Sustainable forest management: policy perspectives from India

Abstract

Forests are an essential component in the preservation of global well-being and economic stability. Tropical forests harbor a significant proportion of the Earth's terrestrial biodiversity, accounting for over 80% of it (Brockerhoff et al., 2013; Stafford-Smith et al., 2017; Costanza et al., 2016; Le Blanc, 2015). According to the definition provided by the United Nations (2022), climate change pertains to alterations in temperature and customary weather patterns over an extended period in a particular location. Forest ecosystems encompass the intricate interrelationships among the various plant, animal, and microbial species inhabiting a wooded region. The ecosystems in question exhibit distinct features such as a dense tree canopy, a wide variety of flora and fauna, and efficient cycling of nutrients and water, as noted by Zhang et al. (2017).