Relation between Forest and Tribal people: An Anthropological Study of South Bengal

Forest is the natural resources as economic asset. Natural resource should be utilized by all without hampering the diversity. Conservation of natural resources should be kept in mind while using it for the future generation. The indigenous people are mostly associated with the natural resources. They are mainly dependent on the forest product for to sustain their livelihood. It is the general theory that no one can look after the forest and environment better than the ethnic people because their survival and identity depends on it. They are considered to the best conservationists as they have managed their cultivated lands and conserved their forest products for many generations. They are also often engaged in shifting cultivation i.e. agricultural system in which plots of land are cultivated temporarily, then abandoned and allowed to revert to their natural vegetation while the cultivator moves on to another plot. Slash and burn is one of the primitive practices of cultivation. Moreover the indigenous peoples depend on the collection of forest products such as wood, honey, wax, timber, fruits and other items to earn money and also to lead their daily livelihood. This paper aims to identify the relationship between forest and the indigenous people. The study revealed that a strong relationship has been found among the forest and Tribal people. (214)