Under the Joint Forest Management (JFM) programme in south-western West Bengal, regenerating deciduous forests are being managed for the extraction of numerous plant products, both for commercial benefits and subsistence-level use, on a large scale.

Secretive. Exploitative. Is the market in Minor Forest Produce unmanageable? sopan joshi finds out

Ecological impact of joint forest management (JFM) in India was assessed using the studies undertaken at national, state and forest division levels. It was found that there are very few studies that have specifically addressed the ecological aspects under JFM. The study noted that there are significant strides made in promoting JFM, but the program still needs to address a lot of inadequacies.

Heads of panchayats arrived in the Capital to demand the power to effectively run the traditional self government

As the Himalayan country s forestry scheme for the poor reaps rich dividends, its government entrusts more degraded areas to the underprivileged. The only hurdle for a complete environmental revival seems to be bureaucratic inertia

the indigenous people and villagers of Madhya Pradesh have been granted permission to collect minor forest produce like honey from the buffer zones of national parks for non-commercial

History has seen the management of Indian forests change from being an instrument of regimented exploitation by the British to its present conservation-centered approach. This transition in forest

Once the trap is set, the tribal people can only go deeper into the forest to repay their loans and fill the coffers of agents, traders and forest officials

Hand-in-glove with the forest department, traders of medicinal plants and herbs make hay

People who have no idea about forests step in to further trade, while the indigenous herb gatherers get exploited further

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