Concerned about the ever-deepening human-wildlife conflict in Uttarakhand, the government has started working on long-term plans to solve this problem. In this series, a 10-year action plan has been prepared for 24 forest divisions including both the Tiger Reserves Corbett and Rajaji of the state. It has been named FLR (Forest Landscape Restoration). Under this, steps like development of wildlife habitat, water management, assisted natural regeneration, fencing on the forest border will be taken in about 20 thousand hectares of these divisions, so that the wildlife does not cross the threshold of the forest. This scheme, run with the help of CAMPA (Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority), will also expand the forest landscape if needed.
In Uttarakhand, which has 71.05 percent forest area, attacks by wildlife are making headlines every day. Although the Forest Department is making efforts to prevent it, the expected results are not being achieved. In view of all this, immediate as well as long term measures are being taken forward to solve the problem. Actually, wildlife mainly focuses on three points food, habitat and water system. If there are proper arrangements for these three in the forest, then the wildlife will not cross their limits. The blueprint of FLR has been drawn keeping this at the center. Under FLR, steps will be taken for wildlife management in areas which have been identified as vulnerable to human-wildlife conflict. So far, approximately 20 thousand hectares of area of 24 forest divisions including both the Tiger Reserves of the state has been included. Funding for these works is to come from CAMPA.
After marking the area, steps will now be taken to improve the natural habitat of wildlife there. For this, works like natural regeneration to support forest growth, water management, fencing on the forest border, formation of quick response squad in the concerned areas will be done in a coordinated manner.
Selected Divisions for FLR
Corbett and Rajaji Tiger Reserve, Civil Soyam Almora, Forest Division Almora, Champawat, Pithoragarh, Bageshwar, Nainital, Terai East, Terai West, Terai Central, Haldwani, Ramnagar, Uttarkashi, Narendra Nagar, Tehri, Garhwal, Rudprayag, Lansdowne, Haridwar, Dehradun, Mussoorie, Kedarnath and Kalagarh. According to GS Pandey, Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief Executive Officer, Uttarakhand CAMPA, the areas where human-wildlife conflict is high have been identified and a 10-year action plan of FLR has been prepared for these. This is being given concrete form on the ground. With the funding from CAMPA, various works like habitat management, water management etc. will be carried out under FLR.
