Afforestation
Afforestation is planting of trees where there was no previous tree coverage and the conversion of non-forested lands into forests by planting suitable trees to retrieve the vegetation. Example: Slopes of dams afforested to reduce water run- off, erosion and siltation. It can also provide a range of environmental services including carbon sequestration, water retention.
The Man who Single Handedly Created a Dense Forest Jadav “Molai” Payeng (born 1963) is an environmental activist has single-handedly planted a forest in the middle of a barren wasteland. This Forest Man of India has transformed the world’s largest river island, Majuli, located on one of India’s major rivers, the Brahmaputra, into a dense forest, home to rhinos, deers, elephants, tigers and birds. And today his forest is larger than Central Park.
Former vice-chancellor of Jawahar Lal Nehru University, Sudhir Kumar Sopory named Jadav Payeng as Forest Man of India, in the month of October 2013. He was honoured at the Indian Institute of Forest Management during their annual event ‘Coalescence’. In 2015, he was honoured with Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award in India. He received honorary doctorate degree from Assam Agricultural University and Kaziranga University for his contributions.
Afforestation Objectives
- To increase forest cover, planting more trees, increases O2 production and air quality.
- Rehabilitation of degraded forests to increase carbon fixation and reducing CO2 from atmosphere.
- Raising bamboo plantations. - Mixed plantations of minor forest produce and medicinal plants.
- Regeneration of indigenous herbs / shrubs.
- Awareness creation, monitoring and evaluation.
- To increase the level and availability of water table or ground water and also to reduce nitrogen leaching in soil and nitrogen contamination of drinking water, thus making it pure not polluted with nitrogen.
- Nature aided artificial regeneration.
Achievements
- Degraded forests were restored
- Community assets like overhead tanks bore-wells, hand pumps, community halls, libraries, etc were established
- Environmental and ecological stability was maintained.
- Conserved bio-diversity, wildlife and genetic resources.
- Involvement of community especially women in forest management.
Case study
Tamil Nadu Afforestation Project (TAP) With an aim of ecological restoration and biological up-gradation of degraded forests and other lands, the government of Tamil Nadu launched the project in 2 phases Tap I (1997-2005). It aimed to uplift the quality and life of villagers abutting forest areas and to resolve the degraded forests in Tamil Nadu. This is a massive Joint Forest Management Programme. TAP II (2005- 2013) had 2 main objectives. - To restore the ecological equilibrium of the forests, watersheds and adjacent villages of Tamil Nadu. - To improve the quality of the life of inhabitants through reforestation, water conservation and sustained community action.