CCA management plan workshop held for NMHS project villages

DIMAPUR — The Department of Environment, Forests and Climate Change held a one-day community conserved area (CCA) management plan workshop for five villages—Phesama, Kigwema, Jakhama, Viswema, and Khuzama—participating in the National Mission on Himalayan Studies (NMHS) project.

A press release stated that the workshop, part of the project titled ‘Increasing carbon sequestration and promoting declining life support forest species through community participation in Kohima district of Nagaland’, took place at the PCCF conference hall, Kohima, on Monday.

During the event, Supongnukshi, Chief Conservator of Forests and Principal Investigator of NMHS, delivered the keynote address, expressing gratitude to the beneficiaries for their efforts in establishing a community conserved area.

He thanked the villagers, including the apex organisations—Southern Angami Public Organisation (SAPO), Southern Angami Youth Organisation (SAYO), and Southern Angami Students’ Union (SASU)—for consistently safeguarding forest resources. Supongnukshi commended their dedication to conservation efforts and encouraged them to continue their commendable service.

During the workshop, the CCA management plans for all five project villages were also released. Keheibamding Thou, Senior Researcher of the NMHS Nagaland Project, provided an overview of the project activities conducted over the past four years.

Speeches were also given by the chairmen of the five village councils and representatives of SAPO, SAYO, and SASU. In their speeches, all five village council chairmen expressed appreciation to the department for various forms of assistance, including organising awareness campaigns, supporting women’s self-help groups, and undertaking plantation activities within the CCA zone.

Furthermore, Zuthunglo Patton,Conservator of Forests (Southern Territorial Circle) and Co-Principal Investigator of NMHS, delivered a presentation highlighting the CCA management plan. She emphasised that this plan would not only aid villagers in forest conservation but could also serve as a reference for various developmental activities by different organisations and departments.