The Western Ghats is a range of high hills that run along the West Coast of India.

Experience of social forestry and increasing pressure on Forest Reserve led the Government of India (GoI) to adopt a forest policy in 1988 that Forest Reserve should be managed for ecological conservation and to meet the needs of local people, rather than to supply the need of industry. Particular attention is to be paid to montane forest. Policy is to maintain two thirds of hilly areas under trees. GoI issued a circular to state forest departments in June 1990 clarifying the scope for local participation. It encourages agreements with local communities, through the Joint Forest Management Scheme, for the development and restoration of degraded areas by providing a share of forest products in return for services provided by the community. It also encourages the involvement of NGOs.

The project within this emphasis on conservation and protection of the biodiversity of the Western Ghats forest, whilst maintaining sustainable productivity through participative management, is in line with evolving GoI policy. The Western Ghats forests are the only significant area of montane forest outside the Himalayan foothills. The GoI Ministry of Environment and Forests has confirmed they regard these forests as of prime environmental and ecological value.

The Mid Term Review in 1995 re-affirmed the central institutional development focus of the Project. Recognition of the key role that the re-orientation of KFD at both strategic Headquarters and operational Circle levels, in line with the demands of the policy environment, will have on the achievement of the project longer term goal.

To enhance the capacity of the Karnataka Forest Department (KFD) to develop, test and implement better systems for sustainable forest management through devolved decision making and effectively involving all stakeholders in the process. The Project will include the introduction of the Joint Forest Planning and Management (JFPM) Scheme and the development of research and training as service functions to field operations.

• Understanding of the dynamics of introducing JFPM on the farming systems of the Ghats and the extent and condition of the natural forest.
• Process of institutional change in KFD started based on demonstrations of participatory approaches to forest planning and management.
• Establishment of linkages between KFD and other major stakeholders.
• Supportive policy and legal environment for JFPM established.
• Status of poor people, and particularly women, tribals, and other disadvantaged groups, whose livelihoods currently derive, in whole or in part, from the Western Ghats forests, improved.
• Loss of forest cover and resources minimised and sustainable services the forests provide (both to humans and the ecology) maintained.