Protection of remaining natural forests

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Protection of remaining natural forests

Natural forests in dry zone have been degrading due to over consumption of forest products, expansion of human settlements and agricultural lands and livestock grazing activities along with increased population. Particularly, easily accessible natural forests and the forests that are close to human settlements are the most affected ones. Conservation of remaining natural forests conducted by the Dry Zone Greening Department is the systematic, cost-effective and environmentally friendly silvicultural approach to rehabilitate and upgrade the degradated forestsin a short period of time in central Myanmar dry zone area.

With the aim to implement conservation of remaining natural forests more successfully, since 2017-2018 the conservation period had been increased to 5 consecutive years from original 2-year and the activities are carried out by developing annual operational schedules.

The following table shows the total area of remaining natural forests conserved by DZGD from 1997-1998 to 2018-2019 by region.

No. Region Total Areas (Acres) Hectares (ha)
1 Sagaing 515,000 20,841.31
2 Magway 1,222,431 494,700.27
3 Mandaly 420,500 170,170.31
  Total  2,157,931 873,283.69

The following table shows the total area of remaining natural forest to be conserved by DZGD by regions under Myanmar Reforestation and Rehabitiliation Plan (MRRP) (from 2017-2018 to 2026-2027)

Sr. Region Total Areas
Acres Hectares
1 Sagaing 14,568 5,895.46
2 Magway 31,588.47 12,771.26
3 Mandaly 19,220 1,965.25
  Total 653,76.47 26,456.92

(1) Natural Regeneration (NR)

Natural Regeneration (NR) activities are carried out in 30% of natural forest areas conserved with the rate of 10% of the area per year as a supporting activity in order to improve both the growth and composition of the forests. The following table shows the areas by regions in which natural regeneration activities were conducted under the operation of protecting remaining natural forests from 1997-1998 to 2018-2019.

Sr. Region Total N/R areas implemented
(Acres) (ha)
1 Sagaing 52,400 21,205.53
2 Magway 124,243 50,279.36
3 Mandaly 43,250 17,502.65
  DZGD total 219,893 88,987.54

Moreover, since 2010-2011 fuelwood produced from natural regeneration activities such as pruning, weeding and coppicing were distributed to the nearby villages of conservation areas. The amount of fuelwood (hoppus ton) distributed through the activity by regions from 2010-2011 to 2018-2019 fiscal year is as follows:

No. Region Fuelwood distributed (hoppus ton)
1 Sagaing 639.42
2 Magway 1,252.93
3 Mandaly 730.68
  Total 2,623.03

(2) Inventories and permanent sample plots

With the aim to have valid evidences to record and assess the changes (improvement or deterioration status) of the conserved natural forests, forest inventories (measuring height and GBH of standing trees) have been carried out biannually (in June and December) by setting 1-acre permanent sample plot (PSP) per district inside the natural forests conservation areas since the fiscal year 2011-2012. List of 13 (PSPs) set by region and their locations are as follows:

Sr. Region/ District Township Location
Sagaing Region
1 Shwebo Ye U Ywa Nge PPF
2 Monywa Monywa Kyaukkar-Shwe Myin Tin protected forest
3 Sagaing Sagaing Minwuntaung Wildlife Sanctuary
     Magway Region
4 Pakokku Pakokku Tant Kyi Taung PPF
5 Magway Magway Yin (4) proposed PPF
6 Minbu Pwint Phyu Shwesettaw forest reserve buffer zone (5)
7 Thayet Mindone Tan Hnyaunt Tin PPF
Mandalay Region
8 Kyaukse Kyaukse Shwe Thar Hlaung Taung PPF
9 Myingyan Taungthar Taungthar Taung reserved forest
10 Meiktila Tharzi Yin Mar Bin reserved forest
11 Nyaung U Nyaung U Dahatsee protected forest
12 Nyaung U Kyautpadaung Koe Kway reserved forest
13 Yamethin Yamethin Kyee Ni Kan PPF

