forest management. The National Forest Policy, 1988 became an important turning point for India's forest policy with emphasis on ecological stability, biodiversity conservation, and involvement of people.

The goals of this policy include environmental stability, conservation of natural heritage, augmentation of forest cover, prevention of soil erosion and sustainable forest management. The policy highlights the need for fulfilling local requirements of fuelwood, fodder and minor forest products.

The National Forest Policy, 1988 emphasizes the issues of ecological security, forest conservation, and sustainable utilization of forest resources. The important objectives of the policy include:

• Maintenance of Environmental Stability: Conserve forests to ensure environmental stability and ecological balance.
• Biodiversity Conservation: Conserve forests, flora, fauna, wildlife and natural ecosystems.
• Expansion of Forests: Strive for expansion of forests and trees to satisfy ecological and social requirements.
• Prevention of Soil Erosion: Prevent soil erosion, floods and land degradation through afforestation and forest conservation.
• Meeting the Requirements of Local Communities: Provide forest products like fuelwood, fodder, minor timber and other minor forest products to local communities.
• Afforestation: Promote afforestation programs on large scale.
• Tribal and Rural Communities: Acknowledge the close linkage of tribal/rural communities and forest resources.
• Sustainable Utilization of Forest Resources: Utilize the forest resources in a sustainable manner without jeopardizing ecological sustainability.
• Participation of People: Involve people in forest protection and regeneration.
• Natural Heritage: Maintain the forests as part of the natural heritage of India.

• India is one of the few countries in the world where forest policy has operated since 1894.
• In 1952 and 1988, revisions were made to the forest policy 1894.
• The National Forest Policy of India of 1952 recommended that the country cover one-third of the total land area under forest (60 per cent in hilly and mountainous regions and 25 per cent in the plains).
• It has suggested extending tree lands on river/canal banks, roads, railways, and culturable waste in areas unsuitable for cultivation.
• The Government of India has announced two significant forest policies:
  • The National Forest Policy of 1988 focuses on sustainable management and community involvement, and
  • The National Forest Policy of 2018 addresses climate change, enhancing forest cover and improving forest management practices.

The National Forest Policy of 1988 and 2018 have been discussed in detail in the following section.

The main emphasis of the National Forest Policy 1988 is on the protection, conservation, regeneration and development of forests. The main points of the National Forest Policy 1988 are:

• The policy emphasises maintaining environmental stability through preserving and restoring the ecological balance that has been adversely disturbed by the severe depletion of the country's forests.
• It is imperative to check soil erosion and denudation in the catchment areas of rivers, lakes, and reservoirs to improve soil cover, conserve water, reduce reservoir siltation, and mitigate floods and droughts.
• There is a need to substantially increase the forest/tree cover in the country, for which massive afforestation and social forestry programs, especially on all denuded, degraded, and unproductive lands, must be implemented.
• The policy also aims to balance the need to increase forest cover with the issue of livelihood and development. It aims to increase forest productivity to meet the essential national needs, requirements of fuel wood, fodder, minor forest produce, etc.
• The policy also emphasises encouraging people to do so, thus creating a massive people's movement with the involvement of women.
• Checking soil erosion and denudation in the catchment areas of rivers, lakes, and reservoirs in the interest of soil and water conservation, for mitigating floods and droughts and for the retardation of siltation of reservoirs.
• Checking the extension of sand dunes in the desert areas of Rajasthan and along the coastal tracts.
• Meeting the requirements of fuel-wood, fodder, minor forest produce, and small timber of the rural and tribal populations.
• Increasing the productivity of forests to meet essential national needs.
• Encouraging efficient utilisation of forest produce and maximising substitution of wood.

The major achievements of National Forest Policy of India (1988):

• Increase in the forest and tree cover.
• Involvement of local communities in the protection, conservation, and management of forests through the Joint Forest Management Programme.
• Meeting the requirement of fuel wood, fodder, minor forest produce, and small timber of the rural and tribal populations.
• Conservation of Biological Diversity and Genetic Resources of the country through ex-situ and in-situ conservation measures.
• A significant contribution to the maintenance of environment and ecological stability in the country.

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has framed a new draft of National Forest Policy 2018 to address climate change, human-animal conflict and declining green cover. The salient features of the National Forest Policy 2018 are:

• Public Private Partnerships (PPP) for afforestation in degraded forest areas.
• Increasing urban greenery.
• Use of technology to protect forests from fires.
• Participatory forest management (National Community Forest Management (CFM) Mission will be launched).
• Afforestation in catchment areas of rivers for its rejuvenation.
• Economic valuation of forest (Value Chain approach that is climate-smart and market-oriented).
• Enhance the value of forest produce by providing it certification.
• Climate change issues to be seen in line with forest problems (Integrate climate change concerns & REDD+ strategies in forest management).
• Agroforestry and Farm forestry.
• Special attention to North East forests.
• Biodiversity protection through better documentation and the use of modern technology.
• Develop a national forest ecosystems management information system.
• Research and Education.
• A National Board of Forestry headed by the Central Minister in charge of forests and State Boards of Forestry headed by State Ministers in charge of forests will be established to ensure inter-sectoral convergence, simplification of procedures, conflict resolution, and periodic review.

There are certain steps that could be taken to manage the forest efficiently as follows:

• Afforestation and Reforestation Programmes - Forest cover is restored by growing new forests on lands which did not have forests before (afforestation) and growing trees in areas where forests have been cleared (reforestation).
• Social Forestry and Involvement of Communities in Forest Management – Social forestry includes involvement of the local community in forest management to improve their lives and conserve forest resources.
• Forest Management and Conservation Strategies – Implementation of certain practices to manage forest resources sustainably such as controlled logging, monitoring the condition of forests, and enforcing laws against poaching.
• Forests Conservation Programs - Creating sanctuaries for wildlife to protect critical habitats and biodiversity in the forests.
• Education and Awareness Program – Programs aimed at educating people about the significance of the forests.