The State government on Tuesday issued orders for setting up the Tamil Nadu Forest and Wildlife Crime Control Bureau with four zonal offices at Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai and Ramanathapuram. In another order issued on Monday, it constituted a committee for formulating a draft policy on ecological restoration of forest areas infested with invasive plant species in the State.
The Tamil Nadu Forest and Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (TN FWCB) shall develop and maintain state-wide data on forest and wildlife offences, forest offenders and planned wildlife smuggling incidences, the G.O. said. It would use required information technology practices and forest and wildlife crime information in conjunction with various intelligence agencies. "This will help for better adaptation to changing crime and criminal practices in the current context," it said.
The Bureau is expected to create a cadre of well-trained officials from among the government departments over the years for effective monitoring of illegal trade, it said. Improving investigation quality for better appreciation of evidence contributing to better investigation and control of illegal wildlife trade, building informant networks among local communities that live in close proximity to forest and wildlife habitats and mapping poaching and illegal trade hotspots in the State for better action are among the objectives.
The government also constituted a committee to draft a policy on ecological restoration of forest areas infested with invasive plant species in the State. The panel would also identify, demarcate & assess the extent of area infested with invasive alien species in forest areas of Tamil Nadu and formulate a Standard Operating Procedure for removal, disposal and eco-restoration of infested area.
"Most of the exotic tree species were introduced in forest areas of Tamil Nadu like Wattle, Pine and Eucalyptus to satisfy industrial/commercial needs. However, they have had adverse impact on the ecology of the area, particularly in terms of modifying/affecting hydrology, forest/grassland community, wildlife and can lead to intensified man-wildlife conflict," it noted.
The invasion of these species was regarded as one of the major threats to biodiversity and indirectly the non-native species suppress native species by disrupting the food web in an ecosystem by restricting or replacing native food sources, it added.
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