Dimapur, Mar. 6 (EMN): Forest fire awareness campaign was conducted at Forest Range office Jalukie, on March 5, with participation of stakeholders from 25 villages from Jalukie Valley. Updates from the organisers informed about the campaign on Tuesday.
The divisional forest officer of Peren district, Dr. Sentitula highlighted the importance of fire and also how forest fire causes imbalances in nature and endangers biodiversity by reducing faunal and floral wealth.
Environmental causes are largely related to climatic conditions such as temperature, wind speed and direction, level of moisture in soil and atmosphere and duration of dry spells, she said. Other natural causes are the friction of bamboos swaying due to high wind velocity and rolling stones that result in sparks setting off fires in highly inflammable leaf litter on the forest floor, she added.
The officer explained that human related causes result from human activity as well as methods of forest management which he said can be intentional or unintentional.
Fires are a major cause of forest degradation and have wide ranging adverse ecological, economic and social impacts, he said.
The chairman of Old Jalukie village, Hainkieng in his speech as villagers voices on forest fire, challenged to chairmen and GBs present that from this year the village chairmen will act as forest ranger officers and Gaonboras will act as foresters and all in unison will control the spread of forest fire and at the end of season they should be able to report to the Divisional Forest Office their success stories.
The chief guest for the campaign, Conservator of Forests (STC) Dr. Kenei Miachieo highlighted about the general forest management and encouraged the stakeholders to initiate and protect the forest.
Briefing the role of village councils in forest management, he encouraged the villages to have community reserves which will act as banks of natural resources in the days to come. He also advised them to go for forest plantation.
The chief guest further stressed on ill effects of logging and hunting in their jurisdiction.
Presentation was followed by an analytical deliberation where the villagers actively shared their willingness to protect and conserve the Forest.
