The Department of Forests and Park Services (DFPS) in Paro will implement Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool or SMART patrolling and CyberTracker, a data collection mobile app, to curb poaching, and illegal logging and timber trade.
Fifty forestry officials of the dzongkhag were trained on how to use SMART and CyberTracker. It was supported by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Bhutan Office.
SMART is a conservation tool that helps forestry officials monitor, evaluate and improve the effectiveness of conservation management.
It can be used to monitor animals and identify threats such as poaching or disease.
The tool will help foresters in allocating scarce resources effectively by identifying high-risk areas.
Illegal logging and timber trade has been on the rise in Paro despite regular patrolling by the foresters. The implementation of SMART patrolling is expected to help address the concern.
“There are people who carry out illegal logging, fishing and sand extraction. From now on, we hope to be able to track them better using SMART patrolling system,” Tashi, the Forest Range Officer of the DFPS in Paro, said.
The SMART patrolling is also expected to help in the conservation of tigers. The National Tiger Survey of 2016 found evidence pointing to presence of six tigers in Paro.
SMART patrolling was first piloted at the Royal Manas National Park in November 2013.
