Forest Management in Kumaon Himalaya: Struggle of the Marginalized People

"This study is a pioneering work on the history and growth of forestry and its impact on the marginalized population. It discusses the environmentalism of the poor and their assertion to manage and use their resource base. The book is of contemporary concern and deals with an area which is extremely important from the ecological point of view. It is an integral part of the catchment area of the Indo-Gangetic plain, one of the most fertile plains on the face of the earth as well as the cradle of human culture–the cradle of the Yamuna-Ganga civilization. It is targeted at a broad audience and speaks of forestry and its impact on the marginalized population like tribals, the forest dwellers and the rural women. The author has highlighted issues like integrated watershed management, the importance of micro-watersheds as being the smallest unit of development as well as innovations in forestry and the role of non-governmental organizations in the forestry sector. The author has also discussed the strategies for prioritization of biodiversity conservation and made a thorough probe into complex issues like human ecology, community and social forestry, the history of deforestation and illicit timber trade and forest fires, the root causes of deforestation. He has not only discussed and made a delve into the problems but also suggested remedial measures