Community Participation in Forest Management
Community Participation in Forest Management
Background
Forest has been defined as "An area with a high density of trees. These plant communities cover large areas of the globe and function as carbon dioxide sinks, animal habitats, hydrologic flow modulators, and soil conservers, constituting one of the most important aspects of our biosphere ". Forests are the storehouse of natural resources, without which the very sustenance of human population would be under threat. Yet forests have been the first to bear the brunt of civilization. Growing human population has consistently put pressure on the forest cover.
Out of the total geographic area of 328.73 million hectare of the country, the area under forest cover is reported to be 69.02 million hectare [22.9% of the total area] . Of which, about 41% is estimated to have already been degraded. Many of the degraded forests are also the habitat of some of the poorest of the poor in the country. The proportion of this population living below poverty line is significantly higher than the national average [e.g. 69% in south Orissa and 44% in Chhattisgarh]. These forest dwellers, living in the forest fringe areas, are heavily dependent on forests for their livelihood and thus are at conflict with the interests of forests conservation.
Existing Policy Framework
Government of India has set itself an ambitious target of achieving 33% forest and tree cover by the year 2012. This goal cannot be achieved without active cooperation and participation of forest dependent communities. That community participation is important for sustainable forest development was recognized for the first time by the National Forest Policy, 1988, which called for "Creating a massive people 's movement with the involvement of women . to minimize pressure on existing forests ." This shift in policy stance towards forest dependent communities was institutionalized by the Joint Forest Management (JFM) Resolution of the Ministry of
Background
Forest has been defined as "An area with a high density of trees. These plant communities cover large areas of the globe and function as carbon dioxide sinks, animal habitats, hydrologic flow modulators, and soil conservers, constituting one of the most important aspects of our biosphere ". Forests are the storehouse of natural resources, without which the very sustenance of human population would be under threat. Yet forests have been the first to bear the brunt of civilization. Growing human population has consistently put pressure on the forest cover.
Out of the total geographic area of 328.73 million hectare of the country, the area under forest cover is reported to be 69.02 million hectare [22.9% of the total area] . Of which, about 41% is estimated to have already been degraded. Many of the degraded forests are also the habitat of some of the poorest of the poor in the country. The proportion of this population living below poverty line is significantly higher than the national average [e.g. 69% in south Orissa and 44% in Chhattisgarh]. These forest dwellers, living in the forest fringe areas, are heavily dependent on forests for their livelihood and thus are at conflict with the interests of forests conservation.
Existing Policy Framework
Government of India has set itself an ambitious target of achieving 33% forest and tree cover by the year 2012. This goal cannot be achieved without active cooperation and participation of forest dependent communities. That community participation is important for sustainable forest development was recognized for the first time by the National Forest Policy, 1988, which called for "Creating a massive people 's movement with the involvement of women . to minimize pressure on existing forests ." This shift in policy stance towards forest dependent communities was institutionalized by the Joint Forest Management (JFM) Resolution of the Ministry of
Bibliography: 1. National Forest Policy, 1988, Government of India, Ministry of Environment & Forests 2. New Environment Policy, 2006, Government of India, Ministry of Environment & Forests 3. National Forest Commission Report, 2006 4. Rituparna Pandit, "Understanding Community Participation – Concept & Experiences", Centre for Civil Society