Contents: Foreword. Preface. Acknowledgements. Abbreviations. Medicinal Plant/Non-Timber Forest Product sector: emerging strategies for conservation and sustainable management/Giridhar A. Kinhal and R. Jagannatha Rao. I. Models and systems for adaptive management: 1. Sustainable harvesting of medicinal plants/Non-Timber forest products: Development of methodology-concepts and practices/Giridhar A. Kinhal, R. Jagannatha Rao and Anna Lawrence. 2. Sustainable wild collection of medicinal and aromatic plants --a perspective from the World Conservation Union (IUCN)/Danna J. Leaman, Sriyanie Miththapala and Asheem Srivastava. 3. Impact of extraction on Decalepis hamiltonii Wight and Arn. --an experiment from BR Hills, Karnataka/K.S. Murali. 4. Sustainable harvesting: a paradigm for conservation of medicinal plants/Sudipta Rath. 5. Myths and preconditions of sustainable use of medicinal plants in Southern India/Utkarsh Ghate and John Britto. II. Documentation and application of traditional knowledge: 6. Documentation, application and assimilation of traditional knowledge on sustainable harvesting of medicinal plants/Non-Timber Forest Products/R. Jagannatha Rao and Giridhar A. Kinhal. 7. Medicinal plants diversity in different agroforestry systems in South India/Santoshagouda V. Patil and D. Depommier. 8. Role of local health traditions in primary health care/P.M. Unnikrishnan. 9. Documentation and promotion of indigenous knowledge for NTFP Management--a case of honey harvesting/Kunal Sharma and Samitha Vasudevan. III. Participatory action models for training and capacity building: 10. Sustainable harvesting of medicinal plants/Non-Timber forest products--training, capacity building and dissemination/Giridhar A. Kinhal and R. Jagannatha Rao. 11. MAP-focused efforts for enhancing conservation and livelihoods--MAPPA Initiatives in Asia/Madhav Karki, D. Choudhary, Nirmal Bhattarai and C.L. Choudhary. 12. Building capacity of women for sustainable utilisation of medicinal plants and self reliance in primary health care through Home Herbal Gardens (HHGs)/Roopa D. Bhatti and G. Hariramamurthy. IV. Adaptive planning for sustainable management: 13. Sustainable harvesting of medicinal plants/Non-timber forest products --adaptive planning and management/R. Jagannatha Rao and Giridhar A. Kinhal. 14. Linking tribal medicinal plant cooperatives and manufacturing firms for better rural livelihood and sustainable use of resources/M.S. Harilal. 15. Sustainable harvest practices and implementation--a case study of Gram Mooligai Company Limited (GMCL)/Covenant Centre for Development (CCD)/John Britto and Syed Aamir Khurshid. V. Strategies and policy interventions for adaptive management: 16. Minor Forest Product (MFP) management in Orissa: Review of policies and implementation/Avinash Upadhyaya. 17. Internalization of sustainable management methodology for NTFPs into forest management-statutory issues and institutional concerns/Arvind Kumar Jha. Summary, implications and recommendations for sustainable management of medicinal plants/Non-timber forest products in India/Giridhar A. Kinhal and R. Jagannatha Rao. List of authors and their addresses.

"Non-Timber Forest Products, more particularly those of medicinal value are among major sources contributing to the economic development. These also play an important role in the socio-economic uplift, improvement of cultural lifestyle and health care of tribal and rural people. The ever growing demand of these products has put a great pressure on the resources. The situation has been further aggravated by destructive and unsustainable harvesting and inefficient trade practices. The impact of these practices has been relatively less understood and there is a general lack of strategies for achieving sustainability in collection and conservation. The book incorporates articles dealing with 'Resource Management' in different States of India.

The book attempts to bridge the gaps related to understanding with regard to NTFP Management. It provides good and updated reference material to Foresters, Government and Non-Government Agencies, researchers and individuals interested in natural resources and sustainability thereof. The book highlights the modus for ensuring quality participation of the community in resource management by sharing traditional and contemporary knowledge. It may trigger further research and provide help in planning effective policy interventions for effective management of Non-Timber Forest Resources." (jacket)