Environment gets voted into party manifestos
Who will win India’s parliamentary elections, will be known only on May 23 when the results are announced. But for now, there is a small win for the people of…
Forestry News
With forest rights in focus ahead of elections, proposed changes to Forest Act draw attention
Over 90 years after the enactment of the Indian Forest Act (IFA) 1927, a proposed amendment now plans to give more powers to the forest authorities, encourages large scale afforestation…
India’s forest cover target influenced by colonial policies rather than scientific basis, says study
India’s target to bring 33 percent of its total land under the forest cover is more a result of colonial hangover rather than backed by science, said a study which…
For communities living around forests, nature is the fundamental insurance
Communities that live around protected areas (PAs) in India have long been held responsible for a substantial percentage of forest and biodiversity degradation. And largely, most of these communities are…
Vidarbha simmers over man-tiger conflicts this summer
The memorial in the middle of the farm reads: ‘Chetan Dadarao Khobragade. Birth: 8/8/1995. Death: 13/5/2018’. It wasn’t an age to die. It wasn’t a way to die. Death probably…
Is the worst over for Jammu and Kashmir’s forests?
When Kashmiris talk about the significance of forests, they instantly refer to one of the most popular sayings of the 15th Century Kashmiri saint and poet, Sheikh ul Alam: “Ann…
Is the new forest policy draft missing the wood for the trees?
The national government has initiated the process of revamping the National Forest Policy. The policy that is in place currently was announced 30 years ago and is known as the…
Agroforestry increases crop bounties, invites biodiversity
For the tough, weather-beaten farmers in the rural heartland of West Bengal, agroforestry is an age-old tradition that even finds mention in their folklore. In the remote village of Bhattadighi,…
