1.  BACKGROUND

            The Regional Centre: National Afforestation and Eco-Development Board, North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong came into existence on 26^th October, 1989. Since then Centre has been working in the areas related to afforestation and eco-development in the seven north-eastern states viz., Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura as per the mandate contained in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the National Afforestation and Eco-Development Board, Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India and North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU), Shillong.

            The objective of the Regional Centre as per the MoU, are as follows:

·          To provide extension and technical assistance to the State/ Union Territory Forest Departments/State Forest Development Corporations and/or such agencies as may be mutually agreed to, in the formulation of projects, micro-planning exercise for development of degraded forests, adjoining lands, non-forest lands, agroforestry, control of desertification and areas falling within the mandate of NAEB; as and when required.

·          To assist NAEB in project implementation and evaluation of programmes implemented through State/Union Territory Forest Departments/Corporations/Forest Development Agencies and suggest measures for improvement.

·          To provide a forum for cross-fertilization of ideas and experiences especially amongst the Forest Officers of States/Union Territories, Voluntary Agencies/ Joint Forest Management Committees/Trees Growers Cooperatives etc. by organising workshops/experience sharing sessions.

·          To conduct problem-specific studies relevant to afforestation, regeneration of degraded forests, eco-development and people’s participation in forest management and protection.

·          To organise training programmes for project formulation, micro-planning and geographical information systems.

·          To sponsor research and extension of research findings to disseminate new technologies for the regeneration and development of degraded forest areas, adjoining lands, non-forest areas, and areas falling in the mandate of NAEB.

·          To monitor survival rate and district-wise afforestation and tree planting activities and evaluate the performance of concerned agencies.

·          Documentation of successful efforts/achievements in the areas mentioned above for wider dissemination.

·          Any other activity as indicated by the NAEB from time to time.