Jaipur: To promote Jhalana Forests as an eco-tourism park, the forest department has proposed a 30km safari route.

“There is a proposal for eco-tourism at Jhalana that would encompass trekking, overnight camping, bird watching and nature camps for tourists as well as students. It is estimated to cost Rs158 lakh. The 30-km safari route, likely to cost Rs 20 lakh, would pass through Neem Gatta, Sikarodhi, Watch Tower, Chitalbada, Lalakund, Kali Mata Temple, shooting range and finally to Jhalana Park-II.

The much talked-about ‘tree census’ proposal by the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) has been put on the backburner for want of appropriate guidance.

The Board’s plan to keep tabs on the City’s green cover two weeks ago received good response. But now, it is absolutely clueless on how to go about it.
It is seeking assistance from other departments, including BBMP and the Forest department.

People claim forest officials seized honey belonging to them; director says investigation is on

The state government has made several efforts to ensure protection of forests and wildlife and curb forest crimes. A fund has been instituted to reward people informing about forest crimes.

Conservation and protection of forests can never be done efficiently without the active participation of the public, S V Ranganath, Chief Secretary of the State, has said.

Emphasising on participatory forest management and development, he spoke about forest conservation with the aid of technology and e-governance.

Ficuscutulata, locally known as chhotabargad located at RariGhat road of Pachmarhi in Madhya Pradesh is the last surviving endemic tree of ficus species in the state.

Says govt will urge Centre to release Rs 227 cr

Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today said the state government would urge the Centre to release Rs 277 crore to the state. The amount had erroneously been deposited in the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority of India (CAMPA) by the Ministry of Defence as the cost of trees under its projects.

The country's forest areas now stand at 17.08 percent which was 7 to 8 percent during the previous government, Environment and Forests Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud told parliament on Wednesday.

Sindh government has signed a memorandum of understanding with a British company to conserve, sustain and mange its forests and to develop an emission reduction programme in forestry sector.