Strategies
The state has been conservative in setting targets for all areas of terrestrial ecosystem conservation and restoration. If more ambitious targets are to be embraced, resources in the form of finances, trained human resource, land availability, effective monitoring mechanisms, etc. will be required. The state thus envisages the following strategies:
Target 1.1
By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services. In particular, forests, wetlands, mountains and dry lands, in line with obligations under international agreements.
The state will adopt the National Wetland Strategy that has been formulated as part of the Capacity 21 project. The state is in process to constitute a Pond Development Authority for conservation, development and protection of water bodies. The objectives of the strategy are:
Conservation and management, prevention of loss and restoration and sustainable use of wetlands.
Planning, managing and monitoring of wetlands.
Use of wetlands in community land without changing the wetland status and ecosystem.
Participation of stakeholders.
Amending legislation, inter-ministerial responsibilities and cross sectoral coordination.
Capacity building in government and other institutions.
Public and corporate awareness and international cooperation.
Researching the dynamics of wetland ecosystems for preparing management strategies for mitigation of problems like uncontrolled growth of weeds and pollution and also in the restoration of wetlands. Research to also cover study of economic value and benefits of wetlands.
Pursuant to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands 1981, the Bijnor to Narora belt of River Ganga is being adopted for conservation of ecological character.
Sharing the interstate water by interlinking rivers and water bodies.
To reduce fertiliser run-off and consequent pollution of surface water bodies, creating awareness on more efficient irrigation systems as opposed to flooding.
Construction and operationalisation of sewage treatment plants to cover all municipality areas.
Establish online effluent quality monitoring network covering all industrial units requiring environmental clearance.
Intensive and continuous campaigns for awareness on all water related aspects – the real worth of water, health and economic losses due to polluted water, wastages and shortages.
Target 1.2
By 2020, promote the implementation of sustainable management of all types of forests, halt deforestation, restore degraded forests and substantially increase afforestation and reforestation globally
Promotion of agroforestry by targeting planting of 1 crore saplings every year across the state under the National Agriculture Mission.
To maximise participatory forest management in reserve forest and protected forest areas by increasing participation in Joint Forest Management and Eco-Development Committees. Funds to be sourced from external funding agencies, Government of India and state government.
Undertakingmeasurestoimproveproductivity of forests by ensuring that certified seeds and high quality planting material are used.
Use of improved nursery management techniques in all nurseries (about 700) and plantations (about 6,000) of Department of Forest.
Support LPG distribution and biogas promotion schemes to reduce pressure on fuelwood use by poors.
Develop a Forest Management Information System for better management of forest resources.
Digitisation of data on forest boundaries.
Target 1.3
By 2020, combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil including land affected by desertification, drought and floods, and strive to achieve a land-degradation neutral world
Mapping of degraded community lands.
Extension of land reclamation/soil improvement activities to all degraded land areas in 25 selected districts.
Increasing agricultural production and productivity by improving efficiency and soil health.
Reduce cost of cultivation by way of better crop management, use of cost effective locally available inputs and adoption of new technologies.
Promoting agriculture based industries in order to make landless labour self-dependent and decrease dependency on agriculture.
Target 1.4
By 2030, ensure the conservation of mountain ecosystems, including their biodiversity in order to enhance their capacity to provide benefits that are essential for sustainable development.
Target 1.5
Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity and by 2020, protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species.
Effective implementation of Biological Diversity Act 2002, Biodiversity Rules 2004 and Guidelines on Access to Biological Resources and Associated Knowledge and Benefits Sharing Regulations 2014 at Gram Sabha level/grassroots level.
Bring commercial utilisation of bio-resources within the ambit of Biological Diversity Act 2002, BiodiversityRules 2004 and Guidelines on Access to Biological Resources and Associated Knowledge and Benefits Sharing Regulations 2014 so that there is harmony between sustainable growth, availability of bio-resources and their commercial utilisation.
Notification of Biodiversity Heritage Sites for in-situ conservation of flora and fauna.
Mapping of wildlife and biodiversity and digitisation of baseline data of flora and fauna (People's Biodiversity Register) of the 9 agro- climatic zones of the state.
Conducting baseline survey of flora and fauna in the Vindhyachal and Bundelkhand regions of Uttar Pradesh for biodiversity conservation in mountain ecosystems, with participation of Botanical Survey of India and Zoological Survey of India. The findings of Botanical Survey of India and Zoological Survey of India to be applied for protection, preservation, rehabilitation and introduction of those species which are on the verge of extinction/ endangered.
Strengthening capacity (human and financial resources) of existing four Forest Research Centres (Varanasi, Bareilly, Gorakhpur and Lucknow).
-situ and ex-situ conservation of endangered flora and fauna.
Undertake measures to check ground fire through division level quick response teams; local villagers to be educated through all joint forest management committees for supporting quick response teams.
Protection of forests by checking illicit felling of trees, illicit mining and encroachment, with the help of regular and intensive monitoring and patrolling; participation of villagers to be encouraged through joint forest management committees/eco-development committees.
Participatory forest management through existing 2683 joint forest management/eco- development committees.
Further development of eco-tourism in wilderness areas including national parks, wildlife and bird sanctuaries, creating employment opportunities in hospitality sector for local people.
Promote awareness for forest and wildlife conservation in school children by organising competitions and visits for children to wilderness areas including wildlife parks and sanctuaries.
