Community participation key to long-term forest conservation: President Murmu to IFS probationers
Addressing 242 Indian Forest Service probationers, the President said forest officers must balance ecological protection with development, engage local communities and strengthen India's environmental security amid climate change.
President Droupadi Murmu addresses probationers of the Indian Forest Service (IFS) at the Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre, on Friday.
NEW DELHI: President Droupadi Murmu on Friday called for greater community participation in forest conservation, saying environmental protection efforts would be more effective and enduring when local communities become active stakeholders in safeguarding forests.
Addressing probationers of the Indian Forest Service (IFS) at the Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre, the President said forest officers are not merely administrators of forests but custodians of India’s natural heritage, with a critical role in addressing global challenges such as climate change and biodiversity loss.
She said forests are central to ensuring environmental security and urged the young officers to prioritise increasing forest cover, describing forests as the foundation of life on Earth. Their work, she said, would contribute not only to India’s environmental security but also to global efforts towards sustainable development.
Emphasising the need to balance conservation with development, Murmu said ecological protection must be harmonised with the legitimate aspirations of people living in and around forests. She urged the officers to work towards solutions that enable both nature and communities to thrive together.
The President encouraged the probationers to promote public participation in conservation, ecological restoration and sustainable livelihood initiatives. She said understanding the concerns of tribal communities, forest dwellers, women, farmers and local institutions would help formulate more effective and inclusive conservation strategies.
“When communities are stakeholders in protecting forests, conservation efforts will be more effective and long-lasting,” she said.
Highlighting the broader role of public service, the President said ecological security is an integral component of India’s vision of becoming a Viksit Bharat by 2047 and expressed confidence that the young officers would play a defining role in ensuring the country’s development remains green, inclusive and sustainable.
The probationers currently undergoing professional training at the Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy, Dehradun, include 111 officer trainees from the 2024 batch and 131 trainees from the 2025 batch, including two officer trainees from Bhutan in each batch.
