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Reserved Forest is forest area declared under Section -20 of Indian Forest Act-1927 (IFA) after following due process of settlement of Rights under Sec-4 to Sec-19 of IFA and enjoys highest protection and status amongst Legal Classes of forests.

Protected Forest is forest area declared under Section -29 of Indian Forest Act-1927 (IFA) pending due process of settlement of Rights under IFA and enjoys second highest protection and status amongst Legal Classes of forests.

Un-Classed Forest is forest area over which State Government has declared its intention to constitute such area as forest under Indian Forest Act-1927 (IFA) pending due process of settlement of Rights under IFA and enjoys least protection and status amongst Legal Classes of forests.

The Agro-climatic zones in the State reflect the diversity of Ecosystems in the state which develop in to different types of Forest Types (Habitats).

As per the Champion and Seth Classification system, out of 16 major forest types found in the country, Four Main types of Forests are found in Gujarat.

Following four main types of forest ecosystems are found in Gujarat.

• Type 3B Tropical Moist Deciduous Forests
• Type 4B Littoral and Swamp Forests
• Type 5A Tropical Dry Deciduous Forests
• Type 6B Northern Tropical Thorn Forests

Forests are classified into various types and sub-types based on broad characteristics of vegetation supported by them.

The forests areas of the State have been broadly classified in 11 categories as follows :

• Moist Deciduous Forests
• Slightly Moist Teak Forests
• Dry Teak Forests
• Very Dry Teak Forests
• Dry Deciduous Forests
• Dry Deciduous Scrub Forests
• Tropical Dry Deciduous Forests
• Dry Mixed Deciduous & tropical Forests
• Desert Thorn Scrub Forests
• Savannah Forests
• Mangrove Forests

Forest Survey of India carry-out assessment of Forest cover and its changes at the interval of two years. The forest cover as assessed by Forest Survey of India includes all lands which has a tree canopy density of 10 percent and above and have a minimum area of one hectare. The forest cover reported by FSI encompasses all types of lands irrespective of their ownership, land use and legal status.

The forest cover is assessed using satellite based remote sensing data of LISS-III by FSI.

It includes all lands which has a tree canopy density of 10 percent and above and have a minimum area of one hectare.

Change in forest area takes place mainly due to diversion of forest area for non-forest purposes (Negative Changes) and Inclusion of new area in forest (Positive Changes).

The changes in forest area in the State is positive over the years. The change in the Forest Area of the State during the period from the year 1985 to 2013. It has increased from 19318.30 Square KMs in 1985 (9.86 %) to 21664.99 Square KMs in 2013 (11.05 %).

Management of forests is carried out through Working plan of the forests. Working plans are documents prescribing detailed management of forest area of an unit. Working plans are prepared as per Working plan code and approved by Government of India.

Working plans are necessary for scientific management of forests on sustainable basis.

Mangroves are a group of trees and shrubs that live in the coastal intertidal zone.

Mangrove forests are found in the Intertidal areas of the 15 districts of the State. These forests are represented by 15 mangrove species and more than 100 mangrove associates.

Mangroves are very important source of various non-timber forest products for coastal communities such as fodder, fire wood, honey, gum etc. Therefore, conservation and protection of these ecosystems is very important for the sustainable growth and development of the State. Mangroves protect the shoreline against erosion caused by wind and water currents and also mitigate the impact of natural calamities such as cyclones and tsunamis. They are one of the most important carbon sinks in coastal and intertidal regions and are the major producers of intertidal areas. Thus, it is very important to have a developed and healthy mangrove cover for the socio- economic security of coastal areas.

Gujarat is the only state which has registered an increase of 45 sq km of mangrove cover. (FSI, 2013) in last decade. Gujarat hosts the second largest(after WB) mangrove cover (1103 sq km) of the country (4628 sq km). It is spread over Districts of the state, i.e. Kachchh, Jamnagar, Rajkot, Porbandar, Devbhoomi Dwarika, Amreli, Junagadh, Gir- Somnath, Bhavnagar, Ahmedabad, Anand, Bharuch, Surat, Navsari and Valsad districts.

