Wildlife and Nature Conservation - Centre for Ecological Sciences

A complete inventory of sacred forests in the region should be undertaken. Theseshould be registered either with the Autonomous District Councils or with theState Forest Department under the existing Acts and Rules.The survey for different components of biodiversity in each sacred forest shouldbe completed on an urgent basis.The sacred forests should be brought under the protected area network, includingCommunity Reserves, without altering the land ownership status. Theinterventions, if at all required, as in case of degraded ones, may be designed bythe government agencies jointly with the communities. Due approval must betaken from the traditional institutions administering the sacred forests, beforeinitiating such interventions.There should be an umbrella scheme of the government for conserving thecommunity forest areas including the sacred forests. Development of adjoiningcommunity forests areas is essential to meet the biomass needs of the community,thereby reducing the pressure on the sacred forests. Such schemes should beimplemented jointly by the Forest Department and the concerned traditionalinstitution. Under the scheme, provision should be made for incentives to thetribal people, who are conserving/preserving the sacred forestThe sacred forests can no more be protected based only on religious beliefs.Therefore, it is essential to educate the people about the scientific value of suchforests and the conservation ethos should be blended with the religious beliefs.The diversity of ecosystem services derived from the sacred forests must berecognized and valuation of such services must be done. The policy for adoptingthe ‘user pay’ principle in respect of these services must be developed and thebenefits must be given to the people who are protecting the sacred forests.[201] In forests, prone to organized or large scale violations or insurgency, specialprotection staff or para-military forces need to be deployed to prevent illicitfelling, encroachment, infiltrations, smuggling and poaching, especially on theinternational borders and in insurgency affected areas.[202] The Forest Survey of India needs to be assigned the task of periodicallyundertaking detailed remote-sensing of the forest areas and tree cover to assessqualitative and quantitative changes, including extent of invasion of exotics andchanges in the type of tree cover.[203] The forest of the various communities, individuals and of the Forest Departmentitself needs to be cadastrally surveyed and physically marked and mapped.[204] Disputed boundaries between the North-eastern States has created problems oflack of control, resulting in encroachment and illicit felling. Boundary disputesmust be settled as urgently as possible, under the aegis of Government of India[205] There is illegal traffic of wood, wildlife and forest products between the NortheasternStates and Myanmar on one side and Bangladesh on the other. This mustbe stopped by the paramilitary forces on the borders.160