Indian Forest Governance during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Mixed outcomes were observed in terms of the effectiveness of forest bureaucrats' handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Many forest officers were able to adapt and improvise new solutions to saving forests, wildlife and local livelihoods.

Several officers failed to control forest offenses and did not support forest-based livelihoods.

Old and outdated forest laws, exigencies-driven forest management and professional decay reduced administrative performance.

Strengthening forests as a safety net, reforming forest laws, empowering communities and adopting proactive governance can help forest authorities and managers better respond to unpredictable events.

The unexpected nature of COVID-19 tested the institutional strength and resilience of state agencies across the world. Preliminary evidence is presented on how reduced mobility due to COVID-19 affected the functioning of the Forest Department in the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh and triggered changes in forest use by local communities as perceived by forest officials. Our evidence shows mixed outcomes in terms of the effectiveness of the forest bureaucrats in handling the COVID-19 pandemic as assessed through their own perceptions and other forestry records. The positive and negative elements relating to the bureaucratic forest administration during the COVID-19 lockdown are presented, and some possible reasons behind these varying patterns across the state of Himachal Pradesh are suggested. Lessons drawn from the COVID-19 crisis that can help guide forest bureaucracies to deal effectively with unpredictable events in the future are presented.