The Mokokchung Forest Division organised an exposure trip to East Jaintia Hills, Meghalaya, under the Forest and Biodiversity Management Project (FBMP) from August 26-29. The activity was carried out under the Community Conservation Area (CCA) management plan of Mangkolemba Beat, which includes the villages of Khar, Mongchen, Dibuia, Alongkima and Waromung.
Each of the five villages was represented by four participants from CCAs and SHGs, led by Moamongba, Assistant Conservator of Forests, along with five supporting staff members.
The main objective of the exposure trip, as informed through a press release by the division, was to study methods of reclamation and restoration of coal mining-affected areas through innovative approaches.
The team was welcomed by James RND Bamon, Range Forest Officer, Social Forestry Range, Khliehriat, and taken to visit plantation sites under the Meghalaya Environment Protection and Restoration Fund (MEPRF). The MEPRF was established after the ban on coal mining in Meghalaya to promote environmentally sound practices and support restoration of degraded ecosystems.
During the visit, B Lyngdoh, Divisional Forest Officer, Social Forestry Division, Jaintia
Hills (Jowai), gave an introductory address highlighting the ongoing and planned initiatives
under MEPRF. Moamongba, ACF, also explained the purpose of the visit and shared the
project’s theme with participants.
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The delegation visited sites where plantations were established using different methods,
including the Akira Miyawaki plantation technique. The RFO also gave a practical
demonstration of the plantation procedure using the Miyawaki method. He explained that the
scope of the Miyawaki model of dense plantation includes selecting dominant species from
the potential natural vegetation of the area and planting them in a mixed and dense manner
along with multiple companion species. This approach helps to develop a multi-strata forest
ecosystem, ensuring faster regeneration and long-term ecological resilience.
The RFO further highlighted that the Miyawaki method has been identified as an effective
approach for restoring coal mining-affected and degraded lands, with the objectives of: improving the productive capacity of degraded lands; enhancing the conservation value of landscapes; promoting ecological restoration and regeneration; creating Environment Protection Forests (EPF); and ensuring people’s participation in planning and restoration efforts in surrounding villages.
CCA members and SHG representatives expressed that the exposure visit was highly
beneficial as they learned about practical methods of reclaiming coal mining-affected areas.
They also committed to sharing their experiences with their respective communities back
home, contributing towards collective conservation and restoration efforts.
The Forest and Biodiversity Management in the Himalaya, Nagaland Project (FBMP) co-
financed by Federal Republic of Germany through KfW (German Development Bank) is
being implemented in the Mokokchung Forest Division, under which, the batch-1 villages also includes Alongkima, Khar, Mongchen, Dibuia and Waromung village.
The objectives of this Project include promotion of sustainable and effective management of
forest and biodiversity in the state, to support improved connectivity and conservation of Biodiversity, to create and enhance livelihood opportunities of dependent communities, and to put in place incentive mechanisms rewarding communities for effectively protecting and maintaining their Community Conserved Areas.
