Forests play a major role in environmental conservation.  They also maintain ecological stability and biological diversity. Apart from providing timber and other forest products, the forests capture rain water, which would otherwise flow away; conserve water and soil; minimise soil erosion; prevent floods and droughts; restrict recession of water sources; maintain soil fertility; reduce intensity of winds and storms; provide obstruction to harmful radiation; are habitat to a large number of flora and fauna; and are reservoirs of large genetic pools of innumerable species.

Development and population explosion have over the past century put great pressure on forests. Forest cover has dwindled, quantitatively and qualitatively. The forests of Uttaranchal act as the source of water for the great rivers of North India and constitute much of its green cover.

Forest conservation works thus have to be conducted along with activities undertaken to exploit forest resources. The demand for timber, in particular, has to be matched with supply, without denuding the forests.

The strategy adopted to bridge the gap includes improving the efficiency of harvesting operations; utilising untapped areas; increasing productivity of plantations; protecting natural and planted forests from fires and illicit felling; and planting all available areas, as well as increasing density of forests.

Use of appropriate technology also holds great promise in this field. This includes decreasing wastage and lessening breakage of timber, reducing splitting of logs, and checking improper use of equipment. Better training of workers and staff is most necessary in the use of modern tools.

The concept of forestry management has changed over the decades. From sheer, wanton exploitation, it shifted to production forestry. Later, the approach changed to involvement of local populace in forest conservation works and elimination of private contracts. Social forestry caught on as a concept.

Awareness has now grown about the role of forests in protecting the environment as well as precious bio-diversity. Their value to man other than as mere sources of timber and commercially valuable products has been driven home.

The involvement of international organisations has also grown. A number of approaches have been adopted including Forestry Action Plans and Forestry Master Plans. The action plans included components such as forestry in land use, fuelwood and energy, forest based industrial development, conservation of forest eco-systems and development of institutions. The concept has developed into the approach of joint forest management.

Not only are solutions to the fuelwood problem being sought, improvements in the fuel situation are also being made from, both, the users and suppliers ends. A balance has to be struck between the needs of humanity and the environment. For this, all the scientific resources and information of the day need to be harnessed without delay.