Revamp forest policy

Heading Downhill

Thailand policymakers' volte-face on community forestry bill jolts devolution process

India’s ‘missing’ forests: DTE analysis exposes big gap in latest national forest survey estimates

According to a DTE analysis, there are states where over 30-50 per cent of the land classified as forests is ‘missing’ from the …

MoTA raises objections to environment ministry’s FRA compliance circular

In the circular, the ministry had clarified that FRA compliance certificates would not be required in Stage I of the forest diversion process

Industries eye forest land for plantations

Wood-based firms want to convert forest areas to their own use for raw material. In doing so, they ignore the fate of millions of rural poor, who …

Book review of "Environmentality: Technologies of government and the making of subjects"

Book>> Environmentality: Technologies of Government and the making of Subjects by Arun Agrawal Oxford University Press, Delhi 2006

King without a jungle

The sandalwood forests are gone. Now an ageing Veerappan looks for greener pastures

Draft amendment to Forest Conservation Act may dilute protection to forests

The proposed draft, accessed by Down to Earth, may grant exemptions to railways, roads, tree plantations, oil exploration, wildlife …

World’s forests continue shrinking, but at a slower pace: FAO report

Countries now have more knowledge of their forest resources and indicators reveal positive progress in forest management

When laws make out laws

Everybody's a loser. Forest guards die for laws that cannot be defended. Poor people get exploited. Veerappan rules the jungle. Sandalwood trees …

Regreening of Japan

The Japanese have regenerated their forests twice after their large-scale destruction. But today, it is doing so at the cost of tropical forests …

Seeking Solutions

POLICY THAT WORKS FOR FORESTS AND PEOPLE·James Mayers and Stephen Bass·International Institute for Environment and development (IIED)…

Orphaned by apathy

Hidden from the outside world, this is the plight of the Van Taungiyas. They were hired during the British rule as resident labourers to plant …

Peace isn't elusive

After the Pulwama terror strike, the Kashmir debate has reopened. We bring to you an older article from brighter times, which underscores the …

IFR review: Madhya Pradesh’s Van Mitra portal a tool to re-reject forest right claims, RTI data shows

Official machinery rejects claims without the knowledge of the Gram Sabha or the Forest Rights Committee

'Draft National Forest Policy 2018 violates indigenous rights'

Human Rights group writes to UN to urge the Indian government to abandon the Draft and to involve indigenous peoples in the compensatory …

Building institutional foundations for community forest management

Forest commons can play a critical role in facilitating the resilience of India’s response to climate change

In Court

Centre to give Indian Forest Act a facelift

The environment ministry has started comprehensively amending the Act by “weeding out” and updating obsolete provisions

Time to act

The Madhya Pradesh government has recently sent a letter to the Prime Minister seeking changes in the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980. The …

After officialdom

Forest rights rules inconsonant with act

Agenda for 2019

The governance blueprint to combat major environmental problems must be institutionalised and strictly enforced

Stones unto stones

US steps up efforts to protect forests; bars development projects