What’s the News?

The Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change has released the “National Working Plan Code-2023” for the scientific management of forests and evolving new approaches.

Key Points

• It been released by the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate change during the occasion of the ‘World Day to Combat ’ organized by the Indian Council of Desertification and DroughtForestry Research and Education (ICFRE) in Dehradun
• This amendment is expected to further improve the scientific and facilitate the management of the nation’s forests development of new approaches.

What is the National Working Plan Code?

• National Working Plan Code is the main instrument through which the in scientific management of Forests is being achieved India.
• The code was first adopted in 2004 with a subsequent amendment in 2014

Features

• The National Working Plan Code-2023 will act as a guiding principle for State Forest Departments in preparation for the working plan for different forest divisions in the country.
• National Working Plan Code-2023 deals in detail with the essentials of forest management planning, incorporating the principles of sustainable management of forests.

It includes-

• Extent and condition of forest and tree cover,
• Maintenance, conservation and enhancement of biodiversity including wildlife,
• Forest health and vitality,
• Conservation and management of soil and water resources,
• Enhancement of forest resource productivity,
• Maintenance and enhancement of social, economic, cultural spiritual benefits, and
• Providing the appropriate policy, legal and institutional framework

NWPC 2023 prescribes that state forest departments engage in continuous data collection and updation in a centralized database.

It enables state forest departments to measure the effectiveness of their management practices against the prescriptions of the working plans.

Standards

• “Indian Forest Management Standard” which is a part of this in our code, takes into account the diverse forest ecosystem country while trying to bring uniformity in management.
• The code brings uniformity and acts as a guiding principle for the preparation of working plans across different forest divisions and states.
• The standard aligns with international criteria and indicators for sustainable forest management.

World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought

World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought is marked every year on to combat 17 June to turn degraded land into healthy or fertile soil desertification.

Theme (2023):

• “Her land Her rights.”
• This theme emphasizes that investing in women’s equal access to land and in their associated assets is a direct investment in their future and the future of humanity.

This day was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly resolution A/RES/49/115 on January 30, 1995, after the day when United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification is drafted.