ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the case study which focuses on joint forest management in the north western state of Rajasthan in India that explains the critical role of the commons in the rural Indian context, as well as the role of local communities in conserving these resources. This case study shows that effective collaborations among local communities, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and the state Forest Department (FD) can lead to successful forest management. The two village forest protection and management committees examined here are those of Chitravas and Karech in the northwest of Udaipur district. The village forest protection and management committee (VFPMCs) of Chitravas and Karech developed what they called a lathi system. Lathi literally means a stick; thus lathi system involves patrolling the forest with a stick in hand. Meetings were the most important space where communities discussed and debated various issues concerning forest governance and developed a larger community vision for effective natural resource management.
