Forest conservation is the process of protecting, sustaining, and managing forests. It involves the upkeep of natural resources within a forest that is beneficial for both humans and the ecosystem.
This process often involves tending to not just the plants but also the animals within the forest for future generations.
A forest policy in 1952, which was further modified in 1988. According to the new forest policy, the Government will emphasize sustainable forest management in order to conserve and expand forest reserve on the one hand, and to meet the needs of local people on the other.
The forest policy aimed at
- bringing 33 per cent of the geographical areas under forestcover;
- maintaining environmental stability and to restore forests where ecological balance was disturbed;
- conserving the natural heritage of the country, its biological diversity and genetic pool;
- iv. checks soil erosion, extension of the desert lands and reduction of floods and droughts;
- v. increasing the forest cover through social forestry and afforestation on degraded land;
- VI. increasing the productivity of forests to make timber, fuel, fodder and food available to rural population dependant on forests, and encourage the substitution of wood;
- VII. creating of a massive peoples movement involving women to encourage
- VIII. planting of trees, stop felling of trees and thus, reduce pressure on the existing forest
