Forest certification can help reduce degradation, experts panel observes

New Delhi [India], Sept 7 (ANI): Certification of forest and trees is extremely important for natural resources which will help in reducing land degradation and combat desertification, an experts panel observed on Saturday.

"Certification will facilitate in better management of resources which involves all parameters. It serves as a tool which could be adopted by all the stakeholders to improve the management of natural resources" said A K Srivastava, Executive Director, Network for Certification and Conservation of Forest at COP14 event here.

Saibal Dasgupta, Additional Director General at Forest Ministry, said: "It is important to have a scientific approach. Forestry is a technical subject. Science has a very critical role to play in facing these challenges."

Dasgupta said that government lands for the specific industry can come under the Private-Public Partnership (PPP) model engaging people and industries which are interested in tree plantation. "This will serve as a win-win situation for both," he said.

"Many of the forests or plantations which are coming up in the different parts of the country need to be certified. It will give them a global acceptance," Dasgupta later told ANI.

Over 29 per cent of land is effected due to land degradation in India, he said.

There are different schemes from different ministries to fight desertification and degradation.

Certification is a combination of science, policy, practice, implementation, use of technology while engaging with scientists, policy planners and communities.