Social Forestry in India

Social forestry is a concept involving management and conservation of forests with community participation.

1. Social Forestry in India
PriyankaKureel
Dept of Regional Planning
School of Planning and Architecture Delhi

2. Socialforestryismanagementanddevelopmentofforestwith
afforestationonbarrenlandstoachieveenvironmentalbenefit
andruraldevelopment.
ThetermwasfirstusedbyNationalCommissionon
Agriculture,GovernmentofIndia,in1976(sixthfiveyearplan).
Theaimoftakingthepressureofftheforestsandmakinguse
ofallunusedandfallowland.
Thisconceptofvillageforeststomeettheneedsoftherural
peopleisnotnew.Ithasexistedthroughthecenturiesallover
thecountrybutitwasnowgivenanewcharacter.

3. Governmentforestareasthatareclosetohumansettlement
andhavebeendegradedovertheyearsduetohuman
activitiesneededtobeafforested.
Treesweretobeplantedinandaroundagriculturalfields.
Dominantruralpopulationthatstilldependslargelyon
fuelwoodandotherbiomassfortheircookingandheating.
Socialforestryalsoaimsatraisingplantationsbythecommon
mansoastomeetthesedemands.
Throughthesocialforestryscheme,thegovernmenthas
involvedcommunityparticipation,aspartofadrivetowards
afforestation,andrehabilitatingthedegradedforestand
commonlands.

4. IncreasingForestAreaandRestoringEcologicalBalance.
MeetingBasicRuralNeeds:Fuel,fodder,manureandfibre.
EnsuringbetterLandUse:
checkingsoilerosion,facilitatingreclamationofmarginal
lands,checkingwaterloggingandbybringingabout
monolithicintegrationofforestry,agricultureandanimal
husbandry.
GenerationofEmployment.
ControllingPollution.

5. Social
Forestry
Rural
Forestry
Community
Forestry
Agroforestry
Extension
Forestry
Farm
Forestry

6. FarmForestry
oIndividualfarmersarebeingencouragedtoplanttrees
ontheirownfarmlandtomeetthedomesticneedsofthe
family.
oShadefortheagriculturalcrops,aswindshelters,soil
conservationortousewasteland.
oEconomicbenefits.
ExtensionForestry
oPlantingoftreesonthesidesofroads,canalsand
railways,alongwithplantingonwastelandsforhelpingin
increasingboundariesofforests.

7. RuralForestry
CommunityForestry
oCollectivelyimplementedoncommunalland.
oLocalpopulationsparticipateintheplanning,establishing,
managingandharvestingofforestcrops,andsoreceivea
majorproportionofthesocio-economicandecological
benefitsfromtheforest.
Agroforestry
oLandusesystemwhichintegratestreesandshrubson
farmlandsandrurallandscapestoenhanceproductivity,
profitability,diversityandecosystemsustainability.

8. Background
Despitethelimitedavailabilityofarablelandintheregion,
agricultureisthemainoccupationasmajorityofthe
population(78.30%)isintheruralareas.
Althoughsocio-economicdifferentiationhasincreased,
largenumberofindigenouscommunitiesliveindensely
forestedareasanddependonthemfortheirlifeand
livelihood.
Forestsinregionareasourceoflivelihoodforrural
residentsandprovideresourcessuchasfodder,fuel-
wood,greenmanure,andconstructiontimber.

9. CommunityforestManagementinUttarakhandtakes
placeinthevillageforestsorpanchayatforests
(forestsascategorizedintoreserved,protectedandvillage
forestsinbyIndianForestAct1927).
ThecommunityorpanchayatforestsaremanagedbyVan
Panchayats.
TheareaundereachVanPanchayatrangesfromafraction
ofahectareuptoover2,000hectares.
Therearearound6069VanPanchayatsinUttarakhand.
Plantationandmaintenanceworksintheseforestsis
donebyVanPanchayats.

10. CommunityforestsmanagedinaccordancewithVan
PanchayatActisahybridofstateownershipand
communityresponsibility.
Initseffortstomanageandcontrolcommunityforestuse
ForestcommitteesareguidedbyRevenueDepartment
rulesandbythetechnicaladviceoftheForest
Department.
Accessanduseofforestsisguidedbyruleselaborately
designedandimplementedbythecommunities.

12. Distribution of Van Panchayats

13. PanchayatForest in a Village in Almoradistrict.

14. Todevelopandprotectforestsbypreventingindiscriminate
fellingoftrees.
ToensurethatthereisnoencroachmentonVanPanchayati
landandthatnorulesarebeingviolated.
Toconstructandfixboundarypillarsandtomaintainthem.
TocarryoutthedirectivesoftheSub-DivisionalMagistratein
developingandprotectingforests.
Todistributeitsproduceamongstrightholdersinanequitable
manner.
20%oftheareaoftheforestmustbeclosedforgrazingevery
year.

15. VillageJointForestManagement(VJFM),implementedbythe
ForestDepartment,in1997.
JFMRulesenablesthedepartmenttobecomethedominant
partnerinthemanagementofVanPanchayatandcivilforest
lands.
TheVJFMRulesalsoprovideforformingVillageForest
Committees(VFCs)wherethereisnoVanPanchayats.
Whereaslinkingcommunityforestmanagementinstitutions
withthoseoflocalgovernmentishighlydesirable,theorder
forconstitutingVillageForestCommitteesisatopdown,
mechanicalprescription.

16. Socialforestryisanobleconceptinwhichcommunityplays
themostimportantroleinimplementation.
Ifimplementedwithappropriateinstitutionalframework
proveshighlysuccessfulinbenefitingtheenvironmentaswell
asthecommunity.
Traditionalinstitutionsareanexcellentexampleofstate-
peoplepartnershipwhichhasbeenrelativelysuccessfulin
managingforestresourcesintheregionthroughsocial
forestry.
TheseInstitutionsarefacingchallengesfromunrealisticand
targetdrivenpolicieswhichwouldaffectitsdemocratic
functioning.
Thereisaneedtoreplicatesuchinstitutionsinotherareas
ratherthaninterferingwiththeexistingones.

17. Teri University, Social Forestry in India, 2008,
http://edugreen.teri.res.in/explore/forestry/social.htm
PrakashDongre, Role of Social Forestry in Sustainable development, International Journal of
Social Sciences and Humanity Studies Vol3, 2011
Gabriel Campbell, Monitoring and Evaluation of Social Forestry in India, Food and Agriculture
Organization of United Nations, 1986
J S Rawat, Van Panchayatand Forest Management in Uttarakhand, Science and Cultivation,
2012
Pampa Mukherjee, Community Forests in India and Van Panchayatsof Uttaranchal, World
Forestry Congress, 2003
Promoting Self Sufficiency through Carbon Credits from Conservation and Management of
Forests, Department of International Development, Community and Environment, Clark
University, 2007