Ms Anderson added that she hoped that the government would continue to listen to the public, and involve them as it developed future forest policy.

BBC: Public forests must not be sold, say advisers

"As long as dead forest is worth more in the market than living, standing forest, it's going to be a very tough, uphill fight to preserve very much, " says Stephan Schwartzman, director of tropical forest policy for the EDF.

FORBES: Thought Leaders

It is a national policy to raise forest cover to a third of Indian territory from a fifth now.

ECONOMIST: Poverty in India

This initiative has already involved listening sessions with Tribal elected and spiritual leaders in more than 50 locations, and will result in a series of recommendations on ways to improve the Forest Services' sacred sites policy.

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