Change in mangrove cover of Gujarat over the last decade is as follows :

Mangroves protect the shoreline against erosion caused by wind and water currents and also mitigate the impact of natural calamities such as cyclones and tsunamis by acting as shelter belt for the shore line.

Mangroves are very important source of various non-timber forest products for coastal communities such as fodder, fire wood, honey, gum etc. Thus, these ecosystems are very important for the sustainable growth and development of the State.

Following are major Mangrove species found in Gujarat.

Grass lands of Saurashtra, Kachchh and Central Gujarat region, managed by Gujarat Forest Department for grass production are known as "Vidis” in local vernacular.

There are mainly two types of vidis in Gujarat, i.e.

• Reserved Grass Vidis
• Non- Reserved Grass Vidis

Average Annual Grass production from the Grass vidis of the state at present is approximately 100 lac KGs.

Grass storage capacity of the Grass Godowns of the state at present is approximately 400 lac KGs.

Gujarat State is prone to frequent Draughts and scarcity conditions. Cattle breeding is one of the major occupations in this region. In fact, there are communities which solely depend on cattle breeding in the state. Since the animal husbandry is very important in the state, the storage of Grass is also very important to save cattle during frequent Scarcity periods in the state.

The grass collected from the reserved grasslands by the Forest Department is stored as buffer stock to meet the fodder requirement during scarcity conditions as per the state Government order of Agriculture Department PRY/102004/grass/1/G dated 31/8/2006. This grass is distributed by the Revenue Department during scarcity conditions as per the latest rate sanctioned by the Government of Gujarat.

Joint Forest Management (JFM) is a programme in which the forest areas are jointly managed by the local communities along with Forest Department on a care and share basis. The local people help in the development and protection of forests and, in return, they get bamboos, small timbers, and a share in the final harvest of timber in addition to the Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs).

Joint Forest Management is being implemented in the Gujarat State since the year 1991.

Continuous efforts are made to involve more and more people in JFM. As a result of these efforts, as many as 3414 Joint Forest Management Committees (JFMCs) are registered in the State covering an Forest area of 458303.20 ha. under JFM.

E-Auction is an method of online auction where registered bidders (in this case timber merchants) submit their offers electronically for the timber lots from various depots put for auction and displayed on the website. It is a Gujarat Forest Departments’ novel initiative using of Information and communications technology (ICT) to improve efficiency, effectiveness, transparency and the accountability of the entire timber auction process.

E-Auction of Timber is impartial, transparent and more effective method of Timber Auction. It does not require presence of auctioneer or bidder at the site of Timber depot and one can participate in it from practically anywhere. It removes likelihood of human error and possibilities of rigging in the traditional open auction.

E-Auctions are hoisted by (n) Code Solutions on behalf of Gujarat Forest Department. One needs to get registered with (n) Code Solutions by paying necessary registration fee and deposits for E-Auction. Once authorization and digital signature is obtained from (n) Code Solutions, one can take part in E-auctions.

This wing undertakes lot of activities and all of them are people centric but the main schemes benefiting individual beneficiaries are as follows

• Van Mahotsav
• Farm Land plantation
• Decentralized People’s Nurseries

• This is a scheme through which the department raises large number of seedlings with the sole purpose of distributing among people.
• In very limited cases like gram Panchayat, schools, government departments etc these seedlings are given free of cost. For others it is given with cost. But the cost is also very nominal.
• The cost of the seedlings depend on the size :
  • 10X 20 Cm - Rs 0.75 Per Plant
  • 15X25 Cm - Rs 1.00 Per Plant
  • 20X30 Cm - Rs 2.00 Per Plant
• Any one can take the seedlings raised under this scheme ,after paying their prescribed cost , directly from the departmental nurseries as a matter of right as long as seedlings are actually available. There is no need for any recommendation from anyone. The payment can be made at the nurseries itself.
• In addition to this if few villagers decide to buy at least 1200 plants of 15X25 cm size or 2500 plants of 10X20 cm size, and they deposit the cost of plants in nursery then the plants will be transported to the village free of cost.

