National Forest Policy 1988

The aim of this forest policy is to ensure environmental stability and maintenance of ecological balance for the sustenance of all life forms, humans, animal and plant. This national forest policy is enunciated due to the following need:

1. To meet the increasing energy demands of the population.

2. To obey the new directive principles and duties given in the Indian constitution.

3. Constitutional amendments of 1976 and its stress on environment.

4. Marked growth of forest based industries in this era.

5. Need for the guidelines on conservation of wildlife.

Basic objectives

1. To maintain the environmental stability and ecological restoration through preservation

2. To check soil erosion and denudation iii the catchment areas and mitigation of floods

3. To check the sand dune extension in desert and coastal lands

4. To increase the forest and tree cover in the denuded and deeded lands

5. To meet the requirements of the tribal peoples

6. To conserve the natural heritage

7. To increase the productivity of the forest to meet the various needs

8. To encourage the substitution of wood and reduction of wood usage

9. To create a massive people movement and minimize the pressure on existing forest

Essential of forest management

1. Existing forests should be protected and its productivity improved

2. Diversion of agricultural lands to forestry should be discouraged

3. Conservation of biodiversity should be strengthened through national park, sanctuary and

biosphere reserves.

4. Afforestation programme encouraged to meet the local requirement of fuel wood

5. MFP production is encouraged to augment tribal employment and income

Management strategy

1. The area under forests should be a minimum of 1 of total geographical area. In which hills

and mountainous region should have 2/3^** cover.

2. Afforestation, social forestry and farm forestry programme are encouraged.

3. Rights and concessions of the local peoples are suitably addressed.

4. Diversion of forest lands for non-forestry purposes is discouraged.

5. Wildlife conservation is given more importance.

6. Shifting cultivation practices are discouraged and cultivation of perennial crops through

horticulture and tree farming is encouraged.

7. Fire and grazing management is given special consideration.

8. Forest based industries are advised to meet their raw materials requirement from outside the forest.

9. Forest extension, research and personal management are more emphasized.

References 

Manikandan Book