Evaluating policies for restoration of a forest catchment: an institutional analysis

This study uses Ostrom’s Institutional Assessment and Development (IAD) Framework to examine forest conservation and water provisioning measures for watershed restoration of the NDPF Ala Catchment in India’s Chamba district, within the state of Himachal Pradesh. A mixed approach was employed, wherein primary data were collected using semi-structured interviews, along with Land Use and Land Cover Maps in order to quantify the temporal and spatial impact. Evidence of the benefits of forest restoration measures were found despite institutional bottlenecks. However, the presence of ‘virtual water scarcity’ exacerbates water provisioning, alluding to the need to examine the existing incentives of rent-seeking in water provision and distribution.