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Guns and Roses: Forest Landscape Restoration as a Nature-Based Solution in Areas of Armed Conflict

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Nature-based Solutions for Resilient Ecosystems and Societies

Part of the book series: Disaster Resilience and Green Growth ((DRGG))

Abstract

Nature-based solutions including forest landscape restoration are part of the key objectives that make up the Bonn challenge. This is a global effort that is committed to by several countries including India that aims to restore 150 million hectares of degraded and deforested land by 2020 and 350 million hectares by 2030. It is expected that the effects of deforestation and degradation providing ecological, social, climatic, and economic benefits would be achieved as part of this ambitious program. Forests in tropics are a rich source of water and other natural resources including wild flora and fauna. It is likely that such natural resources also face the burden of civil unrest and illegal harvest including poaching and extraction of other economically valuable resources under the illegal wildlife trade. Post-armed conflict restoration of such forest areas remains a challenge and requires complex models of landscape-level interventions and includes community-based initiatives. In this chapter, the authors describe one such large-scale nature-based intervention that has been attempted with support of the armed forces. This is therefore one of the first successful case studies to be documented from Asia wherein a unique model of tripartite collaboration (state-military-local community) yields forest restoration results in record time. We discuss that man-made disasters such as armed conflict and wars can be prevented by taking large-scale forest restoration works, besides serving towards poverty reduction and as a means for climate-based adaptation.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    https://www.iucn.org/resources/issues-briefs/deforestation-and-forest-degradation. Accessed on 30.08.2019.

  2. 2.

    http://www.bonnchallenge.org/content/challenge accessed on 30.08.2019.

  3. 3.

    https://www.deccanherald.com/content/246068/assamese-team-bids-record-sapling.htmlaccomplished jointly by the troops of 135 Infantry Battalion (TA) Eco Task Force and 15th Battalion of Dogra Regiment and Haltugaon Forest Division in Kokrajhar. (access date 30.08.2019].

  4. 4.

    https://pnrd.assam.gov.in/information-services/awards-0

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Acknowledgements

The authors feel fortunate to have been on-site during the period 2007–2017 when the Eco Task Force began its activities of forest landscape restoration in Kokrajhar. They are thankful to the 135 Infantry Battalion (TA) Eco Task Force for systematically carrying out the work and sharing the progress report of the achievement. Shri Kampa Borgayari, Deputy Chief of BTAD, Shri G.C. Basumatary and Shri Anindya Swargayari Council head of department-, forests BTAD are thanked for their timely support. Lastly, the forest department personnel of Haltugaon Forest division and the local communities in Saralpara, Ultapani and other villages are thanked as they continue with their support for forest conservation in the region.

Disclaimer. All views expressed in this paper are personal.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Central Zoo Authority, Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change, New Delhi, India

    Sonali Ghosh

  2. Central Academy for State Forest Service, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India

    C. Ramesh

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  1. Sonali Ghosh
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-NEERI), Nagpur, Maharashtra, India

    Shalini Dhyani

  2. Centre for Excellence on Climate Resilience, National Institute of Disaster Management, New Delhi, India

    Anil Kumar Gupta

  3. Knowledge-Policy Management, CGED-Nepal, Kathmandu, Nepal

    Madhav Karki

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Ghosh, S., Ramesh, C. (2020). Guns and Roses: Forest Landscape Restoration as a Nature-Based Solution in Areas of Armed Conflict. In: Dhyani, S., Gupta, A., Karki, M. (eds) Nature-based Solutions for Resilient Ecosystems and Societies. Disaster Resilience and Green Growth. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-4712-6_9

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