Forest destruction in the Lesser Himalayan region of Kumaun presents a serious danger to the sustainability of village communities. The present-day situation results in part from forest policies initiated in the colonial period when neither administrators nor contractors paid much heed to the needs of the villagers. After independence, exploitation of various kinds continued. In addition to Forest Department policies that are directed toward production rather than local needs, the villagers suffer from the depredations of the "Timber Mafia" assisted by corrupt officials. Women, who do most of the labor of gathering fuel, fodder, and water, as well as farming, must travel farther to find many necessities, and suffer a variety of ills. Deforestation has resulted in the drying up of natural springs which has reduced the area of irrigated land, causing a decline in crop productivity. This in turn forces men to migrate elsewhere in search of livelihood. Women are left behind to fill the traditional male roles as well as their own. The Van (Forest) Rajis, a tribal group that relied on forests for their survival, are now on the edge of economic and physical disaster. The dilemma of deforestation faced by planners today results from the fact that no action was taken when danger signals first appeared. Even after the problems were recognized, there was no integrated land management strategy that sought to unify agricultural and forest-related uses. Recommendations are made to remedy the situation.