Village Forest -- with Draft Rules Under Sec 28 of Indian Forest Act 1927

Village Forest -- with Draft Rules Under Sec 28 of Indian Forest Act 1927 Published by Mohan Hirabai Hiralal, convenor, Vrikshamitra November 2002

Millions of Indian villagers today act as guardians of forests, forming a mutually beneficial relationship, quite often without outside help. But it would be puerile to imagine that these communities would be able to tackle the crises arising in the realm of forest sustenance with the help of their experience and tradition alone. Vrikshamitra, an ngo based in Chandrapur, Maharashtra, has been guiding village communities in this aspect by designing useful sustainable management strategies.

This tome reflects their considerable years of experience in aiding joint forest administration. The book covers the timeline, necessity and reviews of this resource management strategy. A draft of the village community forest rules under the provision of the Indian Forest Act 1927, is also included.

One whole chapter is devoted to a comprehensive review of forest management experiences in the states of Uttarakhand (when it was part of Uttar Pradesh), Uttaranchal, Orissa and Maharashtra. Informative articles by Mark Poffenberger and Manoj Pattanaik summarise the prospects and drawbacks of forest administration schemes around the country. A useful read for those interested in the past, present and future of joint forest management.