The nineteenth and twentieth centuries saw colossal destruction of forests due to farming and overexploitation for timber fuel and raw materials for industry. It is only in the last two decades that efforts were made towards sustainable utilisation of forest resources through peoples’ participation. With the adoption of Joint Forest Management the process of degradation could not only be stopped but also revered. Peoples’ participation in the management of forests and sharing of usutructs from resuscitated forests is the key to the success of JFM. JFM planning involves microplanning through bottom-up approach while conventional forest working plan is a macroplan with top-down approach. The microplaning process evolves the strategy and operational plan to involve the villagers in conservation of forest along with forest department staff. The object of JFM has gradually shifted from merely providing usufructs to improving livelihoods through sustainable forest management. The application of modern technology of RS/GIS in the field of inventory updation has made JFM realistic and measurable. In this volume experts examine the problems and prospects of management of natural resources through peoples’ participation. The concept of microplanning is the driving force behind all the case studies. The book will be immensely useful to researchers, planners, policy makers, forest department officials, NGOs’ voluntary organizations and individuals engaged in propagating Joint Forest Management.
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