Forests, Environment and Local Community: A Special Reference to Western Ghats of India

Environmental and Resource Economics is the fastest growing area in the field of economics. The book sets the ground by bringing both environmental and economic issues for analyzing theoretical and practical underpinnings involved between forests, people and economics. The book brings into focus that environmental role of forests apart from economic role of forests is so important for very survival of humans — not to speak of human well being. The book contains eight chapters; the introductory chapter brings forests, environment and local community with in the theoretical framework. A profile about the Kodagu District’s forests, environment and economy is discussed in the existing context of forest tenure regimes in the second chapter. An economic analysis of deforestation is carried out in the third chapter by exploring how the root and proximate causes both theoretically and practically influence the process of deforestation and consequent environmental degradation. The fourth chapter traces out the participatory forest management experiences in India. The case study on Nagarhole National Park (State Property Regimes) explores the role of forests in meeting the Bonafide livelihood needs of the local communities in the fifth chapter. The relevance of traditional environmental knowledge in conserving and managing Sacred Groves (Community Property Regime) is examined in the sixth chapter. The seventh chapter deals with utilization and conservation of forests in Private Plantation Area (Private Property Regime). The concluding chapter presents major findings and a "blueprint" for joint protected area management in Nagarhole National Park with people’s involvement along with listing of wide policy implications.