People’s participation is a must for the management of forests. It can help in enhancing forest produce as well as in their conservation. For example, Participation of localites in the management of forest lead to the revival of degraded sal forest. In 1972, the West Bengal Forest Department devised a scheme to animate the degraded sal forest by the involvement of the local people. The, then, forest officer A. K. Banerjee involved the villagers residing around the forest in the protection of 1272 hectares of degraded Sal forest. For the help the villagers offered in protecting the forest, they were given:

a) employment in both silviculture and harvesting operations of the forest

b) 25 percent of the final harvest produce

c) Provision to collect firewood and fodder from the forest area on a nominal payment.

With the active and voluntary participation of local people, the degraded sal forest of Arabari became thick and green within ten years.