- It can be described as “Forestry of the people, by the people and for the people”.
- Social forestry means management and protection of the forests as well as afforestation of barren lands aimed at helping in environmental, social and rural development as against the traditional objective of securing revenue.
- The term, social forestry, was first used in India in 1976 by The National Commission on Agriculture.
- It was embarked with the objective of taking the pressure off the traditional forests by the plantation of fuelwood, fodder, timber and grasses on unused and fallow land to the rural population.
- This commission divided Social Forestry into –
Agroforestry, Expansion Forestry, Rehabilitation of degraded and low grade forests, Recreation forestry
Objectives –
- To meet the need for fuel wood, small timber, bamboo, fodder and other minor forest produce on sustainable basis
- To release cow dung as manure for increasing agricultural production
- To provide gainful employment opportunities to rural peoplesTo develop cottage industries
- To provide efficient soil and water conservation
- To improve aesthetic value of an area and to meet the recreational needs of the population.
The social forestry projects, however, failed because:
- They did not involve women who were the main beneficiaries.Market-oriented trees were planted.
- Thus communities and farmers saw it as a cash generating rather than basic need generating exercise.
- The wood ended up for urban and industrial use rather than fuel and fodder needs of the rural people.Agro-forestry reduced land employment while absentee landlordism increased.
