#womensustain
Men want money, women want to sustain their livelihood As women are the primary caretakers in the village, they also have a different stance on how the forest should be utilized than men. Laxmi explains it this way: “The priority of men and women are different when it comes to the forest. Women manage the forests to fulfill the daily needs for forest products. So, I plant all types of trees to produce fodder for goats, fodder for cows and buffalo, and fuel wood, as well as other herbs and grasses. Timber is the last priority because it is only harvested occasionally. The men on the other hand, want to plant fast growing trees for timber production because timber can be sold in the market to generate money. When the men go to the forest, they see big trees for cutting and selling to get money here and now, but when women go to the forest they see many things to sustain their livelihoods and to protect the environment. Men always talk about selling timber to get more money, but we need grass, fodder, and fuel wood to sustain our livelihood.�
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