Introduction
In the early 1970’s the forestry activities in Bumthang Dzongkhag was carried out by a Beat Office from a rented house at Joak near Jakar Lhakhang with HQ at Sarbang Forest Division under Trongsa Range. Later on in late seventies it was under Thimphu Division. Before the establishment of Forest Division in Bumthang some of the forestry activities were supported by Helvetas during 1947 to 1978 by a project called “The Dairy and Forestry Project.†giving training in logging, power chain & Cable crane operations, etc. with six candidates in each courses from first batch up to third batch only and the passed out trainees were posted out of Bumthang in the country. It was later renamed as “The Rural Development Project†from 1974 to 1985 providing assistance in preparation of bukharies and smoke less stoves.1
The Bumthang Forest Division was establishment in April 1983 at Lamigoenpa in Lamigoenpa Dzong, the palace of His Majesty Gangsar Ugyen Wangchuk, the “First Druk Gyelop†of Bhutan covering five Dzongkhags, i.e. Monger, Lhuntse, Zhemgang, Trongsa and Bumthang till opening of Mongar Division. 1985 onwards this Division has been catering forestry services to three Dzongkhag i.e. Zhemgang, Trongsa and Bumthang covering an area of 7170 sq km. During that time the Division has a project called “Integrated Forestry Development Project†it is a project managed by Division on the part of RGOB and Helvetas on the other hand, with Divisional Forest officer as Project Manager and DFO from April 1st 1986 by carrying out both territorial activities and project activities (i.e. logging, road constructions, etc.) in all the three Dzongkhags.
The project came to an end on December 2001. The project activities (i.e. logging, road constructions, etc.) were handed over to the Managing Director, Forest Development Corporation Ltd. Thimphu on February 7, 2002 and from that day onwards logging activities in Bumthang, Trongsa and Zhemgang Dzongkhag were carried out by a new Divisions of Forest Development Corporation Ltd. Called “Jakar Division†in Bumthang and by “Zhemgang Division†in Zhemgang and Trongsa Dzongkhags.
On July 28th 2003 Bumthang Division further handed over Zhemgang Range and Trongsa Range along with all the administrative areas of both Dzongkhags, fix assets (offices, staff quarters, etc.), equipments, store, furniture, stationeries, arms & ammunitions, Hammers and staff to the newly created “Zhemgang Division†on July 28th 2003.
Bumthang Division lies at an altitudinal range of 2600m to more than 4250m. a.s.l. with cool Temperate Forest to Sub-Alpine and Alpine scrub. It has an area of about less than 67,0652 acre as Ura geog one of the four gewogs of Bumthang Dzongkhag falls under Trumshingla National Park. The Division shares international boundary of China – Bhutan in the North, Phromrong ridge (TNP boundary) in the East, Zuri Kertsho (Zhemgang Division’s boundary) in the South and Yotongla ridge on the West (Zhemgang Division’s boundary). With an area of 66.7 % under forest cover.
The Division though small in size is one of the busiest Division with rich natural resources of National significance like National animal (Takin), bird (Ravin), flower (Blue poppy)and tree (cypress) are found within its territory of one Range office, two forest management Units.
Vision: Protection, Conservation, and Management of Natural Resources for socio-economic benefit of the citizen of Bhutan.
Mission: Protection, management, development and utilization of natural resources on sustainable principles to fulfill the needs of both rural and urban population by ensuring 60% of its area maintained as forest for all times to come.
Mandates:
- Ensuring 60% of its area maintained as forest for all times to come
- Conservation and promotion of sustainable utilization and management of biodiversity, forest and water resources
- Meeting the long time need of all the people for wood and other forest produce by placing the division’s productive forest area under sustainable management
- Preparations of Annual Management plans, monitoring and evaluation of its implementation by Natural Resources Development Corporation and other relevant agencies
- Provide technical guidance and promote people’s participation in management of natural resources
- Reduce poverty and enhance development by verifying and issuing forestry clearance for land allotment, road construction, telephone & transmission lines, quarry, mining, etc.
- Plan, prepare and implement Five year plans
- Monitor, utilization of forestry resources and implement the relevant laws and rules
Contact Info:
- Mailing address:
- Territorial Division office,
- Department of Forests and Park Services,
- Bathpalathang, Bumthang.
- Phone No: +975-03-631116/631182/631474
- Fax: 03-631131
- Email: dfobum@moa.gov.bt
ADMINISTRATIVE SET UP
1. Divisional Headquarter
Bumthang Territorial Division headquarter is located in Badthpalathang, about 500mts. away from Chamkhar town on 1.36 acre of land. In order to run the Divisional activities effectively following sections are set up:
- Administrativeand Finance Section
- Resource Management Section
- Resource Allotment and Trade Section
- Conservation and Protection Section
- Research and Information Management Section
2. Field Offices
I. Bumthang Range (lower Chokor geog): – is headed by Sr. FR. It is situated in Chamkhar (near town) catering services to lower Chokor geog covering those areas which are out side Dawathang Forest Management Unit. It also covers Tang geog through a Beat Office It is headed by a Sr. FR
Beat Office (Tang Geog): – This Beat Office is under Bumthang Range with and area of 511sq km. within the altudinal range of 2800 to 4900m and above. It is 28 km away from National High way (Thimphu – Bumthang – Tashigang). The In-charge of this Beat Office is a Dy. FR
Check post: – it is under Bumthang Range located at Chamkhar in Chokor
geog set up to monitor quantity and movement of forest produce in transit.
