Centre for People's Forestry (CPF)’s Post

In Series 2, the primary focus lies on the progress of implementing the Forest Rights Act 2006 in India, particularly concerning the Recognition and Vesting of Community Forest Rights spanning from 2019 to 2023. Series 1 concentrated on providing a statistical analysis of the Status of Recognition and Vesting of Individual Forest Rights in India during the same timeline. Vasundhara's evaluation of the FRA implementation in India unveiled that nearly 1.77 lakh villages could access and govern 42 million hectares of forests out of 72 million in India. Despite 17 years since the gazette notification, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs of the Government of India lacks comprehensive information on advancing Community Forest Rights. This includes ownership rights over Minor Forest Produce (MFPs), converting Forest Villages into Revenue Villages, Recognition of Habitat Rights, Seasonal Resource Access rights of Pastoral Communities, and rights over Community Forest Resources. As per the Monthly Progress Report shared by the Ministry, assessing the progress of each right mentioned above poses a challenge. Noteworthy was the necessity for more consistent information flow from the states to the Ministry. For instance, in January 2019, Telangana distributed 721 Community Rights titles covering 300,284 acres of forestland. By December 2023, only 102 titles were allocated over 3,631 acres, highlighting a significant reduction that warrants clarification. Moreover, approximately one-fourth of the claims have been dismissed, with 13 States exhibiting rejection rates surpassing the national average. Despite 16 years of implementation, the Ministry should have furnished details concerning recognising Community Forest Resources rights. Nonetheless, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs has issued directives to the states to undertake remedial measures to ensure the effective enforcement of the Act. Acknowledging traditional rights and customary practices is widely believed to enrich living standards, uphold ancestral traditions, safeguard forest resources, and bolster climate resilience.

We love 🌲 . We know how important trees are. But #TreeEquity isn’t about trees, it’s about people. We know how important trees are, particularly in urban areas, but we also know that there's an unequal distribution of trees in our towns and cities. We want to ensure that communities across the UK have equitable access to the benefit of trees, and want the Tree Equity Score UK to be a tool for planning, campaigning, advocacy and development in every area that has not yet achieved tree equity. Have you found your score yet? We'd love to hear how you're planning to use the tool. Please field your questions or feedback to TreeEquity@woodlandtrust.org.uk https://lnkd.in/d8Zhq845 #trees #urbanforestry #urbanplanning #nature #CommunityImpact #SustainabilityJourney #GetInvolved

#Rights | Under the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006, Adivasi and other forest-dwelling communities can claim individual rights, community rights, and other rights related to forests. FRA applies to reserved forests, protected forest land, sanctuaries, national parks, and farmers’ forest land registered in government records that fall within the boundaries of the village. The FRA states that the gram sabha and the communities living in the village have rights over the forest resources in these areas. To claim forest rights under the FRA, the applicant must have occupied the land on or before December 13, 2005. Additionally, other communities that are traditionally dependent on the forest should have lived there for at least three generations. Forest rights claims are investigated first at the gram sabha level, then at the subdivisional level, and finally at the district level. In the event of cancellation of the claim, the reason is recorded and the claimants are informed so that they can appeal against it. Generally, people who have been living on forest land for many generations, cultivating and benefitting from forest produce, and who depend on forests for their livelihood can claim forest rights under the FRA. In this article, Manjeet Bal and Vaibhav Panda—experts working on the FRA in different states—highlight the challenges that Adivasi communities face in securing their forest rights. https://lnkd.in/dug962pn

Field visits like these are where my passion for agribusiness and community development truly comes to life. Meeting smallholder farmers, hearing their success stories, and witnessing the positive changes in their lives inspire me to continue advocating for sustainable practices that empower communities. It's not just about cultivating crops—it's about cultivating hope, resilience, and a brighter future for all. Every success story fuels my commitment to driving impactful change in the agricultural sector. #Agribusiness #CommunityDevelopment #SustainableAgriculture

In their article in today's Guardian (Trigger-happy councils mowing down our spring flowers? There’s a better way to do things.) Phineas Harper writes that "Systemic problems need systemic solutions. As a campaign to persuade individual homeowners to change how they garden, No Mow May is a charming but inherently limited initiative. However, as a tool to persuade not just individuals but public authorities to rethink their out-of-date intensive mowing and poison-spraying regimes, it can make a real impact on nature recovery in the UK." My local council (Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead) have just introduced an initiative to encourage community stewardship of verges. My application is already in to take responsibility for the patch outside my house. 😀 It isn't a systemic solution but it's certainly a good start in returning agency to local residents. https://lnkd.in/e8_8CWPh #biodiversity #NoMowMay Simon Werner

