Indo Swiss Participative Watershed Development - Karnataka

cpr management

CPR activities in Kanakanala Watershed

In Koppal district, members of PSMU staff and the SAMUHA team met with the DCF (District Conservator of Forests) (Social Forestry), Mr Gaonkar on 17 July. One result of this meeting was that SAMUHA was invited to attend a meeting of VFC (Village Forest Committee) members on 24 July, which they duly did. The meeting provided SAMUHA with full information on the rules and regulations governing tree patta, plantations and natural forests (see above). The key issue requiring resolution was the maintenance of roadside plantings and block plantations in phase I areas. Many watchers have been employed in the past, leaving the critical question of what happens once they are no longer employed? Who should have maintenance responsibility and rights of harvest?

Tree pattas: Roadside plantings under Phase I were often at very close spacing, using relatively low value species such as Cassia siamea. (This is not the case in Phase 2 areas, where plantings have been of larger saplings at wider spacing, mainly Pipal – Ficus religiosa). The initial reaction of farmers to the idea of tree pattas was somewhat skeptical (see box).

Tree pattas: Farmers reactions in Nandapur, Kanakanala watershed:

“ As long as the Forest Department and SAMUHA is there to protect the roadside tress, these will remain. It is difficult to protect the roadside trees by individual farmers especially from the Shepard communities, who lop trees for fodder & fuel wood. If the entire village come together, then only these trees could be protected”– Mr. Devappa, Jaigi Rampur

“By entering into this agreement we are made more liable. Regardless of any agreement, whenever we are there in the field we will watch over the trees, but when we are not there we cannot be held responsible for others coming and cutting the trees.” – Mr. Martappa, Nandapur

“If we pay for these trees they may die in the drought or get chopped during road widening or cable laying; then it is just a loss. Also, they are mainly shade trees so in the future they will shade the crop more and more and that will also cause losses.” – Mr. Shyamanna, Nandapur

This may be summarized into two key concerns that were discussed with KFD officials, notably that:

It is unreasonable to expect farmers to pay for every spindly plant in very dense roadside plantings. (Ideally, proper thinning should take place before trees are handed over on patta.)
Responsibility in case of damage to the trees by third parties needs to be clarified.

It was possible to meet a certain compromise with regard to densely spaced roadside trees, and to reassure farmers on their rights. As a result, SAMUHA was able to draw up a list of interested farmers (with the survey number, farmer’s name, number of trees and amount collected) for issuing tree patta, and a function was organized in mid September for the RFO to hand over tree pattas to these persons.

Block Plantations: As the only legal option for community participation is to establish VFCs, this process is underway for the plantations of Nandapur and Jumlapur.

Management of CPRs in Phase 2 areas: Rather than focus solely on tree planting, SAMUHA is considering a variety of options for the management of CPRs in Phase 2 areas. Indeed, it has already made a policy decision that 10% of all vegetative cover planted will be of medicinal species. Management options under consideration include:

active encouragement (through protection of natural regeneration, or in selected cases, enrichment planting) of useful local species such as beedi leaf, medicinal plants, etc;
planting of ground cover/fodder such as Stylosanthes, etc;
planting at wide spacing of larger saplings, eg. (locally hardy) custard apple tree;
or a mixture of the above.

Social fencing against grazing is to be addressed, coupled with a clear plan on how grazing/fodder needs can be met in the interim.

Joint planning with the KFD: In order to streamline ISPWDK and government activities in the project areas, it has been agreed with the DCF that from next year onwards, SAMUHA will conduct joint planning with the KFD for all watershed works on Forest Land.