The 21th century had been witness to unprecedented onslaught on the environment in general, and forests in particular. In India, the question of how forests should be managed has been one of the burning issues that extends to rural livelihoods as well.

About 30 years ago, mainly due to the sustained and concerted efforts of activists, scholars and rural communities, the government of India accepted in principle the need for the participation of village communities in forest management. Thus arose the concept of “Joint” Forest Management (JFPM in short). It is a partnership that involves both local communities and forest agencies in the management of natural forests.

Objectives of Micro planning

*Ensure actual participation of the villagers for proper utilization of resources.

*Assess the dependence of communities on the forest resources.

*Assess the quantity, quality and present utilization of forest resources by the villagers.

*Identify the importance of existing forest resources.

*Identify the challenges encountered by the villagers in utilizing the services of the forest and find solutions therein.

*Prioritize the schemes to be undertaken according to the social, cultural, political and economic situation of the villagers and the availability of natural resources.

*Ensure that the benefits of the schemes planned and implemented reach all stakeholders.

RGVN’s concerned team is on ground implementing and executing the strategic plan which emphasizes communication and ensures that information gets shared with everyone who needs it.