Problem overview:

     Awareness and visions: The increasing rate of immigrants attracted by the income opportunity from fuel wood collection in the area of northwestern Bengal has raised awareness on the issue of rapidly depleting forestry resources. Immediate management solution is needed to sustain the fuel wood collection activity before its too late.

     Meeting information requirements: In order to prevent forest resources from being depleted, a good management solution must be identified, that is through extensive research, surveys and information gathering programmes. With sufficient information background, proper solutions for sustainable fuel wood collection/ management can be achieved.

Background in summary:

     Problem of illegal fuel wood collection in Bengal: Fuel wood emerged as the most important wood product in the area, with more than 70 percent being sourced from the State forests. Fuel wood business was found to be the main source of income for 10 percent of rural households in three districts of northwestern Bangal and it also accounts for about 45 percent of their cash earnings.

     Objective of the study: This programme is sponsored by FAOs Regional Wood Energy Development Programme in Asia (RWEDP). The main objective of the case study was to document the impact of unwanted outside pressure on the areas forests with special reference to the status of fuel wood production, collection and marketing, and other related issues.

     Data collection method: The study used a combination of methods for information collection, which included surveys, interview, focus group discussions, and participatory rural appraisal (PRA). Eight different kinds of questionnaires and checklists were used in the primary data collection process. In order to make detailed observations and to fulfill the study objectives, five forest Divisions spread over three districts of northwestern Bengal were selected. A total of 255 respondents in 55 villages of 18 forest ranges were selected for carrying out field surveys to generate data for the study.

     Findings from the study: This case study emphasizes the need for green development through the introduction, dissemination and adoption of clean technologies.

Peer Review Committee Good practice rating: (1 for the best, 5 for the lowest score)
Sustainability		Efficiency
3	Improvement in either the environment of economic condition with no harm to the other.	3	Cost efficient.
3	Sustainable over time (not one-off)	Process
Adaptability		2	Participation of the community
3	Location adaptability (can the project be done in other places?)	2	Participation of resource owners/users
3	Socio-cultural adaptability.	2	Partnerships between various actors (Governments, NGO, Academia, Private)
3	Level of development adaptability.	2	Degree of coordination and cooperation between government departments.
2	Style of government adaptability.	2	Ability to attract political interest/support
2	Degree of decentralization adaptability.	2	Procedures for feedback and review.
Comments on this example:       In order to prevent illegal fuel wood collection, two actions should be carried out in conjunction with each other. One is to improve the efficiency of tea production, in order to reduce the demand for fuel wood. This is called Demand-side management. Countries such as China and Nepal have been successful in integrating technological innovations into improving the efficiency of cooking stoves to reduce the amount of input fuel. If demand-side management is successfully carried out, less fuel wood will be needed for tea production. Hence, illegal fuel wood collection will not be as necessary, if commercially grown fuel wood is sufficient. In order to do so, the second action is to promote commercial forest plantation.       The suggestions above are similar to the findings from this study. Therefore, the alternatives to prevent illegal fuel wood collection are available. It is now a matter of how and when these alternatives would be considered by authorities and made into national policies to be implemented later on. Sustainability of the project:      Awareness and visions: This example carries out the message that the rapidly increasing rate of human population, especially from migration, along with intensive human activities, is imposing a strain on the environment because it could no longer capacitate human demands. The solution to this is simply to minimize and control our resource consumption activities.      Meeting information requirements: Hopefully, all the efforts put into resource assessment will result in green development programmes and sustainable use of resources that will be put into action in the very near future. Otherwise, judging from the rate of usage, fuel wood resources in Bangal is not going to last very long. Adaptability of the project to other situations:       The ratings above are based on predictions of how successful the project would be if actions to prevent illegal fuel wood collection was carried out according to the findings and suggestions of this study. Process of decision making and implementation:   Cost efficiency: