Group 10- Forestation programs

By planting 50 million trees on our national forests, we are investing in healthy forests for today and for future generations. Consensus on the need for international co-operation to combat climate change has resulted in increased attention to the role of forests in storing carbon and the large quantity of C02 emissions that could be avoided if deforestation was halted. Deforestation and forest degradation are the second leading human cause of CO2 emissions contributing to global warming according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. It is estimated that deforestation and forest degradation account for approximately 17 percent of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Furthermore, tropical forests capture and store carbon – since the turn of the century tropical forests are estimated to have removed 22-26% of all human caused carbon emissions.

Developing countries have an excellent opportunity to pursue low-carbon development strategies going forward. Many low and middle income countries are seeking to pursue the twin goals of development and combating climate change. Deforestation and degradation represent over one third of total emissions in developing countries, where many large tropical forests are found.

The Sustainable Development Goals the Sustainable Development Goals underline the need to balance objectives and potential trade-offs between poverty reduction, growth and sustainability. Trade-offs between climate change objectives and other goals International efforts to help developing countries decrease deforestation rates must balance carbon reduction and development goals and strive to formulate clear, coherent models of change.

Several mention the growing agreement on the need to further encourage and promote sustainable livelihoods for those living in or near forest areas and to address land-use issues as a necessary step in reducing deforestation rates and CO2 emissions. Additionally, the drivers of deforestation are often factors outside of the forest sector and therefore programmers designed to halt or reduce deforestation must address a broader range of related issues, including: land tenure, agricultural policies, the potential for climate smart agricultural practices, alternative livelihoods, livestock and gazing practices, urban expansion, mining policies, and other social and economic drivers of deforestation and change in land use.

These challenges seem to stem from unanticipated obstacles and capacity gaps that need to be addressed prior to full programmer implementation. Recent evaluations highlight the complexity of initiatives in the sector, the slow pace of progress and the need for programmers to adopt a cross-sectorial approach. Not only is a cross-sectorial approach needed, but bilateral development providers also need to focus on environmental policy integration and the overall coherence of their international development co-operation portfolios.

A recent evaluation by Belgium found that while many of their programmers had positive results in stabilizing or increasing the land area covered by forests, greater attention could be paid to negative environmental externalities, such as the impact of other programmers on forest coverage.

Community Forestry Management (CFM) has been identified as one of the best approaches for sustainable forest resource management and livelihood enhancement of the community’s dependent on forest resources. The CFM approach recognizes that the communities themselves are in a better position to protect forests, reduce forest degradation and deforestation provided, that they are empowered and facilitated with knowledge of the ecosystem and best practices, technologies, market linkages, access to credit and ability to partner with the Government, private sector, NGOs and other entities.

The goal of this four year “Sri Lanka Community Forestry Programme (CFP)” is “to improve the management of natural resources to support livelihoods and contribute to poverty reduction in the dry and intermediate zones.” The CFP is designed in line with the Haditha (Green) Lanka Strategy and Action Plan (2009) and Caring for Environment - National Environmental Action Plan for 2008 to 2012 (2008).

• The project started field operations in October 2012. 
• By March 2013 work has been initiated in 24 sites and community level Forestry Management Plans are being prepared in those sites. Plan preparation will be over by May 2013. 
• In 2012, productivity was enhanced in 3,402 home gardens 
• Work in another 67 sites will be initiated within the first quarter of 2013 
• Forty-five (45) motor bikes and thirty-five (computers) were provided to the Forest Department to distribute among its field offices, thereby helping to improve their capacity and access 
• A Programme Management Unit states stablished at the premises of Forest Department to facilitate the implementation of the programme.