Compensatory Afforestation in India: Challenges & Suggestions | UPSC

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Introduction

  • Supreme Court on Thursday ordered a probe by Forest Survey of India officials along with independent experts into alleged illegal felling of over 400 trees in southern Delhi Ridge to build a road from Chhattarpur to Saarc university and said 100 trees should be planted by DDA in lieu of each tree cut. It found out that the tree felling started on Feb 16 even though the nod came on March 1.

Compensatory Afforestation in India

  • Compensatory Afforestation in India is a policy and legal mechanism designed to mitigate the environmental impact of deforestation caused by development projects such as infrastructure development, industrialization, and urbanization.
  • When forest land is diverted for non-forest purposes, compensatory afforestation aims to ensure that an equivalent area of non-forest land is afforested or reforested to compensate for the loss of forest cover.

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Key Components of Compensatory Afforestation in India

a) Legal Framework:

      • The primary legal framework for compensatory afforestation in India is the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980. This act mandates that whenever forest land is diverted for non-forest use, an equivalent area of non-forest land should be afforested.
      • The Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act, 2016 further strengthens this by creating a dedicated fund for afforestation and reforestation activities. The act provides for the establishment of a National Compensatory Afforestation Fund and State Compensatory Afforestation Funds.

b) Funding:

      • The funds for compensatory afforestation are collected from user agencies (e.g., companies or government entities) that are granted permission to use forest land for non-forest purposes. These agencies must deposit funds equivalent to the cost of afforestation, including the cost of maintaining the newly planted forests for a few years.

c) Implementation:

      • The process involves identifying suitable non-forest land for afforestation, which is preferably contiguous to existing forests to enhance ecological connectivity.
      • In cases where non-forest land is not available, degraded forest land is identified for afforestation purposes.
      • The implementation of afforestation activities is overseen by forest departments at the state level, ensuring that the afforested areas are maintained and monitored over time.

Need of Compensatory Afforestation

  • Compensatory afforestation is necessary for several critical environmental, social, and economic reasons, particularly in a country like India, where development pressures often lead to deforestation. Here are the primary reasons highlighting the need for compensatory afforestation:

a) Environmental Reasons

i) Biodiversity Conservation:

      • Forests are home to a significant proportion of the world’s terrestrial species. Deforestation leads to habitat loss, threatening the survival of many species. Compensatory afforestation helps in creating new habitats and conserving biodiversity.

ii) Climate Regulation:

      • Forests play a crucial role in sequestering carbon dioxide, thereby mitigating climate change. Replacing lost forest cover through afforestation helps maintain carbon sequestration levels and combat global warming.

iii) Soil Conservation:

      • Forests prevent soil erosion by stabilizing the soil with their root systems. They also contribute to soil fertility through the decomposition of leaf litter. Afforestation helps in restoring these vital soil conservation functions.

iv) Water Cycle Maintenance:

      • Forests influence the hydrological cycle by promoting groundwater recharge and maintaining the flow of rivers and streams. Afforestation helps in sustaining these water-related ecosystem services.

v) Air Quality Improvement:

      • Forests act as natural air filters, trapping dust, pollutants, and particulate matter. They improve air quality, which is particularly important in urban areas suffering from high levels of air pollution.

b) Social Reasons

i) Livelihood Support:

      • Forests provide livelihoods to millions of people, especially indigenous communities and rural populations, through the collection of non-timber forest products (NTFPs), fuelwood, and medicinal plants. Afforestation projects can create new sources of income and employment for these communities.

ii) Cultural and Recreational Value:

      • Forests hold cultural, spiritual, and recreational significance for many communities. Compensatory afforestation helps in preserving these values by creating new forested areas that people can use and enjoy.

iii) Economic Reasons

iv) Resource Sustainability:

      • Forests provide timber, fuelwood, and other resources essential for various industries. Sustainable forest management through afforestation ensures a continuous supply of these resources.

v) Economic Development:

      • Well-planned afforestation projects can contribute to economic development by creating jobs in tree planting, forest management, and related activities. They also enhance the overall economic value of the land by improving its productivity and ecosystem services.

c) Ecological Balance and Sustainability

i) Environmental Impact Mitigation:

      • Development projects, such as infrastructure construction, mining, and industrialization, often lead to significant environmental impacts. Compensatory afforestation is a mitigation measure to offset these impacts and ensure sustainable development.

ii) Ecosystem Restoration:

      • Afforestation helps restore degraded ecosystems, bringing back ecological balance and enhancing ecosystem resilience. This is vital for maintaining overall environmental health and sustainability.
      • In summary, compensatory afforestation is essential for maintaining ecological balance, supporting biodiversity, mitigating climate change, and ensuring sustainable development. It addresses the environmental degradation caused by deforestation and helps in the restoration and conservation of vital ecosystem services.

Evolution of Compensatory Afforestation in India

  • The evolution of compensatory afforestation in India reflects the country’s growing recognition of the need to balance development with environmental conservation. Here’s a detailed look at the evolution of this concept:

a) Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980:

      • A landmark in the evolution of compensatory afforestation, this act aimed to regulate the diversion of forest land for non-forest purposes. It mandated that any diversion must be accompanied by afforestation on an equivalent area of non-forest land or double the area of degraded forest land.

b) Forest (Conservation) Rules, 2003:

      • These rules provided detailed procedures for the implementation of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980. They specified the requirements for compensatory afforestation, including the preparation of comprehensive plans and the establishment of funds for afforestation activities.

c) National Afforestation Programme (NAP):

      • Launched in the early 2000s, this program aimed to support afforestation and eco-development activities. While primarily focusing on degraded forest land, it complemented the objectives of compensatory afforestation by enhancing overall forest cover.

d) Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act, 2016 (CAF Act):

      • This act marked a significant evolution in the compensatory afforestation framework by establishing the National Compensatory Afforestation Fund and State Compensatory Afforestation Funds. These funds ensured that the money collected from user agencies for the diversion of forest land was used exclusively for afforestation and forest conservation.

e) Creation of Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA):

      • CAMPA was created to manage the funds collected under the compensatory afforestation scheme. It aimed to ensure that the funds were used effectively and transparently for afforestation and related activities.

f) Forest Advisory Committee (FAC)

      • Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) of Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has been constituted under the Forest (Conservation) Act 1980.
      • It has both official as well as unofficial members, the Director General of Forests as the Chairman.
      • The FAC is an apex body tasked with adjudicating requests by the industry to raze forest land for commercial use.

