A Life Spent Conserving Forests

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Everyday Tussles

Life as a forest officer, Sharma says revolved around the wilderness but the problems and challenges faced ere not from the wildlife itself, but most often from humans. He says, apart from the known illegal activities of poaching and felling of protected trees which the officers had to constantly check on, one of the biggest everyday challenge was to prevent encroachment of the forest land.

“Even if the village settlements are outside the forest boundaries, the nearby villagers continue to use forest land for grazing their cattle and they also keep entering the forest to collect fuelwood.”

On the other hand, as chief protectors of the forest and its inhabitants, forest officers are also the chief negotiators who resolve conflict when a wild animal enters human settlements. Sharma says, it was a part of his day-to-day job to ensure that peace was maintained when such conflicts arose.

“I have served as Divisional Forest officer (DFO) in a number of Terai Districts of Uttar Pradesh namely Baharich, Pilibhit,  Lakhimpur Khiri.  Panthers, tigers, lions and other wild animals used to cross the wild zone to adjoining villages and agricultural areas. They use to attack the domestic cattle and also human life. In such situations I had to solve the problems of the villagers on amicable grounds including the compensation etc from the government.  This type of problems is always there in above mentioned terai area where forest and agricultural activities go together.”

Disappearing Forests

As someone who has witnessed with his own eyes the rapid urbanization and in turn the rapid disappearance of India’s natural treasure, Sharma is pained to think of the state of forest land today.

He says during the sixties when he joined the service there was lot of love and respect in the eyes of public for forest as well as foresters. There was in general, respect for forest law. Things have changed now. There is lots of political interference. In the name of development the pressure on land has increased and it has becomes the easiest prey, he adds.

“Due to such policies to please the interests of few, the forest land has diminished a lot and is fast diminishing from what we inherited.”

When he was in service, Sharma recalls there were no roads. They were trained to travel on foot on hills.

Image courtesy mongabay

“I remember touring the hills of Chakrata, Uttarkanshi, Tons and Yamuna valley in early Sixties. It will sound very primitive today but we actually toured on foot with our kitchen boxes, beddings, luggage was carried on by mules on forests roads. There was no roads to walk forget motor able roads. We were asked to camp for days which led to lots of interaction with the locals. Things which have become virtually nonexistent today.”

When asked if people’s bonding with nature or forest has reduced, the forest officer has a deep insight to share, something that only someone who has served and practically experienced the changes can understand.

Jayanti Prasad Sharma says,

“People staying close to forests were dependent on it[forest]. Britishers acknowledged and respected it. They officially notified their rights for wood, timber, grazing for cattle etc. The villagers used to love forest and the presence of many temples deep inside the forest show that forest had attained the status of God. Their love for forest in turn made them love the Forester. This love also arose from the fact that forest officials used to provide above facilities judiciously and honestly.”

“Because of political dictatorship, things have change now. I remember a couple of times I refused to obey the unfair request made by my ministers as they were not in purview of law. When I explained to them my limitation they followed it. I am informed by my junior officers that this is not the case anymore.”

Choosing to Serve the Forests

Sharma hopes more youngsters choose IFS. He advices them to join this service with a determination and zeal of serving the country and the environment. He also importantly asks the next generation to not stoop down to political pressures.

Image courtesy ChinadailyAsia

“They must make an effort to change the mindset of people and politicians who have become anti forests, who value monetary gains over our mother nature. For them forests and forest departments are obstructions in their plans of grabbing forests land. They have to take up the task of making world aware of the natural wealth we have inherited and teach them to pass it on to our next generation. It should be taken up as our moral responsibility.”

Sharma give’s some vital career lessons too.

“As you have decided to join IFS, so now it is forests where you belong. Along with office work, field inspections are very important. Make it a habit to visit the fields and do lots of site inspections.  Try not to be an arm chair officer but a one who is a field officer.”

“We have inherited a chain of rest houses in dense and remote places built by Britishers. Always stay few nights every month in them. It helps connecting with the locals in much better way and gives a great command over the area of one’s jurisdiction.”

As a parting message to readers, the keen forest lover advices,

“Please don’t disturb the climatic climax and static equilibrium of the nature. Nature  achieve them in hundreds and thousands of decade. Once this setting of nature is disturbed by human factors, calamities and tragedies are bound to happen. Environment and forests are interrelated and these play a very important role in the formation of” climatic climax”. For all this you have to work towards the conservation of soil, forest and fauna.”

If you wish to learn more about the live in the forest and hear more anecdotes from the field, you can reach Jayanti Prasad Sharma through his mail Jayantiprasadforest@gmail.com or contact him at his residence,

J P Sharma, IFS,

Chief conservator of forests (retd)

G-33, South city

Raibareilly road

Lucknow -25

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