II. Beat Office (Tang Geog): – This Beat Office is under Bumthang Range with and area of 511sq km. within the altitudinal range of 2800 to 4900m and above. It is 28 km away from National High way (Thimphu – Bumthang – Tashigang). The In-charge of this Beat Office is a Sr. Fr.
III. Karshong Forest Management Unit (ChumeyGeog): – It functions as both Forest unit and Range office in order to cover those areas which are outside the FMU area. It has a geographical area of 4715.78ha. The annual allowable cut prescribed for this FMU is 5300 m3.Silviculture system adopted are Group Selection System for fir, hemlock stand, Single Tree Selection System and thinning in your blue pine stands. The area under present OP is compartment no. III & IV of South block. So far 22 Nos. of cable lines have been operated and 4 more cable lines already surveyed and incorporated in present operational plan.
FMU Check post: – is located at Phrumthang, Chumey.
IV. Dawathang Forest Management Unit (Upper ChokorGeog): – This FMU has an area of 17,536.72 ha. Covering Lamigoenpa research area and other side of Dhur village. FMU office is at Toktozam.
FMU Check post: – is located at Zangtherpo tittle above Kurji.
V. Rodungla FMU (Tang Geog): – Rodungla FMU is new unit that encompasses area of 14,686.58 ha, and will be in full functioning by this year, 2016.
TOR of Division
1. TECHNICAL SECTIONS
Resource Management Section
- Participates and helps in formulating forest plans, policies and programs in accordance with 11th five year plan.
- Develop forest management plans and operational plans for both FMU and for Outside FMU.
- Supervises and evaluates the work programs of FMU in Timber extraction from FMUs.
- Supervise Community Forests
- Forest plantation like afforestation, reforestation, social and community forest etc.
- Managing recreational areas.
- Writing FMUs and other forestry plans
- Writing technical report and plans of FMUS
- Assessment of forest resources
Conservation and Protection Section
- Ensure compliance with Forest Policy, Forest Act, Rules and Regulations including Government directives through circulars.
- Provide legal advice in compounding and settlement of forest offence cases (land encroachment, illegal construction, poaching, forest fire, etc.)
- Organize and conduct anti-poaching activities
- Conduct EIAs for forest land clearances.
- Organize forest felling against infections
- Follow up on legal issues
- Implement Human Wildlife Conflict and Eco-tourism activities
- Monitor wildlife rescue centers
Resource Allotment and Trade Section
- Provide technical back-stopping and evaluate the work programs of Range in Timber extraction.
- Issue permit for forest resources/ produce
- Monitor forest sawmills and furniture houses
- Assess timber/forest produce related markets
- Issue sanction order for sawmills
- Evaluate and supervise timber movements
- Issue permit related to rural and commercial timber and firewood allotment
- Issue permit related to surface collection of sand, boulders, stones and other NTFPs (cordyceps, bamboo, etc.)
- Coordinate G2C activities and record keeping
Research and Information Management Section
- Gather quarterly, half-yearly or annual reporting of work/activity progress from the ranges and beat.
- Gather, collate and organize information on forest produce use, illegal activities and revenue generation.
- Assist in research.
- Collection of monthly forest offence report from check-post, beat and range.
2. ADMINISTRATIVE AND FINANCE SECTIONS
Administrative Section
- Deals with all matters pertaining to personal administration in the division
- Be responsible for maintaining proper service records of all staff in the division
- Ensure timely completion and submission of annual performance evaluation reports
- Be responsible for processing training, study tour/workshop/transfer/promotion/disciplinary action
- In-Charge of the divisional store, maintain records of both consumable and non-consumable properties of the division
- Ensure proper procedure in contract works and procurement of materials
- Act as authorized officer to validate all forestry permits and forms before issuing to field offices
- To keep record of the staffs leave and whereabouts during their absence from the office
Finance Section
- Preparation and submission of work plan as per the approved budget line with the start of the new fiscal year
- Management of government fund and resources as per the financial guidelines and limits
- Preparation of vouchers for payments
- Preparation and submission of monthly accounts for LC accounts and for revenue accounts
- Preparation of annual budget proposal in coordination with CFO for every succeeding fiscal year
- Preparation and disbursement of monthly payrolls and remittance
- Timely deposition of money to NPPF, RICBL, BoB, BNB, BDFCL, etc
- Monitoring of government revenue collections and timely deposition by all the revenue dealing offices
- Preparation and submissions of periodical financial progress reports as and when required
- Ensure timely fund transfer, supplementary funds, closely monitor over all fund balance, bank balance and ask for timely release of budgetary fund from DPA
- Ensure proper procedure in contract works and procurement of materials
- Provide financial information
- Financial correspondences
- Preparation of the tender forms, notifications and selling of tender forms
