PANAJI
In a bid to give its massive State-wide afforestation plans a policy and financial back-up, the State government has devised a detailed scheme to push forward tree plantation through the Goa State Biodiversity Board as the nodal agency.
Also, five government departments -- Agriculture, Forest, Science and Technology, Environment, PWD and Water Resources -- have been roped in to play their part in the planned afforestation, including identifying land for plantation, soil testing, tracking progress and growth of the plants, research and others.
The financial scheme includes funding to agencies, self-help groups, institutions and others not just for carrying out plantation but also to follow up on care-taking and monitoring the plants for the first five years.
Funding is to be raised from among the public under a plan which encourages private individuals, institutions or any other entity desirous of supporting the afforestation drive to fund 100 per cent of the costs before any plantation in specified land is taken up.
Some of the strategies listed include enhancing forest quality, restoring and increasing coastal defense mechanism, preventing forest fires, support to private forest owners to sustainably manage their forests and derive economic benefit, water and soil conservation and promote ecotourism.
GSBB will be the nodal agency which will then release the funds raised to the individual or organisation carrying out the specific plantation drive either in government land on consenting private land holders.
To ensure sustainability of the plantations, various execution models are proposed including separate plots for fruit bearing, timber, flowering trees.
It also proposes strategies to encourage private individuals to sponsor tree plantation and maintenance, under various thematic ideas including planting a sapling in the memory of a beloved person or on the birth of a child wherein the funds will be deposited for full life of the tree.
Other specific theme based plantations are envisaged on Earth day, World Forestry day, International Day for Biological Diversity, World Sparrow Day among others.
