Aim of National Forest Policy

Introduction

The primary objective of National Forest Policy 1988 is to preserve, conserve and protect forests in order to preserve ecological balance. The policy also aims to save various kinds of flora and fauna that have been threatened due to deforestation to a large extent.

What is National Forest Policy 1988?

The main objective of the National forest policy is to preserve the environment and conserve ecological balance. The policy is aimed at atmospheric equilibrium which is necessary for the survival of all forms of life, including animals, plants, and humans.

The National Forest Policy comprises a series of legislation aimed at improving the quality of the environment. The Indian Parliament approved the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, the Water Act of 1974, the Forest Conservation Act of 1980, the Air Act of 1981, and the Environment Protection Act of 1986 before approving the National Forest policy 1988.

The consistent movement of Forest management principles was available after the enactment of the National Forest Policy that offered new guidelines for the conservation, protection, and preservation of forests in order to save all living beings. That is how the National Forest Policy was developed and it had numerous revisions with respect to the approach to forest management.

Objectives of National Forest Policy 1988

The main objectives of National Forest Policy 1988 were:

• To conserve the nation’s natural heritage by maintaining the surviving natural forests with their diverse range of flora and fauna, symbolizing the country’s exceptional biological resources and genetic richness.

• To control soil erosion and denudation in lakes, rivers, and reservoir catchment zones for soil and water conservation, mitigation of floods and droughts, and reservoir citation prevention.

• Rechecking the sand dunes in Rajasthan’s deserts and along the shores.

• Applying afforestation and social forestry programs to enhance the cover of forests in the country, particularly in deforested, unproductive, and degraded regions.

• To increase forest productivity to meet national demands.

• To encourage the effective use of forest products and minimize the use of wood.

• To raise awareness among people and minimize the stress on existing forests.

• To allow people’s participation in Joint Forest Management programs.

The Need for National Forest Policy 1988

The Forest Policy 1988 had a fundamental aim of identifying the key resources for successful forest management principles. It emphasized the need for modern forest management principles to protect and improve forests and forest areas which involved maintaining biodiversity in the forest areas. It also acknowledges that the forest fringe regions and forest people rely on forests for fuelwood, food, and fodder among other inputs to support their lives.

Therefore, it must be prioritized that the forests are not overexploited for these reasons by dependent populations. The National Forest Policy 1988 also emphasized that although the primary aim of forest management was to increase forest productivity and forest cover, this should not be done by turning primarily agricultural lands into forest areas.

Constitutional Provisions for National Forest Policy 1988

• Protecting forests for the protection of wild animals and birds is included in the concurrent list of the Indian constitution.

• Forests and protection of birds and wild animals were transferred from the state to concurrent list by amendment 42nd amendment of act 1976 along with education, weights and measures, and Administration of justice.

• According to Article 51 A (g) of the Indian constitution, it is a fundamental duty of every citizen to protect forests and wildlife. There is an enhanced need to conserve forests due to increasing deforestation due to human activities.

• Article 48 A of the Directive Principles of State Policy states that the states must take adequate measures to protect the environment and take enough steps to safeguard the forests and wild animals too.

Forest Management

The forest management principles state that there should be an aim to protect the existing forests and forest lands to enhance productivity.

Following are some of the features of forest management:

• Forest cover should be increased rapidly in lakes, rivers, and catchment zones apart from on hill slopes. The same must be done to desert areas and along the shorelines.

• As the demand for food production is increasing, forest management principles state that the available land for agriculture should not be converted to forest areas. To ensure the conservation of biological diversity, the network of sanctuaries, national parks, biospheres, and other protected areas must be strengthened and expanded.

• Sufficient fodder, food, and fuel must be provided in the adjacent areas of forests to minimize the stress of these resources on the forest areas.

• As fuelwood is the primary source of energy in rural areas, the production of fuelwood must be increased in rural areas so that no tree is harmed by the need for fuelwood. The tribal populations and other communities who live near forests depend on forest products for food; the production of these foods should be increased and enhanced to generate employment and income.

Achievements of National Forest Policy 1988

• It led to a significant increase in forest cover.

• The Joint Forest Management program saw the participation of the masses leading to a widespread increase in knowledge about forest management principles.

• The policy made it possible to meet the tribal communities’ needs for fuelwood, food, and other products without having to cut down trees. therefore, there was a decline in deforestation.

• Conservation efforts, both ex−situ and in−situ, were applied to protect the forest cover in the country.

• There was a significant contribution to the country’s ecological and environmental stability.

• The policy identified many study topics, such as production per unit area per unit time, boosting forest produce, restoring wastelands, marshes, and mining spoils, forest product replacements, social forestry practices, and animal management.

• The policy also led to the discovery that the government had a very weak idea about the forests and wildlife. Therefore, periodic evaluation was suggested to have a good knowledge of the resources.

• For the last 34 years, the policy has acted as a guiding text for forest management principles in India.

Conclusion

The National Forest Policy 1988 is a guiding text for forest management in India. It is aimed at preserving the nation’s forest resources. One must go through it to understand the roles and responsibilities of citizens toward protecting forests in order to save wildlife. It is important because adequate forest cover is necessary for a stable ecology and environment. That is why everyone must be aware of the National Forest Policy 1988.

Frequently Asked Questions

Qns 1. Name some of the acts that were approved before the enactment of the National Forest Policy 1988.

Ans. The Indian Parliament approved the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, the Water Act of 1974, the Forest Conservation Act of 1980, the Air Act of 1981, and the Environment Protection Act of 1986 before approving the National Forest policy 1988.

Qns 2. According to which article of the Indian constitution is it the duty of every citizen to protect and preserve forests and wildlife?

Ans. According to Article 51 A (g) of the Indian constitution, it is a fundamental duty of every citizen to protect forests and wildlife.

Qns 3. Does the Forst Policy 1988 state that agricultural land should be transformed into forests?

Ans. No. The National Forest Policy 1988 advocates the preservation of agricultural land and states that in order to meet the growing demand for food, agricultural lands should not be converted to forests.