International Journal of Research in Social Sciences

The present study attempts to analyze the impact of the Social Forestry Project on the livelihood sustenance of the rural masses in general and the forest dependent communities in particular in Natham Taluk, Dindigul district of Tamil Nadu. The present study is purely based on the secondary data which was obtained from the Forest Department Office in Natham Taluk of Dindigul district. It is estimated that about 2187 hectares of forest area are available. It finds that of the total plants planted, 68 per cent were dead and only 38 per cent of the plants were standing at the time of audit in these forest areas. It further accounted that the value of material collection was done by the forest dependents was estimated that about Rs.107080 during the last ten years.