Forests, besides providing habitats for wildlife, are an important source of livelihood to rural communities. People depend on forests for food, energy, fodder, timber, raw materials. Unsustainable extraction of these resources is the prime cause of depletion and degradation of forests globally. Thus, forests should be managed in a way to provide integrated benefits to all, ranging from local livelihoods, providing biodiversity and ecosystem services, reducing rural poverty and to mitigate effects of climate change.
Managing forests sustainably requires to put in place systems that are able to keep with healthy forests as well as meet with community needs. NTNC has been promoting sustainable forest management in its conservations areas wherein our afforestation and reforestation initiatives over the years, coupled with sound community-based user practices, have resulted in improved forest cover. In addition to this, our constant technical assistance to prepare and revise operational plans of forest user groups have also extended into protected area (PA) buffer zones and community forests. These plans serve as guiding documents for carrying out onsite silvicultural operations and annual harvests that ensure forest sustainability. NTNC's sustainable forest management interventions places priority not only on timber, but also on developing a mechanism for sustainable management of non-timber forest products that make biodiversity and people benefit from one another. Such approaches that take perspective of overall forest resource management have enabled NTNC with a groundwork that incorporates sustainable forest management systems in place.