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Forest department officials with the participants during the interaction programme.[/caption]
Dimapur, April 16 (EMN): The wildlife wing of the Nagaland Forest department visited community reserved forests at Tsiepama, Murakjo / Chemakong (Yizma, Lishiyo and Mongphio villages), D-Khel, Mezoma, Chishilimi, Tsuruhu, Khekiye, Lizutomi, Aizuto, Kigwema on March 13 and the 14th. The team was led by Chief Wildlife Warden Satya Prakash Tripathi, and Wildlife Warden K Caroline Angami, updates informed on Monday.
According to press release received here on Monday the team had meetings and interactions with village councils, GBs, and members of community reserve forest committees of the villages.
During the meeting, the chief wildlife warden was said to have spoken about the intrinsic relationship that forest, wildlife, and human beings share and their dependence on one another. He explained how forests were important for the preservation of adequate water supply, and purification of air, stabilization of climate and in the enrichment of the soil.
Forests, Satya Prakash Tripathi said, are a natural habitat for wild animals and that the diversity of life forms can be saved by securing their natural habitats. He explained about the economic benefits of forests as well.
In Nagaland, Tripathi said, only 11.7 % of forest wealth is under the control of the government, the lion’s share (88.3%) of forest wealth is under the control of individuals or communities, for which the government’s regulation is limited. Hence, he said communities have to play a more proactive role in conserving and protecting wildlife than the government does.
Community reserve forests are forests owned and managed by the community. These were added due to reduced protection in view of private ownership of land and land use, he said.
According to a study, 18% of the geographical area should be covered by the Protected Area Network (national park, wildlife sanctuary, conservation reserve, and community reserve). This is around 5% at the national level, the chief warden informed.
In Nagaland, he said that the government owned 241.20 sq.km protected areas which stand at a dismal 1.45% of the total geographical area of the state (16579 sq.km). However, he said, in Nagaland, most of villages conserve and protects their forest through community conservation initiatives called community conservation areas.
The chief warden mentioned that the Energy Research Institute, New Delhi has identified 407 CCAs, spread over 11 district, as per International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) guidelines. These CCAs are befitted to be declared as community reserves. The Government of Nagaland has so far notified 18 community reserves in the state.
Dr. Inato Zhimomi of Tsuruhu village informed the department that, the initiative for conservation of wildlife started 15 years back without any aid from the government. He assured of all cooperation to the department in days to come. Any financial aid from the department towards this conservation purposes, he said, will be utilized judiciously and that the people of Tsuruhu village, will sincerely endeavour towards making Tsuruhu Community Reserve Forest a model Reserve Forests of wildlife conservation. The PCCF (wildlife) & Chief Wildlife Warden assured to look into the matter with sincerity with regards to GB, Tsuruhu village’s request for the construction of footpath for bird (tragopan) viewpoint.
At Lizutomi Village under Aghunato sub-division, K Caroline Angami, wildlife warden of Dimapur highlighted how the proposal of community reserve forest was accepted. She solicited the support of the village communities for even more cooperation for the conservation of forest and wildlife.
At the meeting with all the stakeholders of the Community Reserve Forest at Aizuto, The chief wildlife warden appealed for cooperation, involvement and participation of the local communities which is a key for the success of any conservation efforts. He explained about various tangible and intangible benefits derived from forests.
Rev. Mulato Chishi, executive secretary of the mission compound at Aizuto stated that the compound had been instrumental in creating awareness to the people about the importance of wildlife and that it played an important role in bringing the five villages together for the conservation effort.