New Delhi,12 May:A four-day workshop on Forests Products Statistics in India will begin on 13th of this month. Recognizing the importance of Forests in Environmental Stability, Restoration of Ecological balance and Income Generation. Ministry of Environment & Forests has organize the system for maintenance of Forestry Statistics to assist planners and policy makers. Besides this India being signatory to International Tropical Timber Agreement (ITTA), various demand and supply, production and consumption data etc. are required on an annual basis. In this context, the Ministry has organized this workshop to establish a network to facilitate collection, processing and dissemination of statistics pertaining to Tropical Timber and other forestry parameters.
The Statistical Training Workshop will discuss various issues which include the ITTO guidelines and approach towards the forestry data requirement in the form of JQ-1 and JQ-2 etc, the progress and approach regarding the project titled “Establishment of a network to facilitate Collection, Processing and Dissemination of Statistics pertaining to Tropical Timber and other forestry parameters in India” funded by ITTO, the problems being faced in non-submitting of forestry data by some States/ UTs, the prioritized species and other forest products (wood and non-wood) and, in statistical terms, the parameters for their evaluation and assessment.
It is expected that the State Governments/UTs will come up with the details of the latest report of Forestry statistics submitted by them to ICFRE in the prescribed format, copies of the Annual Administrative Report of the States/UTs for the last 5 (five) years, the details of existing validated data sources the necessary web site, published documents by the States in this context, if any, the list of working plans approved and in the pipeline for approval in States/UTs.
The Workshop will also discuss removal of fuelwoods, fodder, and grasses through headloads and other means, removal of timber and Non-Timber Forest Products including Medicinal Plants from Non-forest areas, demand and Consumption studies of wood and non-wood forest products including medicinal plants.
Representative of ITTO and FAO, Rome, Italy, Statistical Advisor in the Ministry, Principle Chief Conservator of Forest, Chief Conservator of Forest, Directors, Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM), Forest Research Institute, Kerala Forest Research Institute, GB Pant Institute of Himalayan Ecology, Indian Plywood Industry Research and Training Institute (IPIRTI), Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute, Indian Agriculture Statistical Research Institute (IASRI) and Representatives of some NGOs will participate in the workshop. More than 60 experts are expected to attend the Workshop. The members will also visit Taj Trapezium (TTZ) Plantations at Agra during this Workshop.