 June 1992, the Earth Summit, Rio de Janeiro. Representatives of a large number of countries discuss issues related to environment and development. India over the course of the last 20 years has been making big strides as regards decentralization, effectively harnessing through village-level institutions the people's voice. For instance, in the Himalayas, in the North Indian state of Uttarachal. We said, this is a tree, we have stuck it on the tree. If you cut the tree, then we will cut it. But we will not leave the tree. In over a dozen separate incidents, villagers successfully stopped felling operations. The government responded positively. It imposed a 15-year ban on commercial felling of green trees above a thousand meters. Then in 1996, the Supreme Court of India prohibited forest departments from harvesting wood in most forests in the country. A confrontation between forest guards and an illicit woodcutter. Such incidents were common in the protected forests around Parivadu, a village in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. But a few years ago, things began to change. A new government program called Joint Forest Management helped villagers establish their own forest committee. This new body got funding from the state government. Community participation can take many forms. The West Garo Hills in northeast India offers an interesting case study. Villagers, rooted in centuries of tradition, practice jhum or slash and burn farming. Today, with the population rising rapidly, deforestation has become a significant issue. A new program has helped villagers form their own micro-credit groups. Members can now take loans and start small enterprises. Enterprises like vegetable farming, cattle rearing and setting up small grocery shops. From the northeast to the far west, this is the Tha Desert. And right in the middle of this vast arid wasteland and steeped in history is Mohangar. The ecological task force of the Indian army has been active in five areas in the country. It has planted more than 31 million trees. The Silent Valley in southern India. A treasure trove of biodiversity with more than a thousand species of flowering plants. Two hundred and eleven species of birds. One hundred and twenty-eight of butterflies. Protection works. But it cannot be at the cost of people's livelihoods. Take the case of the Gulf of Manar near the southern tip of India. Rich in marine diversity and bio-resources, it is a repository of over 3,600 species of flora and fauna. India is learning that given the right policies, increasing incomes and nurturing the environment can take place side by side. And that people, even those in remote areas, can become active participants in this process.