the director general of the Indian Council for Forestry Research and Education (icfre) in Dehra Dun, B N Gupta, recently stressed the need for disseminating correct information on issues related to forest policy. While addressing the International Workshop on Forest Research in Conservation of Natural Forests that began at the icfre in mid-April, Gupta said that such a body should emphasise the need for studying the social environment and resultant conflicts that affect the scientific management of forests.

N D Bachkheti, retired inspector general of forests, said that conflicts between development and conservation of ecosystems need to be resolved urgently by striking a balance between the two.Bachkheti said that natural forests today were rapidly shrinking both in extent and quality and that it would require tremendous efforts to rehabilitate them and conserve them.