Forest resources are being depleted rapidly due to increasing population pressure in Bangladesh. The existing laws have not proved efficient in protecting forest resources. Forest department which has to look after large areas of forest with insufficient staff, ignores local needs. A change is felt essential and a participatory forestry programme has been introduced. The Betagi-Pomra Community Forestry Project has changed the socio-economic status of the settled families. The North Bengal Community Forestry Project contributed significantly towards land use efficiency, employment generation, environmental stability and social equity. The participants with the share benefit system emerged as a dynamic social group. It helped forest department to recover encroached land and established legal rights. The Farming system research and development programme (FSRDP) has improved the socio-economic conditions of the poor hill farmers by developing and practicing sustainable land use system on hill farming.
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