What is Community Forest Resource?
Community forest resource area is common forest land that has been traditionally protected and protected for sustainable use by a particular community. The community uses it to access resources available within the traditional and customary boundaries of the village; and for the seasonal use of the landscape in the case of pastoral communities.
Each CFR area has a customary boundary with identifiable sites by the community and its neighboring villages. It can include any category of forests – Revenue Forests, Classified and Unclassified Forests, Deemed Forests, DLC Lands, Reserved Forests, Protected Forests, Sanctuaries and National Parks etc.
What are Community Forest Resource Rights?
Community forest resource rights are recognized under section 3(1)(i) of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act (commonly referred to as the Forest Rights Act or FRA). To “protect, regenerate or protect or manage” a community forest resource.
These rights allow the community to make rules for themselves and others for the use of forests and thereby discharge their responsibilities under section 5 of the FRA.
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CFR rights, along with community rights (CRs) under sections 3(1)(b) and 3(1)(c), nistar rights and rights over non-timber forest products, ensure sustainable livelihoods of the community.
These rights empower the Gram Sabha to adopt local traditional practices of forest conservation and management within the community forest resource limits.
Why is recognition of CFR rights important?
The FRA came into force in 2008, intended to undo the “historic injustice” caused by forest-dependent communities cutting their customary rights over forests.
It is important because it recognizes the community’s right to use, manage and conserve forest resources, and to legally hold forest land that these communities have used for farming and habitation.
It also underscores the integral role of forest dwellers in the sustainability of forests and conservation of biodiversity.
It is of greater importance inside protected forests such as national parks, sanctuaries and tiger reserves as the traditional inhabitants then become part of the management of protected forests using their traditional knowledge.
But while CFR rights are an important empowerment tool, achieving consensus among different villages about their traditional boundaries often proves to be a challenge.
How many CFR certificates are given in Chhattisgarh?
According to state government officials, Chhattisgarh has recognized around 4,000 CFR rights in the state.
The Kanger Valley National Park is the second national park in Odisha after Simlipal, where CFR rights have been recognized.
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In the present case, Field Director of Kanger Valley National Park, Dhammshil Ganveer visited Gudiyapadar village and joined hands with Ashoka Trust for Research in Environment and Ecology (ATREE) to initiate the application process. Gondi natives and ATRE representatives Laxmi Nath and Anubhav Shori worked with tribals for weeks, raising awareness and helping villagers apply for the CFRR.