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| This post is part of our UP Special (Environment & Ecology) Syllabus Decode with Focused Themes. It is the intiative of ForumIas to help the students prepare for UPPSC Mains. Click Here to view other articles related to our initiative. |
| Table of Content |
| Agro-Forestry (Farm Forestry): The Economic Turn Social Forestry: Community & Urban Focus Current Affairs Linkages |
Trend: Shift from “Subsistence Forestry” to “Carbon Farming” and “High-Value Timber.”
A. Concept & Policy
- Definition: Integration of trees (Wood lots) on agricultural boundaries (Medh) or block plantations along with crops to diversify income.
- Policy Push: Adoption of the National Agroforestry Policy guidelines to relax felling and transit rules for species like Poplar and Eucalyptus.
- Key Species: Poplar (Western UP – Matchstick/Plywood industry), Eucalyptus, Melia Dubia, and Semal.
B. Carbon Credit Monetization (The Game Changer)
- Carbon Finance Scheme: UP is the first state in India to link farmers directly with the Global Carbon Credit Market.
- Partner: The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI).
- Mechanism: Farmers earn “Carbon Credits” for trees planted. The state facilitates the sale of these credits to industries (polluters) at approx. $6 per credit.
- Pilot: Launched in Gorakhpur, Meerut, and Lucknow divisions.
Trend: Shift to “Urban Lungs (Nagar Van)” and “Emotional Connect.”
A. Components of Social Forestry
- Community Forestry: Plantation on Gram Sabha land, canal banks, and railway tracks. Focus on fuel, fodder, and fruit (Sahjan/Moringa).
- Urban Forestry:
- Nagar Van Yojana: Developing “City Forests” in municipal corporations to combat the Urban Heat Island effect.
- Miyawaki Forests: Creation of dense micro-forests in congested cities like Lucknow and Ghaziabad to act as oxygen cylinders.
B. Innovative Schemes
- Amrit Vans: Developing forests near Amrit Sarovars (75 ponds per district) to ensure water table recharge.
- Ayush Van: Dedicated districts for planting medicinal herbs (Neem, Tulsi, Giloy) to support the AYUSH industry.
A. “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” Campaign (2024)
- Record Achievement: Under this massive drive, UP achieved a world record by planting over 36.50 Crore saplings in a single day (July 2024).
- Strategy: Replacing “Target-based” planting with “Emotion-based” planting to ensure higher survival rates of saplings.
B. Green Cover Targets
- Vision 2027: The state government has set a target to increase UP’s green cover (Forest + Tree cover) from the current 9.23% to 15% by 2026-27.
- Carbon Income: In late 2024, the UP government distributed the first tranche of payments to farmers in Gorakhpur for carbon credits generated by their agro-forestry plantations.
