Medicinal plants can improve the fortunes of state's rural poor

Threatened hardwood from Southeast Asia is landing up as flooring in the us with illegal trade going unchecked, says a report of the Washington-based Environmental Investigation Agency (eia). us

China recently introduced a 5 per cent tax on disposable wooden chopsticks, in a bid to conserve its forests. Millions of trees and bamboo plants are cut every year in China to produce 45 billion

A plantation economy, land grabbing and migrations from neighbouring states have forced Gudalur s tribals into destitution

In the Himalayas, subsistence largely depends upon resources derived from natural forests due to the free and easy access to these and simplicity in their use. Sikkim has 43% of its total geographical area under forest cover, of which 34% is under dense forests. The burgeoning human population and family fragmentation are exerting a tremendous pressure on the natural resources to meet the requirements of food, fuel, fodder, timber and other human needs. In recent years, tourism has increased manifolds in Sikkim, which has been one of the major factors behind destruction of forests.