Why are the Arabari forests of Bengal known to be a good example of conserved forest?

Arabari forest range is present in the Midnapore district of West Bengal. Sal is the main tree in this forest. During the 1970s, the sal trees were in a state of decline in this forest.

The officials of the West Bengal Forest Department analysed the situation and found that alienation of local people from forest management was the main reason for this pathetic situation.

Most of the local inhabitants depend on the forest for their sustenance. If they are debarred from entering the forests, they would be robbed off their living hood. This will make people feel alienated. This was a major reason for many people taking up arms to get involved in the Naxalite movement.

A forest officer with great foresight joined Arabari. His name was A.K Banerjee. He gave the responsibility of managing 1,272 hectares of sal forests to local people. This forest was badly degraded. In lieu of managing the forest, the people were given 25% of the final harvest. They were also allowed to collect firewood and fodder against a nominal fee.

This helped in ensuring people's involvement in forest management. This changed the fortune of the Arabari forest. The sal forest was a worthless degraded forest before the implementation of programme by A.k. Banerjee. But after that, the value of sal in the forest reached crores by 1983.

The above story shows why the Arabari forest is taken as a good example of forest conservation.