National Working Plan Code-2023 released for scientific management of forests and evolving new approaches

Source: The post is based on the article “National Working Plan Code-2023 released for scientific management of forests and evolving new approaches” published in PIB on 18th June 2023

What is the News?

The Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change has released the “National Working Plan Code-2023” for the scientific management of forests and evolving new approaches. 

What is the National Working Plan Code?

National Working Plan Code is the main instrument through which the scientific management of Forests is being achieved in India.

The code was first adopted in 2004 with a subsequent amendment in 2014.

What are the key provisions of the National Working Plan Code 2023?

Aim: To act as a guiding principle for State Forest Departments in preparation for the working plan for different forest divisions in the country.

– It also deals in detail with the essentials of forest management planning, incorporating the principles of sustainable management of forests.

For the first time, the 2023 code has prescribed state forest departments to engage in continuous data collection and its updation in a centralized database.

The “Indian Forest Management Standard” which is a part of this code, takes into account the diverse forest ecosystem in our country, while trying to bring in uniformity in management.

– This standard would facilitate the State Forest Departments to measure the effectiveness of the management practices against prescriptions of Working Plans.

– The Standards for Sustainable Forest Management have also been codified in the Indian Forest Management Standard, based on long-term experiences of scientific forest management in India and in sync with international criteria and indicators.