Current Science

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access

Forest Laws, for Whom, by Whom?A Concept Mapping Study of the Ecologically Fragile Lands Act, 2003 in Wayanad, Kerala, India


Affiliations
1 Department of Forest Management and Utilization, College of Forestry, Kerala Agricultural University, Thrissur 680 656, India
2 Central Training Institute
3 Department of Tree Physiology and Breeding, College of Forestry, Kerala Agricultural University, Thrissur 680 656, India
 

Kerala enacted the Kerala Forest (Vesting and Management o f Ecologically Fragile Lands) Act, 2003 to conserve ‘fragile ecosystems’ lying contiguous to reserve forests. As this Act led to several litigations and conflicts, the current concept of Ecologically Fragile Lands (EFL) was concept mapped among the different stakeholders, including ‘small and marginal’ farmers in the context of Wayanad district, Kerala. Several dimensions o f EFL, viz. ‘Ecological’, ‘Situational’, ‘Socioeconomic’, ‘Framework’ and ‘Better EFL’ were developed and debated to evolve a more acceptable EFL concept. The study also accentuates the relevance of public participation in conceiving socially inclusive forest laws and policies.

Keywords

Concept Mapping, Ecologically Fragile Lands, Participatory Approaches, Wayanad, Western Ghats.
User
Notifications
Font Size

  • FSI, India State of the Forest Report 2017, Forest Survey of India, 2017.

  • Sax, J., The public trust doctrine in natural resource law: effective judicial intervention. Michigan Law R ev., 1970, 68, 471-566.

  • KFWD, Forest Statistics - 2016, Kerala Forests and Wildlife Department, 2017, p. 125.

  • Government of Kerala, The Kerala Forest (Vesting and Management of Ecologically Fragile Lands) Act, 2003; http://keralalawsect.org/keralacode/act21 2005.html

  • Kjosavik, D. J. and Shanmugaratnam, N., Property rights dynamics and indigenous communities in highland Kerala, South India: an institutional-historical perspective. Mod. Asian Stud., 2000, 41(6), 1183-1260.

  • Daniel, M., Farmers’ suicides and the state in India: conceptual and ethnographic notes from Wayanad, Kerala. Contrib. Ind. Soc., 2012, 1&2, 181-208.

  • Daniel, M. and Munster, U., Human-animal conflicts in Kerala: elephants and ecological modernity on the agrarian frontier in south India. In Fields and Forests: Ethnographic Perspectives on Environmental Globalization (eds Munster, D., Munster, U. and Dorondel, S.), RCC Perspectives, 2012, no. 5, pp. 41-49.

  • Kerala Forest Department, EFL Notification-Wayanad, 2012; http://www.forest.kerala.gov.in/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=495&Itemid=220.

  • Kerala Forest Department, EFL Notifi cations-district wise; http://www.forest.kerala.gov.in/index.php?option=com content&view=article&id=491&Itemid=220

  • Government of Kerala, The Kerala Forest (Vesting and Management of Ecologically Fragile Lands) Amendment Act, 2009; http://india.gov.in/allimpfrms/allacts/2952.pdf

  • Kane, M. and Trochim, W. M. K., Concept Mapping fo r Planning and Evaluation, Sage, Oaks, CA, USA, 2007.

  • Kruskal, J. B. and Wish, M., Multidimensional Scaling, Beverly Hills, Sage, CA, 1978.

  • Buchy, M. and Hoverman, S., Understanding public participation in forest planning: a review. For. Policy Econ., 2000, 1, 15-25.

  • Guillerme, S., Kumar, B. M., Menon, A., Hinnewinkel, C., Maire, E. and Santhoshkumar, A. V., Impacts of public policies and farmer preferences on agroforestry practices in Kerala, India. Environ. Manage., 2011, 48(2), 351-364.

  • Gopakumar, S., Santhoshkumar, A. V. and Kunhamu, T. K., Wild boars: is elimination the way forward? Curr. Sci., 2012, 102(1), 14-15.

  • Appelstrand, M., Participation and societal values: the challenge for lawmakers and policy practitioners. For. Policy Econ., 2002, 4, 281-290.

  • Government of India, Forest Conservation Act, 1980 with amendments made in 1988, 1988; http://forest.and.nic.in/fca1980.pdf

  • Sen, P., Report of the Committee on Identifying Parameters for Designating Ecologically Sensitive Areas in India, Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India, 2000.

  • Kapoor, M., Kohli, K. and Menon, M., India’s Notified Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESAs): The Story so far...Kalpavriksh, Delhi and WWF-India, New Delhi, 2009.

  • Gadgil, M., To Know, is to Protect; 2012; http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/to-know-is-to-protect/article3520629.ece

  • Gadgil, M., Western Ghats ecology expert panel: a play in five acts. Econ. Polit. Wkly., 2014, 49(18), 38-50.


Abstract Views: 330

PDF Views: 122




  • Forest Laws, for Whom, by Whom?A Concept Mapping Study of the Ecologically Fragile Lands Act, 2003 in Wayanad, Kerala, India

Abstract Views: 330  |  PDF Views: 122

Authors

Jiss K. Varkey
Department of Forest Management and Utilization, College of Forestry, Kerala Agricultural University, Thrissur 680 656, India
S. Gopakumar
Department of Forest Management and Utilization, College of Forestry, Kerala Agricultural University, Thrissur 680 656, India
K. Vidyasagaran
Department of Forest Management and Utilization, College of Forestry, Kerala Agricultural University, Thrissur 680 656, India
Joy Mathew
Central Training Institute
A. V. Santhosh Kumar
Department of Tree Physiology and Breeding, College of Forestry, Kerala Agricultural University, Thrissur 680 656, India

Abstract


Kerala enacted the Kerala Forest (Vesting and Management o f Ecologically Fragile Lands) Act, 2003 to conserve ‘fragile ecosystems’ lying contiguous to reserve forests. As this Act led to several litigations and conflicts, the current concept of Ecologically Fragile Lands (EFL) was concept mapped among the different stakeholders, including ‘small and marginal’ farmers in the context of Wayanad district, Kerala. Several dimensions o f EFL, viz. ‘Ecological’, ‘Situational’, ‘Socioeconomic’, ‘Framework’ and ‘Better EFL’ were developed and debated to evolve a more acceptable EFL concept. The study also accentuates the relevance of public participation in conceiving socially inclusive forest laws and policies.

Keywords


Concept Mapping, Ecologically Fragile Lands, Participatory Approaches, Wayanad, Western Ghats.

References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv115%2Fi8%2F1459-1469