Strengthening Institutions in Joint Forest Management: Systemic Approach to Forest Conservation

Abstract

Institutions are the controlled mechanism to monitor the functions of the social system. Institutions and its activities contribute substantially to the cause of deforestation or afforestation. Reversal of deforestation processes need strengthening of the Forest Protection Committee (FPC) institutions which facilitates the effectiveness of Joint Forest Management (JFM) where the community and foresters work towards a common goal of forest conservation. The paper describes the problem and process of strengthening institution with illustrations from West Bengal JFM. The authors have used systemic approach to forest conservation where structured intervention made in a planned sequence has produced synergic action where the community has not only conserved forest but also made their own self-help group.