Joint forest management : policy, participation and practice in India

Joint Forest Management (JFM) is now a principal forest management strategy in India. The government views JFM as a pivotal strategy for addressing the national policy goal of achieving 33% forest cover by 2012. JFM represents one model of community based forestry in which the State engages with communities with forestry. Though the current JFM model is weighted in favour of state forest department control over planning, management, investment, harvesting and marketing. This book is an attempt to understand the evolution and introduction of the JFM principles and concepts of JFM. The combine influence of historical, social, economic, cultural and ecological factors along - with policy impacts in people's participation in managing forest is illustrated by taking case of North West Himalayas. Over the past several decades, the focus in forestry has shifted towards forest protection and conservation and JFM represents a key policy thrusts in India.
 
JFM is continued to be evolved as the experiences from different states across India are informing the process of JFM implementation so that policy and guidelines to improve the program are revised by the central and state governments regularly. The process approach is being followed so that forests are managed sustainably with people's involvement in forestry programmes to improve the livelihoods of forest dependent people's and reduced poverty. The studies have demonstrated that the potential economic benefits from improved forest productivity and policy reforms in favour of JFM are huge, both for people and government.