Sea change in the forest
Tribals in Orissa's Eastern Ghats range are giving up shifting cultivation and fiercely protecting their forests
Shifting greening options
Is jhum cultivation still a viable option for the future?
A silent worker
Guns and poses
The Tripura government's plan to secure development for tribals
Destruction as a way of sustainable farming
For centuries, the Iban tribals of Malaysia have cultivated crops by clearing trees, but without endangering the rainforests. At the centre of …
Air is foul, where foul is fair
The forest fires and the consequent choking smog over Southeast Asia have proven over the last two months that the economic and industrial …
In search of an alternative
Drastic reduction in the cycle of shifting cultivation and soil erosion are forcing the Karbi tribe of Assam to explore sustainable agricultural …
Chopping down the future
About 90 per cent of Arunachal Pradesh's revenue is generated by its forests. Yet these very forests are under heavy pressure, thanks to …
Trouble in Tripura
Restrictions on jhum cultivation, large-scale immigration and timber smuggling have made Tripura an environmentally poor state
What happened in Wayanad
It is not the first time that tribals of the Wayanad district in Kerala have rebelled against the state. In fact, the recent incident at the …
Fading fauna, forgotten people
There are a hardly any tigers left in Namdapha National Park in Arunachal Pradesh. But, says aparajita dutta , the park is rich in biodiversity, …
Making the most of little plots of land
A Filipino research institute has blended agro-forestry and bio-intensive forming technicques to help small farmers produce more, without further …
Chased off
Pockets of salt manufacturing uits and an army firing range within the Wild Ass Sanctuary i Gujarat are scaring the animals away
Nobody's children
A plantation economy, land grabbing and migrations from neighbouring states have forced Gudalur's tribals into destitution
A profane proposal
10 years ago, Down To Earth reported on the state of sacred groves in India (see: Down To Earth, January 31, 1994). Patches of forest protected …
Crossroad
nitin sethi visits Arunachal Pradesh and finds the Apatani grappling with stereotypes and change
Mautak will flower
In 2006-2007, a bamboo species will flower over vast swathes of Mizoram, Tripura and Assam. When bamboo flowers, it dies; usually a famine follows.…
Truth is more Slppery
Hydropower is northeast India's biggest resource. But the manner in which the Subansiri Lower Project (SLP) is being implemented forces nitin …
Chipping away
Time was, when the Saranda forest cover was so dense that even the sun's rays couldn't penetrate it. Ironically, denudation has driven the region …
Old as the hills
Shifting agriculture on the hillsides has been going on for centuries. In recent times, it has been blamed for degrading the ecology. Agriculture …
Baigas in exile
Once called lords of the jungle, the Chhattisgarh tribals are being evicted without adequate relief
Arunachal's green could soon turn brown
Acquiring prime forest land near town and highway and then selling it at an exorbitant price has become routine in the state
Issue at hand
Science needs to come home -- scientists need to address the concerns of the local communities
Mutual interest
Farmers care for the hill slopes only when the hills provide livelihood -- a simple lesson that has been forgotten