VISIT TO AMBOYA JFMC
Joint Forest Management (JFM) is the forest movement uniting both the state forest departments and local communities. The Government of India provides the policies and objectives of Joint Forest Movement in the Indian National Forest Policy of 1988 and the Joint Forest Management Guidelines of 1990.
Students of M.Sc. Forestry (II Sem.) were taken on a field tour to Amboya Reserve Forest at Paonta Sahib in Himachal Pradesh, on 15th Feb., 2020, to make them acquainted with one such Joint Forest Management Committee (JFMC).
The Amboya JFMC was established in 2008 with the highest forest area (775.59 ha) under their jurisdiction. The most special thing about the Amboya JFMC is that it is an all women JFMC. Currently, it is managed by 10 women who have been taking care of the forest since 20 to 25 years. They help in protecting the forest from accidental fires, grazing and illegal felling and lopping of branches. They clear forest of the invasive weed Lantana camara by following the method of uprooting and turning them up side down; a method developed by Dr C R Babu of University of Delhi. These brave women have even fought armed thieves who tried to steal fodder from the forest using their cellphone flashlight at night.They had seized their arms and they displayed them proudly in front of the students.
The students were deeply inspired by the selfless act of the women of Amboya RF who spend day and night in the protection of forest for which they have also been felicitated by the Government of their State.