You can visit any of the nurseries select the seedlings and take them after paying the cost then and there itself.

Government can very well give the seedlings free of cost but it is proved beyond doubt that while doing so lot of seedlings are wasted and people never develop any belongingness to the plants. Moreover the cost of seedling is so nominal that it can never be a deterrent. This way we can distinguish between genuinely interested person from one who wants to just show off. Just imagine a simple cup tea also cost Rs 5.00 where a seedling which can grow into a tree is costing just Rs 1.00. So is the cost really deterrent?

• Under this scheme the department undertakes plantation on the fields of small and marginal farmers. The species selection is as per the choice of the farmer. The ownership of thus raised plants remain with the farmer.
• The activities of raising nursery, plantation, weeding etc. are done by the department. On top of this compensation is also provided if the survival percentage is more than 50%.
• Anyone seeking to take benefit of this scheme should apply by October.

• In this scheme we give target to anyone to raise the seedling. Compensation of Rs 1.15 per plant raised is given in three instalments. Usually the target is kept as 20000. So if the applicant can raise the all the 20000 seedlings then he can get Rs 23000 over a period of 7-8 months.
• The ownership of the seedlings raised remains with the beneficiary. He can sell it or use it without any permission from anyone.
• Though the scheme is open to all but preference is given to a person who can keep a piece of land reserved for the purpose of nursery for minimum twelve months. In other words preference is given to one who plans to undertake the nursery activity as a commercial activity and not just a seasonal activity on that piece of land.
• Anyone seeking to take benefit of this scheme should apply by October.

As of now there is no scheme of giving grant to NGO or for that matter anyone for undertaking afforestation activity. All the plantation activity is done departmentally. Nevertheless there are many ways NGOs and other such institution can take advantage of the schemes and get mutually benefited.

• They can promote the "Farm land” plantation activities in their project area. All they have to do is to motivate and put an application to the division. This way they can get the benefit of convergence.
• Similarly they can educate someone in there project area and motivate him to take up DCP. It could be a very good income generating activity.
• NGO’s can take seedlings from our nurseries with cost, transport them and sell them to the villagers at higher costs.
• Nevertheless you can meet personally or at least send your contact address so that whenever there is any possibility for any association you may be contacted.

• You must have heard lot about various problems like global warming, might have written essays, took part in debates but now it is time for some real action.
• Planting trees by your own hand is not the only way to help environment. You can very well educate the people living near you regarding the above mentioned schemes of forest department.
• You can also form a small group and visit the villagers and educate them.
• You can at least send a link of this website to all your friends and request them to propagate the schemes. So never undermine your potential in this endeavour.

• Big trees and small flowering plants have different roles to play in our environment. Whereas small plants provide beauty big plants provide much more vital oxygen in the environment. You must have read in your school days that plants by photosynthesis take in carbon dioxide. While all plants undertake photosynthesis but in trees only the sequestered carbon is stored in form of wood and hence can be stored for a longer period. A complete note "Importance of tree in combating Global Warming." on this topic is kept on this site and the same can be downloaded.
• Department does raise flowering plants but in a very small quantity. Our main aim is to promote tree planting.

You are probably the best person to impart this sensitivity in your students. Apart from simply making them aware you can encourage them to propagate the schemes to villagers. You can have some kind of competition as to who can motivate maximum number of villagers to take seedlings under Van Mahotsav scheme.