Nagar Van Scheme

  •   It was announced by the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change on the occasion of World Environment Day celebrated on 5th June every year.
  • The Nagar Van Scheme aims to develop 200 Urban Forests across the country in next five years with a renewed focus on people’s participation and collaboration between Forest Department, Municipal bodies, NGOs, Corporates and local citizens.
  •   Warje Urban Forest in Pune, Maharashtra, will be considered as a role model for the Nagar Van Scheme.
  • The finances for the scheme will be paid for by the CAMPA (Compensatory Afforestation Fund (CAF) Act, 2016) funds.

Challenges to the effective implementation of Compensatory Afforestation

      • The effective implementation of compensatory afforestation in India faces several significant challenges. These challenges can impact the success and sustainability of afforestation efforts and need to be addressed to ensure the intended environmental benefits are realized. Some of the main challenges are:
      • Non-Forest Land: Finding equivalent non-forest land for afforestation can be difficult, especially in densely populated areas where land is scarce.
      • Quality of Afforestation: Ensuring that the afforested land develops into a functional ecosystem comparable to the original forest can be challenging due to differences in soil quality, climate, and other ecological factors.
      • Monoculture Plantations: Often, afforestation projects focus on planting fast-growing or economically valuable species, leading to monocultures that lack biodiversity and resilience.
      • Long-Term Commitment: Effective afforestation requires long-term maintenance and monitoring to ensure tree survival and growth, which can be resource-intensive. Inadequate funding and manpower for regular monitoring and maintenance can lead to poor outcomes.
      • Community Involvement: Effective involvement of local communities in the afforestation process is crucial for its success, but this aspect is sometimes overlooked or not adequately addressed.

How to make compensatory afforestation in India effective?

      • To make compensatory afforestation in India more effective, several key steps and strategies should be considered. These measures aim to address existing challenges and ensure that afforestation efforts contribute meaningfully to environmental conservation and sustainable development:
      • Review and Update Legislation: Regularly review and update the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, and the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act, 2016, to address emerging challenges and improve effectiveness.
      • Streamline Approval Processes: Simplify and expedite the approval processes for forest land diversion and compensatory afforestation, while ensuring robust environmental safeguards.
      • Enhanced Land Availability: Conduct comprehensive surveys and assessments to identify suitable non-forest lands or degraded forest lands for afforestation, considering ecological and socio-economic factors.
      • Prioritize Ecological Equivalence: Focus on selecting lands that can support the growth of diverse native species and replicate natural forest ecosystems as closely as possible.
      • Species Selection and Site Preparation: Prioritize native species that are adapted to local environmental conditions and promote biodiversity. Ensure proper site preparation to enhance survival rates of planted trees.
      • Long-term Maintenance: Develop robust plans and allocate adequate resources for the long-term maintenance of afforested areas, including protection from grazing, fire, and invasive species.
      • Regular Monitoring: Implement a rigorous monitoring and evaluation framework to track the survival, growth, and ecological impact of afforested areas over time. Use remote sensing and GIS technologies for accurate assessment.
      • Performance-Based Funding: Link fund disbursement to performance indicators, such as survival rates and biodiversity outcomes, to ensure accountability and effective use of resources.
      • Capacity Building: Provide training and technical support to state forest departments and implementing agencies on afforestation planning, execution, and monitoring.
      • Stakeholder Engagement: Foster partnerships and collaboration among government agencies, local communities, NGOs, and private sector entities to leverage resources and expertise for afforestation projects.
      • Promoting Community Participation and Livelihood Integration: Involve local communities in all stages of afforestation projects, from planning to monitoring, ensuring their active participation and benefit-sharing. Develop and implement sustainable livelihood options for communities dependent on forest resources to minimize dependence on forest land for subsistence.
      • Transparency and Accountability: Ensure transparency in the collection, management, and utilization of compensatory afforestation funds. Publish regular reports and make information accessible to the public.
        • Also, conduct periodic audits and evaluations by independent bodies to assess the effectiveness and compliance of compensatory afforestation projects with environmental and social standards.
      • Climate-resilient Afforestation: Incorporate climate change considerations into afforestation planning, focusing on species resilience and carbon sequestration potential.
      • Research and Innovation: Invest in research and development to improve afforestation techniques, including soil management, seedling production, and restoration ecology.
        • Foster innovation and technology adoption in afforestation practices, leveraging advancements in biotechnology, agroforestry, and sustainable land management.

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Conclusion

Compensatory afforestation is a vital tool in India’s strategy to balance development with environmental conservation, aiming to sustain its forest resources and biodiversity while supporting economic growth.By implementing these strategies, India can enhance the effectiveness of compensatory afforestation initiatives, ensuring sustainable forest management, biodiversity conservation, and resilience to climate change impacts.

Practice Question for Mains

Topic: Environmental Pollution and Degradation

 

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