New Delhi, Sept. 8 -- Across rural areas, families depend on forests and natural ecosystems not only for food and fuel but also for income, traditions, and identity. But managing these resources is becoming harder.

Land is being divided into smaller plots, young people are moving to cities, villages are left with aging populations, and the environment itself is under pressure.

At the same time, the traditional knowledge that once guided people on how to use forests wisely is slowly disappearing.

Two new studies published on August 26, 2025, in the journal Scientific Reports, show how the size of land, shared services, and traditional wisdom can help both communities and ecosystems survive.

The research was done in two very differen...