Every person however common he may think of himself will have something by which he can contribute in this effort. Some will have money, some will have land, some will have social standing, some will have time etc. You are the best judge to judge your strengths. The message that has to be spread is very simple. A time has come when tree should be planted in every possible place and Forest Department is providing the seedlings to general public at nominal costs. People should take them and plant them.

• Kindly do not look at this as if you are promoting schemes of forest department. Forest department does not gain anything commercially from this nor is this the motive. You are in fact helping a common man by helping him to grow trees by educating him of the schemes which is for him only.
• It is also not necessary that you talk about our schemes. You can very well encourage them to take seedlings from any place of their choice from any agency. That is totally secondary issue. The main issue is promotion of planting trees. If you feel that someone can benefited from these schemes tell him else just motivate him to grow more trees.
• We do not plan to give any monetary incentive for this. We are looking for people who are really genuinely interested in protecting environment. But though we are not giving monetary incentive, we guarantee you that you will get immense satisfaction and happiness which no amount of money would have given. Just pause and think.

The land/area declared as forest under various sections of Indian Forest Act, 1927, registered in Government records, as well as any areas as forest, as per dictionary meaning, as per order of Hon’ble Supreme Court, in the writ petition No.202/1995 is covered under Forest Conservation Act, 1980.

Mining in forest land, collection of sand, stones and minerals from rivers, ravines and from any other parts of Forest land, laying of Electric line/ Cable/ optic fibres / Telephones line/ Gas pipeline, in the forest area; any construction activities, storage of goods for commercial purpose, construction of Dams for irrigation, construction of retaining wall to stop entering Sea-water etc. are examples of activities, considered as Non-forest use.

Any Indian citizen, Voluntary origination, Industrial unit or company, any Government/Semi-Government origination which has no alternative for use of forest land may demand forest land.

The permission of proposal for diversion of forest land is granted by Ministry of Environment and Forests and Climate Change, Government of India.

• If the proposal for diversion of forest land is up to 5 hactare, subject to specific conditions, powers to grant permission lies with Additional Principal chief conservator of forests, Regional Office, Bhopal under Ministry of Environment and Forests and Climate Change, Government of India.
• For the proposal of diversion of forest land between 5 ha. and 40 ha., subject to specific conditions, powers to grant permission lies with Regional Office Bhopal, Ministry of Environment and Forests and Climate Change, Government of India. Additional Principal chief conservator of forests, Regional Office, Bhopal MOEFCC, Government of India, issues order on the basis of recommendations of regional committee.
• For the proposal of diversion of forest land beyond 40 ha and all proposals of mining and irrigation dams, the proposal is submitted to Ministry of Environment and Forests and Climate Change, Government of India, New delhi.

Yes, General Approvals have been granted to the State Government for undertaking following public utility projects in the forest land subject to various parameters/conditions.

• Underground laying of Optical Fiber cables.
• Underground laying of Electric cables.
• Underground laying of Telephones lines.
• Laying of Drinking Waters supplies pipelines.
• Underground laying of PNG/CNG pipelines.

Conditions:

• No tree felling of tree is involved;
• The area should be outside the National Parks/Wild Life sanctuary;
• Diversion of forest land for widening should be within the Right of way ( ROW),
• The work should be carried out within maximum size of trench of two meters depth and one meter width.

For developing infrastructure facilities, 13 basic amenities have been identified under FRA, ( eg. Pertaining to health, education, drinking water, approach roads, drainage, water tanks etc), for which forest land up to 1 hectare, can be diverted at state level.

As per GoI guidelines selection of Non-Forest land for Compensatory Afforestation is to be done in the district in which diversion of forest land has been proposed.

Besides above, following priorities for selection of Non-forest area has been decided by Government of Gujarat.

• Whenever any forest land for diversion in Kutch District is proposed, land useful for conservation of Great Indian Bustard as well as Non-forest land in proximity of forest land should be given priority for Compensatory Afforestation.
  
