Staff Reporter
In a move to promote agroforestry and reduce the regulatory burden on farmers, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has released the ‘Model Rules for Felling of Trees in Agricultural Lands’. The initiative aims to help States and Union Territories adopt a uniform, simplified approach to regulating tree harvesting on farmlands while encouraging sustainable farming practices.
Agroforestry, the integration of trees with crops and livestock, offers numerous benefits—enhancing rural livelihoods, improving soil health, conserving biodiversity, supporting water management, and boosting climate resilience. It also helps reduce dependency on natural forests by increasing tree cover on private lands.
The model rules propose a streamlined registration and approval process for tree felling and timber transit from agricultural lands. By easing procedural requirements, the government hopes to attract wider participation from farmers and wood-based industries, support domestic timber production, bridge the demand-supply gap, and increase export potential.
Implementation of these rules will be overseen by the State Level Committee under the Wood-Based Industries Guidelines, 2016. This committee will guide states in promoting agroforestry and facilitate regulatory reforms for harvesting commercial tree species. It will also empanel verification agencies responsible for assessing applications and inspecting sites.
As part of the process, applicants must register their tree plantations on the upcoming National Timber Management System (NTMS) portal. Registration will include submitting basic plantation details such as land ownership, species, planting dates, geotagged photos, and KML file coordinates. Periodic updates on plantation status will be encouraged to ensure transparency and traceability.
Once the plantation is registered, farmers or landowners can apply for tree felling permits through the same portal by specifying the number and type of trees intended for harvest. Verified applications will lead to permit issuance, with Divisional Forest Officers monitoring the functioning and accountability of the verification agencies.
The Environment Ministry has urged all States and UTs to examine and consider adopting these model rules to promote agroforestry, improve ease of doing business for timber producers, and empower farmers to integrate tree farming without facing excessive regulatory barriers.
The Model Rules can be accessed via the official Ministry website.
