“What cannot be measured cannot be managed' is as relevant in forestry as in any other field of resource or business management .
Traditionally forests were managed for “FOREST PRODUCE” and Forest managers relied on Topo sheets, Block Maps, Coupes, Felling Circles etc., using Topo-graphical features found in forests.
Post FC Act (1980) and Godavarman Case “FOREST LAND” emerged as an important resource / attribute for management.
Understanding Forest with respect to land records such as Notification, C-Statement, Village Maps, Survey Nos., Revenue Bandhs, GPS reading is essential to protect forest land and handle land related litigation and court cases.
Accordingly, an exercise was initiated to update land records of 28 Reserve Forests.
Nirthadi RF boundary perambulated involving all RFOs selected Foresters, Forest Guards & Surveyors to search, locate and unearth Revenue Bandhs covered under bushy growth.
Lessons Learnt
Many people expressed RF stone/ CPT as RF boundary and did not know about revenue bandhs.
Few staff knew revenue bands but never attempted to locate and maintain
Many people could not read village maps properly to find out bands and tri-junction points
Though few staff did mention about revenue bandhs in their jurisdiction but were not aware of how many village bandhs are there in the stretch.
Time consuming and laborious process
Procuring, joining adjacent village maps, identify RF boundary as per notification, gathering information on adjoining revenue Sy. No. to identify bandhs / trijunction points, finding out GPS addresses of individuals bandhs on the boundary and inside for large number of vast forest blocks is challenge before us
Advancement in space technology and computational capability provided opportunity to map forest areas quickly and reliably.
For each Reserve Forest Block procure and compile (28 Forest Blocks)
Notification
Block Map
All Concerned Village Cadastral Maps
All Concerned updated RTCs
Information on Re-survey No. if any
Survey of India of Topo Sheets etc.,
Scanning of all records to store them in digital electronic form
Procurement of PAN imageries and LISS III imageries pertaining to all Reserve Forest Blocks (28 Forest Blocks)
GROUND TRUTHING AND APPLICATION
Jogimatti RF –
Forest boundary was demarcated as per the Sy. No 24 bandhs and revised boundary trench was excavated, nearly 100 acre of forest land recovered and planted.
Chitradurga Sy No.26 Western Boundary extended to cover adjoining hillock
Bagganadu Kaval RF
Forest boundary was demarcated as per the Sy. No 103, 104and 238 bandhs and revised boundary trench was excavated, forest land recovered and planted.
Lakkihalli RF
Encroachment was found at Sy. No. 17 of Komaranahalli village and Sy. No. 46 of Kereyagalahalli village. Accordingly boundary trench was excavated with the help of GIS maps. Forest boundary was demarcated as per the Sy. No. bandhs 100 Ha plantation advance work was taken in this area during 2011-12 under KFDF.
vAbout 75 Ha Pokal land was found between Kolahal village and Gogudda village in Lakkihalli Reserve Forest.
Nirthadi RF –
Forest boundary was demarcated as per the Dindadahalli Sy. No. 18 bandhs presented to CEC during discussion.
Kudure Kanive RF
Doddabyladakere part Sy No.59 which was a forest survey number demarcated through GPS readings and presented to CEC.
Summary
All 28 Forest Blocks totaling 83,700 ha. forest lands records procured updated and digitized
157 Village Maps were digitized and Geo reference with satellite imageries .
771 Forest Survey Nos. were identified and mapped.
3351 Revenue bandhs both on the boundary and within the boundary marked allongwith their GPS address.
Maps prepared in booklet form as reference
Maps prepared in toposheet scale for display in Range Offices
Maps prepared in village map scale for record and reference material in time of need.
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