Two-day Training of Trainers on Community Forest Management Planning (CFRMP), Tilda (CG)

ATREE was invited by Prayog Samaj Sewi Sanstha (Tilda-Newra, Chhattisgarh) to conduct a two-day training of trainers on the facilitating gram sabhas to prepare Community Forest Resource Management Plans (CFRMP). Thirty community mobilizers attended this training session. They belong to the Bilaspur, Dhamtari, Gariyaband, Kawardha, Mahsamund, and Mohla-Manpur districts.

The training session was conducted by Anubhav Shori who led a brief discussion on the background of FRA, the legal provisions and the need of preparing community forest resource management plans. He shared the key features of an ideal CFRMP and features of the procedures involved in making it. Displaying videos of successful examples of CFR management planning, Anuja Date went over the key features of ideal CFRMPs. This session was followed by going through the modified ATREE-TISS CFRMP template.

In the latter half of the day, the trainers were divided into groups to prepare a sample CFRMP for a gram sabha. This allowed for discussion on GPS mapping, use of maps for planning purposes, identifying problems related to the forest, and discussions on ways to address them.

On the second day, the session focused on understanding the use of WebGIS and Aamcho CFR in mapping, and identifying gaps in CFR titles and the traditional village boundaries. It was followed by a session on the administrative requirements and documentation during the preparation of the CFR management plan and once it is implemented. Anubhav Shori then presented some sample CFR management plans prepared in Bastar villages.

The participants then gave group-wise presentations on sample CFRMPs they had prepared earlier and received feedback on what can be strengthened or given more attention. After these presentations, participants asked clarificatory questions and they were addressed.