Village forest communities
- 2. Village Forest Committees (VFCs) Village Forest Committee Such management programme came to the forefront only after the National Forest Policy,1988. The National Forest Policy strongly suggested the idea of empowering and involving local communities in the protection and development of forests.
- 3. Other Names:- Forest Protection Committee Village Forest Institution Van Panchayats (Uttarakhand) Forest Co-operative Societies (Himachal Pradesh) Van Samrakshan Samitis ( Andhra Pradesh) Aim:- Prepare and implement management plans to protect and manage the degraded forest areas of their jurisdiction. Composition of VFC:- The VFC shall be formed for a part of a village, a village or for a selected group of villages. Every adult member within the jurisdiction of VFC shall be eligible to become a member of the General Body of the VFC. He/She can enroll himself/herself as member of VFC with the Member Secretary of the VFC by remitting Rs. 2/-.
- 4. Formation of VFC;- The Villagers interested in participating in the scheme of JFPM may appoint a few promoters to facilitate the constitution of VFC and shall approach the Range Forest Officer (RFO) concerned and declare their intention to participate in the JFPM programme with a list of interested villagers. The RFO shall submit the proposals for registration of VFC to the Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF) having jurisdiction over the area. VFC shall be registered as Associations under different state Forest Act by the respective DCF (Territorial). Managing Committee of VFC:- Tenure- 5 Yrs Conduct day to day activities of the VFC & spare their time for VFC activities. They are responsible for proper administration and active functioning of the VFC.
- 5. The constitution of this committee is as follows:
- 6. Management Plan (MP):- A detailed plan of action of VFC activities is prepared by the VFC in consultation with all its members, the forest department and all other Government and Non-government agencies concerned. MP is effective for a period of 10 years and reviewed after 5 years and also in consonance with the approved working plan. Memorandum of understanding (MOU):- It is the official and legally binding agreement of partnership in JFPM activities. It is prepared to implement JFPM activities by the VFC for a period of 10 years and reviewed after 5 years.
- 7. Duties and Responsibilities of the VFC:- Help Forest department in preparing MP for the areas identified for the purpose. Assist the Forest department in planning, protection, conservation and development wastelands included in the MP. Effectively perform its duties and responsibilities as per MOU and MP. VFC shall assist in identification of land, choice of species, mode of protection and shall also provide necessary assistance and co-operation in protection and management of plantations. Play an important role in enriching the forests by preventing encroachments, forest fires, illicit cuttings, smuggling of forest produce and poaching of wild animals and regulating grazing . The VFC shall access the funds from government, Forest Development Agency (FDA) and other development agencies for implementation of MP.
- 8. (Pictures of Village Forest Committee Metting)