Abstract
The Joint Forest Management (JFM) programme is an institutional innovation that has much potential in any country confronting the disempowerment of indigenous communities and environmental degradation. The implementation of JFM in different states of India initiated in the year 1992. This plantation strategy succeeded as well as failed depending on the existing conditions of that area. Out of the several factors contributing to the failure the most significant was the site selection. This factor can be rectified using the advanced Remote Sensing-Geographical Information System (RS-GIS) approach. The present study was undertaken for identifying suitable areas for JFM plantation in the Nandod taluka of Narmada district. The weighted overlay analysis of different themes like landuse, slope, settlement/etc. in GIS mode has aided in giving the precise number of villages in this taluka which are found highly, moderately and least suitable for implementation of JFM strategy, thereby providing a useful input to the forest planners.
Highlights
Forest protection and the participation of local communities in forest management have attracted greater attention in recent years
This paper describes the significance of new technologies of Remote Sensing-Geographical Information System (RS-GIS) in the evaluation of these sites
A reliable assessment of the suitability of landscape patches for distinctive land uses is an essential prerequisite for sound Joint Forest Management (JFM) Planting land planning
Summary
Forest protection and the participation of local communities in forest management have attracted greater attention in recent years. Earlier studies have emphasized on various factors like evaluations of technical aspects such as plantation techniques, choice of species, site suitability, nursery techniques, survival of plantations and the factors responsible for mortality and community participation which have an essential role in successful implementation of JFM. Site suitability is a broader concept tied to the sustainability of plantations It takes into account forest management aspects and land degradation hazards as well as site quality. The analysis of the existing data and available maps supplemented with on- ground verification would certainly help in implementing the agencies to realistically assess potential suitability of the site and match suitable species for reforestation in a way that JFM interventions effectively support rural livelihoods. The present research was carried out to provide the forest planners information on forest village suitable for plantation activities under JFM strategy in different areas of Rajpipla taluka of Gujarat. This paper describes the significance of new technologies of RS-GIS in the evaluation of these sites
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