Tribal communities are mainly living nearby the forest areas and their life routine and activities are connected with the forest. Majority of the tribals depend upon forest for their livelihood. The tribals know the characteristic of forest and forest teaches the tribals how to live and move in forest. The 1988 National Forest Policy envisaged Joint Forest Management (JFM) also known as Community Forest Management (CFM), which means forest protection with the support of forest dependent communities. The participatory forestry management (PFM) defines the protection of the forest, manage the noon-wood resources with the support of local people and ensure the livelihood income for local people. The one of the aims of the participatory Forest Management (PFM) is the welfare of the tribals and build the livelihood mission among the tribals. Vana Samrakshana Samithi (VSS) is also known as village level body and it is functioning under the Participatory Forest Management (PFM). The people living nearby the forests are joined in Vana Samrakshana Samithi (VSS) and with their support, forest department manages various activities related to forest protection. The Vana Samrakshana Samithi (VSS) has a great role in improving environmental protection and the concept of eco-tourism. They get livelihood income and also social interaction trainings by the activities of VSS. The VSS activities have supported the tribals by ensuring the livelihood income and in social trainings. The involvement of the tribals through the VSS, makes them aware of the environmental protection, eco-tourism concept, and forest protection among the society. The paper attempts to study the role of tribal members of Vana Samrakshana Samithi (VSS), how to engage in environmental protection, forest protection and building the eco-tourism concept in Vazhachal waterfalls eco-tourism area in Thrissur District of Kerala.
KEY WORDS: VSS, Eco-Tourism, Forest Protection, Environmental Protection and Tribals
Role of participatory forest management in rural livelihood improvement: a case of Nawalparasi district, Nepal