Livelihoods, migration and regeneration of forests in central India

Forests provide timber, fuelwood, fodder, non-timber forest products and a range of ecosystem services that support livelihoods for millions of people. As people migrate to cities for seasonal employment, their dependence on forest resources is likely to change. Moreover, afforestation with plantations and forest degradation may alter the ability of households to pursue forest-based livelihoods. Better understanding of these processes is crucial for designing policies that maximize the positive benefits and mitigate negative impacts of the forest degradation and reforestation for both people and forests. Professor Ruth DeFries and Professor Johannes Urpelainen are conducting the largest of its kind survey in three states in the Central Indian Highlands. Morsel collected data on their behalf from 5000 HHs in 500 villages and collected GPS coordinates of afforestation efforts by forest department. This project is funded by NASA (The National Aeronautics and Space Administration)