SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF FOREST RESOURCES FOR POVERTY ALLEVIATION AND LIVELIHOOD SECURITY OF ECOLOGICAL REFUGEES

摘要

Forest is a renewable natural resource providing multiple goods and services. Forests account for 75% of the gross primary productivity of the Earth’s biosphere and contain 80%) of the Earth’s plant biomass. More than 200 million of the world’s poor rely directly on forests for energy, shelter and their livelihoods. Forests and forest soils are the 'largest terrestrial store of carbon and play a crucial role in carbon sequestration and mitigation of adverse impacts of global warming and climate change, besides performing other vital functions of environmental protection such as checking of floods by intercepting run off, maintaining water table by facilitating infiltration, improving water and air quality, etc. Hence, sustainable management of this vital resource should be the foremost concern of mankind. Due to rise in human population, the forests have been heavily suffering from degradation and deforestation. At present, forests cover 30% of the total area of the size of the country of Panamadue to growing population demand for more food, shelter and clothing. The present article reviews the strategies adopted and schemes/programmes undertaken at the global and national levels for arresting forest degradation and deforestation and for working towards sustainable management offorests andforest resources to ensure livelihood security of the dependent populations. In this context, conservation, development and sustainable management of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) assumes special significance as these NTFPs provide sustenance and livelihood to forest fringe dwellers who constitute the most disadvantaged section of the society.