When we practice giving without expectation, those who experience the abundance will share it with more people, restoring the flow of life ...

Lying snug within lush green forests on all sides, the lake shone like an emerald—it was easy to understand why it would evoke a feeling of spiritual respect and awe.

The man who planted a forest

Political scientist Arun Agrawal's research sheds light on the connection between forest health and people's livelihoods

The Gurukula Botanical Sanctuary is dedicated to the plants of the Western Ghats, a mountain range running down the western coastline of peninsular India. Founded in 1981 by Wolfgang Theuerkauf, the Sanctuary is a garden of wild plant species grown at the edge of a rainforest reserve. The intention is to rehabilitate endangered species and restore habitats in a highly fragmented landscape, in which only a fraction of original forest remains and a high percentage of species are rare, vulnerable or threatened by imminent extinction. The Sanctuary is run by a small group of resident gardeners, naturalists and educators, and supported by a wide circle of well-wishers. Together it offers an approach that is connected to the climate, land, habitats, plants, animals and people of the Western Ghats.

The state government is promoting a significant conversion to organic farming, and opening "livelihood schools” (first such schools in India) for this purpose. A total of 50,000 hectares of land belonging to around 62,000 families will be covered under organic farming by 2015.

Communities can conserve forests and make a living out of it. Then why is the government playing spoilsport?