Palamau Tiger Reserve Betla Jharkhand Forest Conservation

Palamau Tiger Reserve in Latehar and Garhwa districts of Jharkhand is one of India oldest tiger reserves, established in 1973 as part of Project Tiger. The reserve covers 1129 square kilometres of sal, bamboo, and mixed forest in the Betla plateau and Auranga river valley. Palamau is known for its elephant corridors linking to Chota Nagpur forests and for the Betla Fort ruins. Community eco-tourism cooperatives in Betla village provide trained forest guides, nature camps, and tribal crafts for wildlife tourists. Forest cooperative societies under the Joint Forest Management programme assist tribal communities in managing buffer zone forests in exchange for Non-Timber Forest Product (NTFP) collection rights and community development funds.