Creating in-situ biodiversity banks by protecting and controlling access to areas earmarked for live gene banking.
Explore possibility of allocation of part income from royalty/proceeds from forest resources for biodiversity conservation, or from other agencies like National Biodiversity Board.
Prevention of fragmentation of forest areas andprotected areas (wildlife areas) and recreating forests where fragmentation has already taken place& re-establishment of the proper corridor.
Ensure conservation of endemic species.
Target 1.6
Promote fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources and promote appropriate access to such resources, as internationally agreed.
Participatory forest management will be promoted by strengthening local institutions like self-help groups to ensure socio-economic sustenance of people of forest fringe villages. More than 2,800 existing self-help groups will be supplemented by more such groups in future.
Implementation of Biological Diversity Act 2002, Biodiversity Rules 2004 through Biodiversity Management Committees at Gram Panchayat level and at other (urban and rural) local bodies.
Support sectoral departments in forming an integrated mechanism at district level, directorate level and at government level to implement the Guidelines on Access to Biological Resources and Associated Knowledge and Benefits Sharing Regulations 2014. This shall ensure fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the commercial utilisation of genetic and biological resources.
Transfer accrued benefits to bio-resource growers to incentivise protection, preservation, growth and regeneration of bio-resources.
Explore avenues for raising resources through payment for ecosystem services for local populations, thereby incentivising their participation in better management of forest resources.
Launch the multiple/vertical canopy afforestation scheme so that optimum biodiversity may be raised in a scarce available space. This includes grass and herbs at lower canopy level, dwarf trees and shrubs at midcanopy level and tall trees for top canopy level so that optimum utilisation of land takes place and diversity of bio-resources is enhanced.
Development of animal husbandry, dairy, poultry, fish-culture, apiculture, horticulture, aquaculture, sericulture and mushroom cultivation.
Encouraging development of infrastructure at rural level for supply of quality inputs, transportation and marketing of goods to enable equitable sharing of benefits of biological resources.
Target 1.7
Take urgent action to end poaching and trafficking of protected species of flora and fauna and address both demand and supply of illegal wildlife products .
Protection of forest by checking illicit felling of trees, illicit mining and encroachment.
Development of natural habitats for breeding and protection of birds.
Development of forest management information system (MIS) based on geographical information system (GIS).
Establish, activate and strengthen division- level quick response teams to resolve human- animal conflict.
Use of unmanned airborne vehicles (UAV), sensors, satellite based monitoring/tracking protocols.
Undertake fencing of forest tracts in phased manner to reduce incidences of poaching and illegal felling.
Undertaking Forest Certification for sustainable harvesting of forest resources.
Target 1.8
By 2020, introduce measures to prevent the introduction and significantly reduce the impact of invasive alien species on land and water ecosystems and control or eradicate the priority species.
Adopt National Wetland Strategy under Capacity 21 project for researching the dynamics of wetland ecosystems, preparing management strategies for mitigation of problems like uncontrolled growth of weeds and pollution and restoration of wetlands.
Undertake measures for eradication of invasive alien species like lantana, water hyacinth and ipomoea, etc.,for better health of the forest.
Target 1.9
By 2020, integrate ecosystems and biodiversity values into national and local planning, development processes, poverty reduction strategies and accounts.
Implement Rashtriya Gram SwarajAbhiyan (RGSA) to facilitate Panchayati Raj Institutions to develop governance capabilities to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals. Towards this, the state will invest in the capacity building of elected representatives and government functionaries at Gram Panchayat level on Gram Panchayat Development Plan exercise so that planning for afforestation and biodiversity conservation are included in the GPDP.
Undertake regionalisation of agricultural research, and support research and development (R&D) on frontier areas of science like biotechnology, gene engineering, remote sensing technologies and pre- and post-harvest technologies.
Support development of technologies to improve understanding of water resources and their management and to get the most value out of the water cycle.
Incorporate green accounting in budgeting and evaluation of all government programmes.
Participatory approach to urban plantations by coordinating with urban local bodies and residents.
Organising annual workshops and bi-annual trainings at division level for state departments and civil society organisations with the support of experts.
Involve educational institutions of repute for evaluating ecosystems and biodiversity values in monetary terms. This will help in development of one uniform financial parameter for incorporation into national and local planning, development processes, poverty reduction strategies and accounts.
To ensure that the knowledge, the science base and technologies of biodiversity and its values, functioning, states and trends and the consequences of its loss, are widely shared, transferred and applied among all stakeholders.
Allocating and developing mechanisms for channelising 2% of the ecosystems and biodiversity economic values in monetary terms for sustainable development of bio- resources.
Target 1.a
Mobilise and significantly increase financial resources from all sources to conserve and sustainably use biodiversity and ecosystems.
All activities and projects listed above require financial support. Funding is currently being provided by the Government of India, NABARD, Government of Uttar Pradesh and International Donor Agencies like JICA. Efforts will be made to increase the funding from national, state and international sources.
Resources will be mobilised from the public for agro-forestry (for plantation of about 16 crore seedlings, i.e., 1 crore yearly). Ultimately this will help to increase the income of farmers.
Raise additional finances through enhanced royalty from sale of timber harvested from certified forest areas and other value additions.
Explore raising funds for forest management through REDD/REDD+ and CDM mechanisms.
Tap corporate social responsibility (CSR) funding for urban and rural forestry activities.
Explore raising a corpus of funds through the polluter-pays principle. The funds may be deployed for compensatory afforestation.