Indiscriminate inclusion of all private plantations in ‘forest’ category have impeded growth of farm forestry and private plantations in the country as land holders are subjected to various state rules for harvest and transport of the timber and other forest produce. The suggestion of Subramanian committee to exclude private plantations from the definition of forest is a welcome move. It should allay the concerns of farmers and landholders and encourage them to undertake plantations, which in turn will reduce pressure on natural forests.
Current definition includes various categories of community and government lands under forests without recognizing the rights of local communities. Many such lands were traditionally used as pastures and for shifting cultivation and other purposes. Orange areas in Madhya Pradesh, which are marked for distribution to marginal people, present one such case. Some of the rights are now being recognized under Forest Rights Act, but a new definition with a scope for recognition of local peoples’ rights can address these issues in a comprehensive manner.
India is party to several international conventions like UNFCCC, CBD, UNCCD, and UNFF. It will serve country well in putting its stand more clearly and firmly if it has a well designed definition. Some of the agreements such as CDM under Kyoto protocol require a country specific definition of forests. India defines forest as a land with minimum of 0.05 ha area with at least 15% of the crown cover of 2 m high trees under CDM. Whereas, Forest survey of India has defined a minimum of 10% crown density to be included in forest cover. Due to increasing role of forests in climate change, India will be required to define terms like forests, deforestation and degradation. Many countries across the world such as USA, Canada, Brazil and China have drafted definitions as per their social and ecological conditions. Hence, it’ll be useful for India to have a suitable definition as well.
Forests in India are a source of livelihood for local people and provide ecosystem services to national as well as global community, hence there are myriad stakes. The new definition should be flexible enough to accommodate huge social, legal and ecological diversity across the country and should be sensitive to the rights of local people. Therefore, an extensive, democratic and participatory process including all the stakeholders should be undertaken to redefine forests. It is bound to be a highly complex and contested process but definitely worth pursuing in a large democracy like India.