| Social Forestry | Citizens Charter |

Forestry in India is passing through a crucial stage. Even if intensive and systematic efforts are made for the improvement of traditional forests, they would not suffice to meet the needs of the growing number of people and animals for the innumerable forest products, including fuelwood and fodder. The role of social forestry is to raise platations on all sorts of land available other than the traditional forestry practices. It ends up with the 'man made forest' by creation of woodlots in the village common lands. In Goa, about 4,000 ha. of land has been planted under this scheme since the year of its year of its inception i.e. 1984.

The concept is to green the mother earth and to make every inch of land as much productive as possible. With the ongoing rapid of population growth, our pressure on forests is increasing manifold.

The following schemes are being implemented by the Forest Department under the social foresty schemes.

1. Social and Farm Forestry: Under this scheme plantations have been raised on barren communidade lands, roadside, etc. Till 2003-04 plantations in 920 ha. area have been raised.

2. Social Forestry including Rural Fuelwood Fodder Project Scheme (C.S.S.) : Under this scheme, plantations have been raised on barren Communidade lands and temple lands. Central Government shares 50% expenditure initially for first four years. After deducting expenditure, the revenue will be shared between the Communidade and Government. Up to2003-04, 4732 ha. plantations have been raised.

3. Peoples Nursery: Under this scheme, nursery seedlings are raised through peoples/farmers. One rupee is paid for each seedling to the farmers. During the year 2002-03, 6.00 lakhs seedlings were raised through this scheme.

4. Tourism Department plantations : The Social Forestry Division also raises plantations for Tourism Department. The fund is provided by the Tourism Department. About 20 ha. have been raised on beaches of Tourism importance and road-side.

The forest department has also raised avenue plantation along road sides, canal banks, mine rejects in different corners of the state.

The social forestry division also provides the seedling of various species to indiduals, companies, panchayats, educational and religious institutions and the govt. departments. The technical know how in raising the plantations is also imported.

The seedlings raised in the different nurseries are of misc. species like Acacia auriculiformis, Acacia mangium, Ficus, Techoma, Terminalia, Cassia, Delonix, Samania saman, Peltophorum etc.

The nurseries under the Social Forestry division are located at Ponda, Usgao, Pirna, Fatarpa and Valkini.

Every body can take up the sacred work of protecting trees. Those who have got land many plant and rear up trees in their lands. Those who have no land may take up the work of protecting the trees planted by Government.

Trees also have life, as have animals. They too experience the feelings of joy and fear.

Social Forestry Division,
Forest Department, Govt. of Goa.

 

| Social Forestry | Citizens Charter |