  Whenever any forest land for diversion in the lion habitat districts Junagadh, Amreli & Bhavnagar is proposed for Non-forest use, Non-forest land useful for habitat & movement of lions in the broad Gir area should be given priority.
• Whenever Non-forest land is not available in the forest land diverted districts, Non-forest land useful for conservation of Great Indian Bustard in Abdasa Taluka in Kutch District is to be given priority in selection.
• Priority should be given for Non-forest land in Junagadh, Amreli and Bhavnagar districts which is useful for lion corridor in broad Gir area.
• Priority should be given for Non-forest land in the other districts of the circle in which forest land for diversion is proposed.
• Priority should be given for Non-forest land in proximity of existing forest land in the other districts of the State.
• Priority should be given for Non-forest land in proximity to existing National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary or useful for the corridor links to Wildlife Sanctuaries.
• state government has established land bank for providing land for compensatory afforestation for government development projects in districts of Surendranagar, Jamnagar, Kutch.

Non-forest land for Compensatory Afforestation in lieu of diversion of forest land is not required to be given in the following circumstances.

• For diversion of forest land up to 1 hectare under FRA,
• For laying of Transmission line upto 220KV.
• In cases where tree plantation is done along both the sides of public main Roads, Railway lines and Canal and is declared as Protected Forest for expansion and widening of Roads/Railway lines/Canal.
• For laying of Telephone/Optical Fiber lines,
• Diversion of forest land for the projects of departments of Government of India/Public undertakings owned by Government of India.
• For the renewal of Mining lease for which there is no need to use or break any new forest land.

For above, there is no need to give Non-forest land for Compensatory Afforestation but, the user agency has to deposit money for caring out Compensatory Afforestation to raised or degraded forest land twice in extent of the forest area being diverted/de-reserved. While for above, no Compensatory Afforestation is to be carried out.

The user agency has to deposit amount as NPV as per types of forest for diverted forest land and the amount for Compensatory Afforestation and its maintenance in Non-forest land/degraded forest area. In addition to this, the user agency has to deposit amount for any other additional Compensatory Afforestation or the actives as per conditions laid down by Government of India.

N.P.V. means "Net Present Value”. It is the monetized value of services flowing from the forest area. It is different for different forest types.

N.P.V. has been scientifically calculated on the basis of various parameters. At present the rates fixed for different forest types range from Rs.4.38 lacs and Rs.10.43 lacs per hector. New rates for NPV are under consideration by MOEFCC, GoI

Exemption from N.P.V. recovery has been allowed for the activities in the following categories:

Certain Categories of projects exempted from payment of NPV as per Hon’ble SC orders dated April 24, 2008 and May 9, 2008, as given below:

The license should be be applied at the office concerned DCF of the district. The contact address of the offices are available on the site.

The issuance of new license is given only after thorough scrutiny of Centrally Empowered committee. CEC permits license based on the prevailing policy of the state subject to availability of growing stock. Since at present new licences are pending for even very old applications dating even before 2002 it is difficult to provide any timeframe. But whenever it is given it will be given as per the seniority based on the earliest application date.

License which have been approved by CEC due to the fact that the units existed before 30-10-2002 can be bought or sold after five years of the original date of issuance of license. The officers having power to transfer licenses is provided in GR dated 9-6-2008. Other than such cases new licenses have been given or will be given as per GR dtd 1-10-2012. Such licenses can not be sold or bought.

The license conditions are specified in the GR dtd 23-11-2006

The issue has been comprehensively handled in GR dated 18-4-2012

SITCZ means "Special Imported Timber Conversion Zone”. It basically comprises of 4 talukas of Kutch i.e. Gandhidham, Bhachau, Anjar and Mundra. Since these units basically work on imported timber the new licenses are not being restricted by growing stock availability. The licenses in these talukas can be obtained without much wait. The license fee etc are different for this zone. The details are covered by GR dated 9-6-2008, GR dated 1-12-2011 and GR dated 1-10-2012 for SITCZ.