Arabari

Arabari or Arabari Forest Range in full, is the name of a forest range in West Midnapore district of West Bengal, India contiguous with the Dalma range of East Singhbhum, Jharkhand. The centre of the range is 30 km from Midnapore town. The predominant tree of the forest is sal (Shorea robusta). A number of elephants also travel down from the Dalma range into Arabari and often encroach and attack villages in West Midnapore. The forest can be classified as part of the Upper Gangetic Plains moist deciduous forests. Arabari is notable as being the location of the first Joint Forest Management scheme in Indian started in 1971 by the forest officer, A.K. Banerjee.