National body to formulate standards for forest certification

Forest departments, however, may be reluctant to subject government forests to scrutiny

King without a jungle

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

Forest fire mitigation strategies in Madhya Pradesh should prioritise tribal communities

Local communities, government agencies, non-profits and researchers must work together to mitigate forest fires and build resilient socioeconomic …

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 …

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 …

In the tax bracket again

The Orissa government has slapped a forest development tax on three minor forest produce items -- tendu leaf, timber and bamboo. Seen as a …

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 …

Forest states want money in lieu of felling

On August 1, 2003, Madhya Pradesh made a plea in the Supreme Court seeking a fund-generating mechanism for forest protection. Earlier, in June, …

THE SECOND INDEPENDENCE

Tiny forgotten villages teach India a firsthand lesson in governance. Down To Earth reporters and photographers fan out to six states to discover …

After officialdom

A 'shoot-at-sight order for a tigress

Timber companies plundering Congo’s rainforests, says report

A probe by non-profit Global Witness shows that timber companies are defying forest protection laws and underpaying taxes to plunder natural resources

Model development

Every village has its own way of protecting the forests, but each one is a success story

India's sawmill policy filled with loopholes

India's sawmill regulation

Rooted to earth

COVID-19: Minister of Tribal Affairs Arjun Munda writes to chief ministers over livelihood of tribals

It is imperative to initiate proactive measures for the well-being of tribes, the minister writes

At loggerheads

While the state government is keen to introduce JFM, villagers say there is no need for that since they have been carrying out all protection …

Message in a baton

The decades after Independence saw rampant destruction of trees. This was followed by years of drought. It was then that the villagers realised …

Himachal's tree sanction policy is flawed

Kalahandi Gram Sabhas write to NCST, invoke atrocities act against Jharkhand DFO

DFO illegally seized consignment of kendu leaves being transported from Odisha to West Bengal, federation of Gram Sabhas alleges

Fall of the paragon

Century-old teak plantation business loses ground in India because of poor management and short-sighted policies

COVID-19: Kendu leaf procurement hits roadblock in Odisha

State forest officials deter Kalahandi district’s village to procure kendu leaves through gram sabha   

On The Warpath

They prefer to be called the 'forest castes'. They are the 2,000,000-odd villagers living in some 10,000 villages across Orissa. After …

How FRA helped India’s forest communities during COVID-19

Stories of hope have been reported from across the tribal areas of how communities survived due to FRA even as attempts have been made to dilute it

Kerala’s Kadars continue fight for assertion of their community forest rights

Their Gram Sabhas have passed resolutions under the Forest Rights Act as work has progressed on the Anakkayam Small Hydro Power Project