Furthermore, starting from 2017-2018 fiscal year, additional 12 PSPs were established in districts/townships in which natural forest conservation is carried out under new system (5-consecutive year). The list of these 12 new PSPs and their location by Region are as follows:

Sr. Region/ District Township Location
Sagaing Region
1 Shwebo Kant Balu Sabe Nantthar reserved forest
2 Shwebo Taze Ywa Mone Taung PPF
3 Yin Mar Bin Yin Mar Bin Hpowintaung reserved forest
Magway Region
4 Pakokku Yesagyo Shinmataung reserved forest
5 Magway Myothit Sethar reserved forest
6 Minbu Minbu Lay Pin-I Ma PPF
7 Thayet Thayet Settaung proposed PPF
Mandalay Region
8 Kyaukse Myitthar Pyethketywe reserved forest
9 Myingyan Taungthar Taungthar Taung reserved forest
10 Meiktila Wundwin Taunggyi Kone reserved forest
11 Nyaung U Nyaung U Myay Thin Tiwn PPF
12 Yamethin Pyawbwe Pyin Ma Taung PPF

(3) Operational Schedule

The following is the operational schedule by year for protection of remaining natural forests implemented for 5-consecutive years.

Operational schedule for protection of remaining natural forests (First Year)

Sr. No. Activity Implementation period
Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb March April May June July Aug Sep
1 Field Survey
(a)  Selection and confirmation of area boundary
(b)  Developing plant composition map
2 Sampling
3 Boundary Demarcation
4 Camping
5 Guard recruitment (9 months)
6 Standing signboards
7 Construction of inspection road
8 Fire prevention        
  Construction of 12′ wide fire break
  Supporting activities
1 Natural regeneration (N/R)
(a)  Field survey
(b)  Boundary demarcation, Standing signboards
(c)  Silvicultural practices (climber cutting, pruining and coppicing)
(d)  Firewood cutting, compiling, carrying and distribution event
2 Repairing boundary (of old N/R area)

Operational schedule for protection of remaining natural forests (Second Year)

Sr. No Activity Implementation period
Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb March April May June July Aug Sep
1 Sampling
2 Guard recruitment (12 months)
Supporting activities
1 Natural regeneration (N/R)
(a)  Field survey
(b)  Boundary demarcation, Standing signboards
(c)  Silvicultural practices (climber cutting, pruining and coppicing)
(d)  Firewood cutting, compiling, carrying and distribution event
2 Repairing boundary (of old N/R area)

Operational schedule for  protection of remaining natural forests (Third Year)

Sr. No. Activity Implementation period
Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb March April May June July Aug Sep
1 Sampling
2 Camping
3 Guard recruitment (12 months)
4 Construction of inspection road
5 Fire prevention        
Construction of 12′ wide fire break
Supporting activities
1 Natural regeneration
(a)  Field survey
(b)  Boundary demarcation, Standing signboards
(c)  Silvicultural practices (climber cutting, pruining and coppicing)
(d)  Firewood cutting, compiling, carrying and distribution event
2 Repairing boundary (of old N/R area)

Operational schedule for  remaining natural forests (Fourth Year)

Sr. No Activity Implementation period
Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb March April May June July Aug Sep
1 Sampling
2 Guard recruitment (12 months)
Supporting activities
1 Repairing boundary (of old N/R area)

Operational schedule for protection of remaining natural forests (Fifth Year)

Sr. No. Activity Implementation period
Oct Oct Dec Jan Feb March April May June july Aug Sep
1 Sampling                    
2 Boundary Demarcation                    
3 Guard recruitment (12 months)                    
4 Standing signboards            
5 Construction of inspection road        
6 Fire prevention          
Construction of 12′ wide fire break                         
Supporting activities                        
1 Repairing boundary (of old N/R area)        
Dryzone