28 Feb, 2023
The effective management of forested areas in India is crucial for improving access to water resources, including springs. The National Working Plan Code 2014 also emphasises special provisions to sustain water resources for the dependent communities.
Along similar lines, the Sustainable Management of Forest Ecosystem Services (FES) Project in collaboration with the Uttarakhand Forest Department (UKFD), organised a brainstorming workshop titled “Integration of Forest Ecosystem Services in Forest Management: Focusing on Water Availability”. The objectives of the workshop comprised of:
The workshop witnessed participation of representatives from the Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh Forest Departments, organisations and academic institutions such as the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee, National Institute of Hydrology (NIH), Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC) and National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG). Representatives from NGOs namely CHIRAG, Himmotthan, BAIF, Tata Trust and PSI also participated in the workshop.
Shri K. M. Rao (Principal Chief Conservator of Forest Environment- UKFD, MD- UAFDC) addressed the participants with introductory remarks stressing on the intricate relationship between forests and water and how the workshop can act a way forward to ensure the sustainability of these critical natural resources and the sustainable survival of mankind.
Shri Dharam Singh Meena (Additional Secretary- GoUK & CF- Bhagirathi Circle) shared the expected outcomes of the workshop and the introduction of new technologies for better understanding of the current state of forests and water systems and tracking changes over time. He also stressed on collaboration and integration being important to ensure the long-term sustainable conservation efforts.
In his special remarks, Shri Dhananjay Mohan (PCCF, RTM, UKFD) mentioned how forests and water have long been discussed as critical priorities for sustainable development, yet progress on the ground has often been slow and uneven. He also raised that incorporating the plans and priorities of the FES project into the working plan can have several benefits for forest conservation and management.
The workshop was divided into three technical sessions. In the first session, challenges for integration of the FES approach in forest management plans such as micro plans and working plans and how this could be upscaled at landscape level were discussed. The second session focused on the available tools and techniques for management planning of water resources. The third session highlighted the existing institutional mechanisms for integration of FES in the forest management systems.
The workshop was successfully concluded with closing remarks by Dr. Sanjay Tomar (Team Leader, FES Project) where he enthralled on collaboration and partnership being essential to achieving our shared goals. He highlighted the importance of working across sectors and disciplines involving government, civil society, and local communities, to find solutions that are effective, equitable, and socially and environmentally sustainable.
Group picture of participants at the brainstorming workshop on Integration of Forest Ecosystem Services in Forest Management at Dehradun, ©GIZ/Satyan Chauhan
Participants during the technical session of the brainstorming workshop, ©GIZ/Jyoti Kashyap
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Integrating the lessons from HP-FES, a follow-up project on ‘Sustainable Management of Forest Ecosystem Services (FES)’ is being implemented by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, State Forest Departments of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and GIZ India on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). It aims to strengthen forest and agroforest management to integrate the Forest Ecosystem Services approach with a focus on water availability. Read More
For more information contact: biodiv.india@giz.de
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