By Our Staff Reporter
Dehradun, 22 Mar: ICFRE is organising an International Workshop on “Enhancing Ecosystem Services by Improving Forest Quality & Productivity and SLEM Knowledge Dissemination” from 22 to 24 March in hybrid mode at ICFRE, Dehradun.
The Workshop was inaugurated by the Chief Guest, Ashwini Kumar Choubey, Minister of State, Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), today. Those present on the dais were Arun Singh Rawat, Director General, ICFRE, BK Singh, Additional Director General of Forest (Forestry), Government of India; Pravir Pandey, Additional Secretary & Financial Advisor, MoEF&CC; Anupam Joshi, Senior Environment Expert from World Bank and Kanchan Devi, Director (IC), ICFRE.
In the inaugural session, Minister Choubey said that India is setting new goals for the next 25 years of ‘Amrit Kaal’. He appreciated the efforts of ICFRE in developing a road map for institutional and policy mainstreaming of Sustainable Land and Ecosystem Management (SLEM) in India with the help of the World Bank, as a follow up of the announcement made by the Prime Minister to set up a Centre of Excellence on SLEM at ICFRE, Dehradun, to address the issues of land degradation. He emphasised that nature will protect those who protect nature and reminded that, as a nation, India never exploited nature, instead worshiped it. He stressed on sustainable utilisation and circular economy for conservation of forests. He congratulated ICFRE for organising the international workshop.
The DG, ICFRE, welcomed the Chief Guest and other dignitaries. He said that the conservation of natural resources, forests, biodiversity and restoration of degraded lands could be attained through Sustainable Land and Ecosystem Management (SLEM). This can be achieved through increased participation of the local community, conserving biodiversity, and maintaining ecosystem services. The concept of Ecosystem services has gained global momentum as they hold immense importance for human well-being. Total value of ecosystem services (TEV) for India is USD $1.8 trillion/year. Regions like Terai Arc landscape and Jim Corbett have the TEV of 390 billion (US$6 billion) and USD $2,153,174.3, respectively.
Pravir Pandey, Additional Secretary & Financial Advisor to MoEF&CC, stressed on green finances and said that the funds to be utilised by R&D organisations in synergy so that it benefit the society.
BK Singh, Additional Director General of Forest (Forestry), MoEF&CC, complemented ICFRE on successfully implementing the ESIP in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh and replicate it in other areas.
Over 200 delegates from national and international research organisations from Bangladesh, Bhutan, Japan Malaysia, Nepal and Thailand, Universities, SFDs, representatives from World Bank, FAO, GIZ, UNDP, from ICFRE DDGs, ADGs, Directors of Institutes, Scientists and officers were present during the inaugural session. The vote of thanks was proposed by Kanchan Devi, Director (IC), ICFRE.
