Dimapur, Nov. 24 (EMN): The Peren Forest Division in collaboration with the ‘Wildlife wing’ organised a workshop on Nov. 21 at Jalukie Forest Resource Centre with DK. Zeliang IFS (retd.) PCCF & HoFF as the special invitee.
Speaking at the programme, DK. Zeliang challenged the community and the stakeholders to enhance their livelihood through ‘social forestry’ and highlighted on the economic importance of teak plantation in the region.
Chief Wildlife Warden, Nagaland, Satya Prakash Tripathi (IFS) highlighted on the importance of forest and wildlife and also on the annual migration of the Amur falcons to Nagaland.
Also speaking on the importance of community reserve forests, Tripathi encouraged the stakeholders to come forward and declare their forests as community reserve and ‘experience the ecological benefits and also avail the financial benefits from the government’.
District Forest Officer, Dr. Sentitula IFS, in her keynote address, said that ‘forest is the storehouse for all living being’, and categorically emphasised that it is the responsibility of humankind to work towards multiplying and replenishing the store house. She also impressed upon the community that good forest is an indicator of good living and prosperity and that ecological and food security depends on quality and quantity of forests.
“These forests provide all our basic needs but we should harvest these resources sustainably to meet the needs of our future generations and at the same time enhance our livelihood,” she said.
Assistant conservator of forest, Obed, highlighted on some facts about Amur falcons, and said that there is an increase of Amur falcons migration in Jalukie valley every year. Range Officer Jalukie, Punseni Khing presented the challenges faced by the protection force in an effort towards giving safe passage of the esteemed guest. The Jalukie students union, who voluntarily participated in the protection and patrolling duties along with the forest department personnel, also shared their experience of delight in their noble effort and concerns in protecting the Amur Falcon. At the programme, Iriegwang Mpom, JFMC Old Jalukie, expressed on how serious the community in protecting forests and also about the various efforts taken towards this end. The village council has declared 370 hectare as Community Biodiversity Reserve and had imposed total ban on jhum cultivation, hunting and logging, and the community involvement in restoration activities, which has also become a means for providing employment to the local people. The programme was attended by village council chairmen, VDB Secretaries, students from college of Veterinary Sciences Jalukie, and Govt. Higher Secondary School Jalukie. Altogether 200 people attended the programme. After the program the Wildlife Crime Branch, Dimapur presented a live demonstration of ‘how to chase away wild elephants and to mitigate elephant conflict’.
