Forest Resources in India- Integrative Governance and Community Participation for Sustainable Future

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The conservation of Nature is deeply ingrained in the ethos of Indian society at large through scriptures, folk tales, Indian Knowledge System and wisdom, community beliefs and religious rituals. However, the policy of the government sets the tone in any aspect of life and forests and related issues are no exception to this. Nevertheless, policies are dynamic in nature and depict the vision of the government at any particular point of time of that particular sector. But the policies need to be within the boundary of the nation's Constitution. Once a policy is made, the acts, rules, guidelines need to be aligned in such a way as to achieve the objectives of the policy. Additionally, governance mechanism also plays a very important role in achieving the policy goals. Any policy has direct impact on major chunk of population including local communities and women. And it is well established that if any change, which is aspirational, women as a stakeholder group play a very crucial role as part of local governance specially in the field of natural resource management and then only the change is sustainable and long lasting which any policy aims at.

It is also known that subjects of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Fisheries, Horticulture, Tribal Development, Environment, Rural Development, Panchayati Raj Institutions, Forestry and Climate Change, etc. are inherently interwoven and have symbiotic relationship. While rest of the subject matters are in the State List of the Indian Constitution, Forestry is in the Concurrent List of the Constitution.

Therefore, the State governments and Union Territories have a critical role in maintaining an ideal balance between development and conservation as part of governance mechanism.

Sushil Kumar Singla, IFS [(HP Cadre) PhD (Agriculture), M.Phil (Strategic Studies), N.D.C. graduate, M.Sc. (Forestry), PG Diploma and B.Tech.] has over three decades of field experience in community mobilization particularly women with a focus on management of natural resources, rural development, environment and climate change. While working in three Union Ministries of Agriculture, Water Resource and Rural Development at policy level, he got an opportunity to work for holistic development of agriculture sector encompassing agriculture, cooperation, horticulture, beekeeping, floriculture, animal husbandry, fisheries, water resources and forestry. Being a votary of decentralization and deregulation, he could bring long lasting reforms in State Pollution Control Board. Besides holding copyright for Design of Micro Irrigation Systems (DOMIS) software, authored books namely Forest and Allied Laws and Yamuna Religio-Botanical Garden.

Rakesh Bhushan Sinha, IFS served as Senior Policy Adviser of FAO. He was Senior Consultant for diversified thematic areas at the national and international levels like agroforestry, natural resource management, ement, national biodiversity action plan and national biodiversity targets. He was pioneer in the drafting of National Agroforestry Policy, 2014 which was first in the world. He is engaged in UN organisations for policy formulation on natural resource management, climate change and global warming.

Krishan Kumar Raina is a retd. Professor (Agribusiness Management) from Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni-Solan, Himachal Pradesh. He has specialization in the management of crops, animal and forest-based production systems of hilly and mountainous areas. He is PhD (with university Gold Medal) in agricultural economics. He has contributed to the study of nomadic and seminomadic pastoral-based agriculture systems of hilly regions. He has guided nearly 140 MBA (Agribusiness) students and 12 PhD students.

Forests and humanity are intricately linked, shaping life on Earth through their coexistence. Forests hold the secrets of history, cultures, and landscapes, sharing wisdom with indigenous forest dwellers. Preserving and sustainably managing these precious forest treasures is a collective responsibility, especially in today's world marked by global warming, climate change, and environmental degradation. Understanding and deciphering the current laws and governance models for forest management at both State and Central levels are essential for addressing critical issues and preparing for future challenges.

In an era marked by the challenges of climate change, deforestation, and declining biodiversity, the importance of this publication cannot be overstated. It aims to recognise the necessity of a united vision and shared objective. Across India's different States and Union Territories, diverse laws, rules, and regulations govern their forests, while aligning with national laws to address the livelihood needs of local communities. Successful forest conservation and management models have emerged in various ecosystems, guided by State policies. Central-level Forest officers, in their role of fostering harmony, must possess a deep understanding of these State-specific laws and provisions to facilitate optimal practices.

There are certain national level programmes like Joint Forest Management, Green India Mission, Agroforestry, etc. along with crucial concepts of CSR and Green investments through ESG framework, etc. which needs synergic efforts both at the State and Central levels. Therefore, there must be a complete knowledge base about State policies, rules/regulations and the endeavours initiated at the state levels so that officers at the Central level are benefitted through convergence of National policies as per the legal framework and prioritized needs of the forest stakeholders at the State level where real action takes place.

The need for harmony in conservation of forests through synergistic efforts of the State and Central forest management practices involving local forest stakeholders is profoundly discussed in this book as an honour to readers, scholars, foresters and policy planners. This book emphasises for the visionary paths of line of action where dedicated forest officers from the State and Central levels must come together through the involvement of local forest dwellers in an orchestrated endeavour to safeguard our natural heritage. Harmony in conservation is a testament to the spirit of unity, shared purpose, and symbiotic coexistence that defines the everlasting relationship between the people and the forests.

The book invites readers on a journey of collaboration, empathy, and stewardship, advocating for peaceful coexistence through mindful forest management. It signifies a starting point rather than a final destination, signalling a future of unity, innovation, and collective effort. The aim is a world where nature thrives, communities prosper, and harmonious cooperation between State and Central entities defines our collective heritage. It encourages readers to embrace collaboration, synchronize with nature's rhythms, and champion harmony for our shared home, Earth.