Forest conservation facing growing challenges amid human-wildlife conflict: KFRA

The Northern Circle conference of the Kerala Forest Rangers Association (KFRA) has expressed concern that effective forest and wildlife conservation is becoming increasingly challenging due to “politically motivated misinformation and pressure” amid escalating human-wildlife conflict.

The conference, held at Gibbs Hall in Mananthavady on Saturday (July 11), was inaugurated by Santhosh Kumar, Divisional Forest Officer, North Wayanad Division.

The general session commenced with condolences to the victims of the Kalladi debris slip disaster. The delegates also discussed the importance of conserving the Western Ghats in the light of a series of devastating landslides in Wayanad in recent years, including the Puthumala and Mundakkai-Chooralmala disasters.

The conference emphasised that all developmental activities in ecologically sensitive areas should be preceded by detailed scientific studies that consider soil characteristics, water absorption capacity, drainage patterns, piping potential, and other geotechnical factors, with the safety of people and property as the foremost priority.

The conference discussed the Kerala Promotion of Tree Growth in Non-Forest Areas (Amendment) Act, 2005. While the existing provisions provide certain benefits to farmers by permitting the felling and transportation of specified tree species under prescribed conditions, the participants observed that these provisions are increasingly being misused. Unscrupulous traders are allegedly exploiting farmers by purchasing timber at meagre prices and transporting large quantities of timber, including immature trees, using self-declarations without adequate field-level verification.

The conference expressed concern that unchecked removal of shade trees could adversely affect coffee and pepper cultivation, tourism, local climate, and water availability in Wayanad. It called for appropriate legislative measures to regulate such practices and emphasised the need to create greater awareness among farmers regarding the ecological importance of all tree species.

The conference elected the following office-bearers for the 2026–27 term: K. Hashif (president), M. Prabeesh M. (vice president), Rose Mary Jose (secretary), T.K. Vandhana (joint secretary), and Sanoop Krishnan (treasurer). A.P. Sreejith, P. Ratheesh, E.K. Jisha, and T. Nasna were elected as executive committee members.

KFRA president Rajeev Kumar presided.