Southern Research Station

Title: Agency perspectives on transition to participatory forest management: a case study from Tamil Nadu, India

Author: Matta, Jagannadha; Alavalapati, Janaki; Kerr, John; Mercer, Evan

Date: 2005

Source: Society and Natural Resources, 18:859-870

Description: IndiaÂ’s Joint Forest Management (JFM) policy, in which government forest agencies and local communities jointly manage forests, has been touted as a successful strategy in helping both forests and people. Its efficacy in the field, however, is uneven. Although government forest departments are charged with implementing JFM, very little is known about their perspectives on this policy. Assessment of forestersÂ’ perspectives on JFM in Tamil Nadu, India, revealed that despite forestersÂ’ motivation toward implementing this policy, uncertain incentives and institutional complexities make the task complex and difficult. While decentralized decision making in the Tamil Nadu Forest Department could help mitigate the situation, the departmentÂ’s culture that limits feedback in the system stands as a strong barrier against organizational adaptation. Hence, pragmatic strategies for promoting participatory forest management should focus first on improving the institutional conditions of forestersÂ’ work in order to develop a shared vision and a unified strategy for successful action.

Keywords: employee perspectives, joint forest management, organizational change, public participation

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Citation

Matta, Jagannadha; Alavalapati, Janaki; Kerr, John; Mercer, Evan  2005.  Agency perspectives on transition to participatory forest management: a case study from Tamil Nadu, India.   Society and Natural Resources, 18:859-870