1. Kazuyo NAGAHAMA

2. Van Panchayat (VP) : Community based forest management,
self-governed institution of forestry in Uttarakhand state, India
Background Objectives Method Result
VPs are in quantitative and
qualitative decline in the once
dense and well-managed Van
Panchayat in the Kumaon hills.
(Balooni et al., 2007)
Van Panchayat (VP) s
(Gairola, H. & Negi, A.S. ,2011)
Van Panchayat
How is the forest management and utilization and people’s
perception in newly generated VPs on the Garhwal hills?
Why? ➢ Why are VPs on the decline, although VP’s number are increasing?
This is the case of VP forest on the Kumaon hills in Uttarakhand.
Forest
degradation

3. 5.Management
committee
In total 225
participants
identified
Uttarakhand
(UK)
Forest
Department
Local People
〈Objectives〉
〈Methodology
〉
〈Data
collection〉
Interview
Documents, Acts and Rules
↓
Review
41 household (HH) sampling
from 51 HH in total
↓
Structured interview
Impact of VP on sustainable forest management
and livelihood improvement
4.Livelihood
VP
leader
1.Forest
utilization
2.Forest
management
3.People’s
perception
〈Discussion
〉
Background Objectives Method Result

4. ➢ The reason of selection D village：
Present Sarpanch (VP head) is a Block Committee leader of
151 VPs in Mussoire, supporting VP association and the
assumption of active VP.
➢ Number of household (HH) interview：
41 HH data (80% HH in the village)
➢ Total area of the
village： 137 ha
➢ Altitude : 1850 m
➢ Year the VP
established : 1993
➢ Total VP area : 20 ha
➢ Total HH : 51
(Population : 348)
The VP name: D village
Block: Mussorie
District :Tehri Garhwal
State: Uttarakhand in India
Sampling
Study period: From July to August, 2012

5. 1. Forest utilization in D village VP
Logging; Ban on felling of living trees
Grazing animals; Unrestricted
Grass cutting ; Unrestricted
Collection of dry
and fallen branches
twigs and leaves;
Unrestricted
Type of forest ;
Dominated forest
With Oak (Quercus spp.),
some patches of Chir Pine (Pinus roxburghii):
Background Objectives Method Result
Oak(Author, 2012)
100% respondents utilize firewood which is necessary,
78% respondents collect firewood routinely,
for maintaining their livelihood.

6. Background Objectives Method Result
Constitution of VP (UKF, 2005)
2. Forest management
MC has jurisdiction (duty) and responsible for managing to VP.

7. Agriculture is their main livelihood.
All of the People in D village are listed as Below Poverty Line.
(B.P.L. Survey, 2002)
Background Objectives Method Result
Forest is important to maintain people’s livelihood,
but not a direct source of income.
3. Livelihood activity
4. People’s perception
Respondents are satisfied with the activities of MC.
The current VP condition is highly improved.
After VP was formed…

8. （Critical value: χ²＞4.06（5%），
p<0.05）
Relation between MC member’s composition and the factors
The consistence of caste is not fair to consider the proportion of the villagers.
-LPG is the indicator of the independence of firewood,
MC members depend on firewood.
Background Objectives Method Result
Factors
Explained valuable：
MC members or not
χ² Fishers p Result
Caste 4.04 - Rejected
Migrant 0.303 0.27 Accepted
Outside study 0.74 0.23 Accepted
Cell phone - 0.50 Accepted
Dish TV - 0.17 Accepted
LPG - 0.0003 Rejected
VP distance - 1.32 Accepted
Collecting firewood - 0.37 Accepted
Grazing animals - 0.29 Accepted
5. Characteristics of Management committee (MC)

9. Background Objectives Method Result
1.Forest
manage-
ment
2.Forest
utilization
3.People’s
perception
4.Livelihood
activity
5. Manage-
ment
Committee
Increasing VP number
(Rawat, 1999; UFD, 2009 )
Livelihood improvement
Effective impact Low performanceB.P.L.
VP in Garhwal Division
Forest degradation
(Ballabh et al., 2002)
⇒Grant for plantationVP in Kumaon Division
Support from Forest Department(FD)
⇒ Oppression
Sustainable Forest management

10. Thank you very much for your attention