The two-day Conference of all Principal Chief Conservators of Forests and Wildlife Wardens of the country began on Wednesday with Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar urging them to focus on the four ‘I’s viz Image, Innovation, Initiative and Interaction to find solutions to various challenges.
The conference will discuss various critical issues like Eco Sensitive Zones and minimising human-wildlife conflict, various conservation challenges amongst others.
“Maintaining and improving the quality of forests is a major challenge. We must ensure that degraded forest be converted into moderately dense forest in ten years and moderately dense forest must be converted into dense forests in five years,” said Javadekar while addressing the inaugural session. Forest research institutes must draw up a distinct plan of improving the quality of each forest taking the existing flora and climate into consideration, he added.
The importance of participation of local communities was emphasised for forest conservation. He also urged the officers to provide site specific solutions to various challenges which can be emulated across the country.
The Minister applauded the officials saying good work is also being done and such success stories and initiatives must be highlighted prominently. Seventy-five PCCFs and senior officials representing thirty two states in the country are participating in the conference.
Meanwhile, an agreement was signed on the occasion to establish the world’s first centre of World Natural Heritage and Training at the Wildlife Institute of India was signed. This comes in the wake of recent Cabinet approval for signing of agreement between UNESCO and the Government of India, authorising Director General (Forests) and Special Secretary to sign this agreement on behalf of the Government of India.
India has been selected by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, (UNESCO) for the establishment of this prestigious centre at the Wildlife Institute of India. This comes in the process of decentralisation and empowerment of the member countries of the UNESCO convention. The Minister released a report on management effectiveness evaluation of National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries in India, 2006-2014 on the occasion.