We heard that Los Alamos became a Bee City, so we were wondering, what does that exactly means? 🐝 The title "Bee City" in the United States implies that the city has taken specific measures to protect and promote the health of bees and other pollinators. This title is granted by Bee City USA: a non-profit organization that works to encourage pollinator conservation in communities across the country. Being designated as a Bee City implies that the city has made concrete commitments, such as creating pollinator habitats, reducing the use of toxic pesticides, public education on the importance of pollinators, and adopting policies that favor their protection. In summary, a Bee City is committed to promoting and protecting the health of bees and other pollinators through concrete actions and public awareness of their importance to ecosystems and agriculture. Did you know that? https://lnkd.in/ddGQdjwA

🌿Community Stewardship Grants🌿 are available annually to support community-based projects that serve to protect and restore the local environment, enabling local community groups to undertake stewardship of natural resources in their local area. Grant applications close 20 May 2024. The Community Stewardship Grants are an initiative of the Western Australian Government managed though the State NRM Program at the Department of Primary Industries & Regional Development. Community-based NRM is directed and driven by local, catchment, or regional scale needs and priorities. It recognises the value of local knowledge, volunteer efforts and strong partnerships. The Community Stewardship Grants prioritise the direct involvement of local community groups in all project stages of design, planning and implementation, through which efficient and effective partnerships between government, industry, and community can be fostered. $7 million in funding is available to support community led NRM activities. The Community Stewardship Grants program involves both a small grants round and a large grants round: ◼ Small grants: Valued between $1,000 - $50,000. Are up to 18 months in duration. ◼ Large grants: valued between $50,001 - $450,000. Are intended for more strategic and complex projects. Are for up to 3 years in duration. https://lnkd.in/g-AUmBBG #agriculture #naturalresourcemanagement #agricultureandfarming #farmingforthefuture - South West NRM - Perth NRM - Peel-Harvey Catchment Council - South Coast Natural Resource Management Inc. - WA Landcare Network Inc - Fitzgerald Biosphere Group - Wilson Inlet Catchment Committee Inc - GeoCatch - Gillamii Centre Inc - Leschenault Catchment Council #NRM

🌱In #Cambodia, the O Taneung community has secured legal recognition of their forest and restored an area threatened by illegal logging into a thriving ecosystem. 🌳A community credit scheme enables members to sustainably manage their forest. Other initiatives, like deadwood harvesting, support these efforts. Furthermore, support from local authorities has enabled community members to reduce illegal logging and land grabbing substantially, demonstrating the impact of secure tenure rights on both livelihoods and conservation. 👉🏽https://lnkd.in/gUtfFpp3 #UNited4Land #DesertificationandDroughtDay

In Karnataka the situation with respect to the Forest Rights Act has remained complicated. In B.R. Hills, the Soligas got community rights in 2010. But after that, there has not been much progress, be it in Nagarhole or Bandipur or other such places. In Shimoga, ‘encroachment’ continues to be a sensitive issue. The Linganamakki dam constructed in 1964 led to displacement of several people. Many of them, who did not get any compensatory land, simply moved to other parts of the forest and were later labelled as encroachers. In the Western Ghats districts, some communities within villages have individual rights over forests. When the village itself is divided between those who already hold forest privileges and those who don’t, things get complicated. Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment Sharachchandra Lele #forestrightsact #forestcommunities #forest #indianforests #indigenousrights #indigenous #adivasi #environment #wildlife #rights The Hindu https://lnkd.in/gVfwZgni

Local Bounti News: Pasco, WA, and Mount Pleasant, TX Facilities Are Operational Local Bounti's strategic expansion with new facilities in Pasco, WA, and Mount Pleasant, TX, reinforces its commitment to delivering high-quality, locally sourced produce while promoting sustainable farming practices. These new operations support local agriculture and contribute positively to community development. Read more here -> https://lnkd.in/eUdjQntz #igrownews #igrowindoorfarmingnews #igrowagribusinessnews