Working Plan

Working Plan is a tool for scientific management of forests, evaluating the status of forest resources, assessing the impact of past management practices and working out suitable management interventions for forests for next ten years. The practice of systematic management planning of the forests in India was established during the colonial period, through a written statement of prescriptions titled as "Working or Management Plan (WP)" for a fixed period.

The National Forest Policy clearly states "No forest should be permitted to be worked without an approved Working Plan by the competent authority". Therefore, all forests in the country are to be sustainably managed as per the prescription of the working plan / scheme. To sustainably manage, conserve and utilize the forest resources and to bring uniformity in forest management planning across the country, Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India adopted a uniform code, the National Working Plan Code in 2014, prescribing detailed professional scientific approach and contents for the guidance of the field officers.

The National Working Plan Code, 2014:

• As there has been a paradigm shift in the approach to environmental stability, biodiversity monitoring and management, restoration of ecological balance of the disturbed areas, protective functions of the resources and socio-economic benefits based on non-timber forest products (NTFPs), the revised National Working Plan Code 2014 has been formulated and enforced from 01.04.2014, to address the aspects related to climate change, biodiversity conservation, carbon sequestration and carbo stock assessment, use of geospatial techniques, soil and water management, revitalization of rural economy on forest fringe, sustainable management of forests and peoples' participation, etc.
• Systematic grid-based forest inventory provided in the Code takes care of valuable baseline information for change matrix monitoring and analysis and better scientific and sustainable management of country's forests.
• Current approach of preparation of Working Plan involves two stage preparation process. In the first stage, a Preliminary Working Plan Report (PWPR) is to be prepared assessing the impact of past Working Plan, quantum of record up-dation and prognosis for future system of management. Upon approval of PWPR by the State Level Consultative Committee (SCC), the Draft Working Plan preparation is taken up. The Draft Working Plan report is also placed before the SCC for approval. On its approval Final Working Plan will be prepared as per the recommendations made by the SCC and will be processed to the GOI for its approval. On getting approval from the Government of India, Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate change, it will be communicated to the concerned Circe Head and Division Head for its implementation.

Status of Working Plans:

Andhra Pradesh Forest Department is divided into 7 administrative circles, which consist of Forest Divisions (Territorial, Wildlife, Social Forestry, Logging, Flying squad,etc.). The Territorial Divisions are governed by a working plan and the protected areas are governed by a Management plan.