Fifteen years ago the hillside of Karsog Tehsil in Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh was covered with pine mono cultures. The officials of the forest department preferred pine as it is not eaten by cattle, grows quickly after a fire, is hardy, requires minimum effort and had a good survival rate. The local people however preferred a variety of broad leaved species in the forest which provided them with fodder for their cattle and organic fertilizer for their fields.