**3.1 Components of SFM**

*Environmental Issues and Sustainable Development*

of conflicting perspectives thus becomes both political and technical and demands

Drastic commercialization and greed for quick buck coupled with amassing wealth in the shortest possible time, the livelihood resources mostly of NTFPs are harvested rapidly rendering depletion of basic material for rejuvenation and succession of plant biomass in different strata of forests. A study conducted in India indicates substantial loss of natural resources at various stages of supply chain which is depicted in the **Figure 5***.* It may be observed that the highest loss of harvested product loss is in the first phase of product collection itself (20–30%). The impact of such a huge loss has a cascading effect on the rejuvenation of forests and their succession in the long run. However, frequency of harvesting activities should not deplete the resource base, should have minimal or no immediate environmental impact. Livelihood of local population should not be compromised by NTFP harvesting at commercial magnitude [40]. Unfortunately, resource extracted in excess resulting depletion and unsustainable scavenging practices is predominantly a common system in the sector. Although the thrust of the article identified other than environmental implications of NTFP harvesting and processing, over 40% broach negative ecological effects most commonly, over exploitation of the resource that become scarce. Uncontrolled and excessive harvesting due to high demand of the resource and unsustainable and primitive techniques of harvesting which leads to destructive harvesting [7, 41] or harvesting before sexual reproduction is reached [42], can lead to an overall of the resource crunch and a lower rate of forest regeneration and productivity of the NTFP species. The aggravated harvesting pressure leads to likely considerable post-harvest losses caused by a lack of or inadequate storage facilities which may lead to insect infestation or microbiological and fungal contamination. Indirect negative environmental implications can occur as well, such as the need for other natural resources, in particular firewood, for processing activities [43] or pollution and hunting during NTFP harvesting process [36] leading to further environmental

Critical analysis of degraded forests is essential to know if forests are being degraded and, if so, the reasons and the measures that could be taken to stop and restore the process forests regeneration has be put in place. Comprehensive knowledge on forest status and the degree of damage inflicted on forest resulting in degradation essentially is required to prioritize manual work force and financial resources to arrest further deterioration of inflicted damage and to re-establish and

The level and status of forest degradation can be categorized as either degraded or non-degraded and a process where the forests are at a threshold along a stretch of continuum of such degradation. Thresholds or reference points are needed to estimate the status of a forest, or the magnitude of disturbance caused along a sequence, and they may vary between countries and even within countries. Forests continuum changes due to natural procedure and human activity. However, when a boundaries of forests change modifying beyond a certain limit or amount, the forests may be classified to be degraded. Tipping point is another word used similar to the concept of threshold to describe the point at which the activity of degradation mortification becomes unrepairable (without intervention), leading to the changes

that more serious consideration is given to farmer's knowledge.

**270**

degradation.

**3. Threshold indicator**

rehabilitate degraded forests.

to a permanent state.

We can deduce a few thematic components of SFM, such as the quantum of forest resources dimension; biological diversity within the forest ecosystem; forest robustness and exuberance; resource productivity and functional attributes of forest; Safeguarding responsibility of forest resources; socio-economic concomitant of forests; and legal, policy and organizational scaffolding (United Nations, 2007). A thematic variables component, or variations of them, stands the grounds for all the forest-related regional and international Criteria & Indicator (C&I) processes (FAO, 2003). Forests monitoring and reporting and appraising the status of forest management practices are fundamentally governed by the C&I designed and developed solely for this purpose. The C & I processes can be employed to audit purpose of evaluation SFM at different levels like national, sub-national and forest management unit (FMU) levels. They also provide suitable structural boundaries for critical analysis of status of forest degradation (FAO, 2009).

In a larger context, the SFM components circumscribe advantages placed on forest resources; therefore, forest degradation can be evaluated in terms of the amplitude of a forest to bestow those economic advantages. The major impediment in quantifying forest degradation is the inexplicit, conglomerate and often prejudiced interpretations of the concept (FAO, 2009). Any suggested procedure or technique must prescribe for and recognize various perceptions of it. Four key selection criteria have been used from the SFM components based on the indicators identified for each and that they are quantifiable. The four criteria are: forest biological diversity; biomass, growing stock and carbon; assessing forest degradation 6 productive functions; protective functions. However SFM criterion of 'legal, policy, and institutional framework', indicators of forest degradation have proven less uncomplicated to identify. The applicability of the criterion 'proportion of forest resources' was ambiguous; therefore, neither of these is talked about in this analytical review. To some portion, the criterion 'socio-economic functionality of forests' is covered by the criterion 'productive functional attributes of forest resources' as loss of forest productivity would have profuse bearing for many of the socio-economic linked benefits of forests. Hence, this indicator has been included, for forest produces. On the other hand, it was considered that the quantified measurement of all forest services is a very complex process it would be inappropriate and comprehensive detailing is beyond the scope of this paper. Since many forest benefits are of directly derived, such direct benefits could be measured in quantified terms with the changes in the supply of forest goods, while many services can only be measured indirectly. Plant Biomass, Net Primary Productivity resulting growing stock and carbon can be grouped separately where its impact or changes can measured in quantified terms that can feature as an indicator. Enumerating the biomass in quantified terms and its importance being recognized can be obtained through the measurement of growing stock or directly through biomass measures, and measures of carbon storage can be obtained using such as Vegetation carbon storage estimates, soil carbon storage estimation and litter carbon storage estimate are some standard methods adopted. Soil health or status as an indicator presents the condition of soil erosion as factor that impacts and regulates the sustained supply of forest goods and services that requires stable and fertile soils. The other determining factors such as soil salinity, soil structural variations or modifications, loss of organic matter, aspects of soil degradation, such as salinization, soil structure decline, organic matter loss, soil nutrient status and contamination are some of the other edaphic factors that determine sustainability of forests which are not considered within the scope of this paper.
