Introduction

Forest and tribes are intrinsic to each other. Most of the forest areas particularly along the borders of Maharashtra, Madhyapradesh and Rajasthan have sizeable number of tribal population. These people are highly depended on their basic needs of fuel wood, fodder, small timber for making houses and agriculture implements; they also supplement their income through the collection of Non timber forest Produces such as Timru leaves, mahuda flowers & seeds, and various types of other products. The forest department has its reach up to the most interior areas of the state and thus has a great responsibility to look after the welfare of the tribal people. The department has implemented many tribal welfare schemes for the upliftment of these people.

Gujarat state has 11.645 sq.kms. of forest area in tribal area which constitute 60% of the total forest area in the state. These area mostly lie in the eastern hilly track having the valuable forest areas in the district of Dangs, valsad, surat, Bharuch, vadodara, Narmada, panchmahals,sabarkantha and Banaskantha.The per capita forest area in this track is 0.2 ha. Which is far higher than the state s averages of 0.06 ha. Forests are in important natural resources in the region conferring a variety of tangible and intangible benefits on mankind. They are the catchments areas of various rivers and streams and store houses for ground water. Further, they are the compact and largest units of depositories of bio diversity, necessary for substance of mankind. However, the forests in general have suffered greatly from the biotic pressure such as illicit cutting,encroachment,grazing etc. five incidences have also been common and the forests as well as the regeneration have been adversely affected. Due to adverse biotic factors some areas have degraded and denuded causing soil losses through soul erosion.

Tribal area comprising of eight districts namely Dangs, Valsad, Surat, Bharuch, adodara,Narmada, Pandhmahals, Sabarkantha and Banaskantha have a tribal population of 50.80 lakhs out of the total tribal population of 61.12 lakhs in the state, constitutes 14.92% of the total population of the state. The tribals have marginal land holdings which are not productive due to the hilly track and also adoption of primitive agricultural practices. Tribal economy is inter linked and dependent on forests for variety of purposes. Forestry provides them employment though harvesting of forests, raising of plantations, collection and processing of minor forest product and other development works. The forests also supply fuel, fodder and a variety of minor forest product for subsistence needs of the tribals. Thus, forests are an integral part of the tribal economy forming the basic support system. The survival and maintenance of forests are also equally dependent on tribals. Thus there exists a symbiotic relationship for mutual benefit between forests and tribals. Further, the tribal areas are cut off from the main stream of development requiring infrastructure facilities employment assurance infrastructure facilities employment assurance programme and socio economic development programme.