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Forest Management and Evolution of Community
Forestry (CF) in Nepal
Anil Shresth PhD
Asia Forest Research Centre
Faculty of Forestry UBC
Outline
Introduction Forest and Biodiversity in Nepal
Forest Management & Evolution of Community Forest (CF)in Nepal
Main Features of CF in Nepal
Outcomes of CF in Nepal (Ecological/Socio-Economic)
Challenges of CF in Nepal
Conclusion and way forward
Located in South Asia
between Two Massive
Country India & China
Area : 147,181 km2
Population: ~30 million
(Rural 81%; Urban 19%)
Population Density: 196
individual/km2
GDP Per Capita: 694 USD
About 125
caste/ethnic
groups
123 different
languages
CBS, 2011
Physiographic and bio-climatic zones of Nepal
Diverse elevation gradient
Within 120 km, 63 m from sea level
to top of the world (8,848 m)
Biodiversity in Nepal (Fauna)
Nepal occupy only 0.1% of
global land mass but
supports high biodiversity
Biodiversity in Nepal (Flora)
Among 118 types of
ecosystem,
112 forest ecosystem
4 cultivation ecosystem
1 water body ecosystem
1 glacier/snow/rock ecosystem
Middle Mountain: 53
High Himal : 38
High mountain : 38
Terai : 14
Siwalik : 12
Forest types of Nepal
Tropical Forest (up to 1,000m)
Sub-tropical Forest (1,000-1,700m)
Temperate Forest (2,000-2,700m)
Upper Temperate Forest (2,700-3,100m)
Sub-alpine Forest (3,000-4,200m)
Alpine Forest (4,000-5,000m) Shorea robusta
Schima-Castanopsis
Pinus
roxburghii
Alpine
Bamboo
Rhododendron
Pinus, Thuja,
Juniper spp
Farm Forestry Livelihood Linkage in rural Nepal
Population: 30 million (Rural 81%; Urban 19%)
Fuel wood Timber Leaf litter for manure Livestock grazing
Fodder Food and Fruits Medicines
History of Forest Management and Evolution Community
Forestry in Nepal
“हरियो बन नेपालको धन” (Green Forests are the wealth of Nepal)”
Before 1927 No administrative forest office
1927-1939 Set up “Kathmahal”= “Wood depot” &
East/West Wing supplying sleepers to
India
1942-1951 Establishment of Department of Forest
with circles and 44 range covering Terai
Establishment of Institute of Forest
Plenty of
forest,
indigenous
forest
management
system, large
forest under
then ruler
Rana
1950-1956 (Collapse of 104
years of
autocratic Rana
government)
Period of transition to convert forests
as private property to state property
1957-1960 Introduced Private Forest
Nationalization Act; declared private
forests as state property
1961-1975 Promulgated Forest Act (1961);
government took control on forests
resources
Massive
deforestation
Theory of
Himalayan
degradation
Fortress
approach
1976-1986 Emergence of
form of
community
forestry concept
Recognized for the 1st time need for
community involvement in forest
management through national forestry
plan; introduced Panchayat Forest and
Panchayat Protected Forest Rules
(1978), Decentralization Act (1982), and
Decentralization Regulations (1984)
1987-1990
“Democracy”
Prepared a 25 years Master Plan for the
Forestry Sector and endorsed it by the
government in 1989 as a major policy
document; recognized community and
private forestry as the largest program
1991-1995 Introduced user group concept to fulfill basic needs of forest
products; introduced Forest Act (1993) and Forest
Regulations (1995); emergence of Federation of Community
Forestry users in Nepal (FECOFUN)
1996-2001 Focused to contribute poverty reduction; prepared
community forestry directives (1996); revised forestry sector
policy (2000); introduced forest inventory guidelines (2001);
made mandatory to invest 25% of generated income from
community forestry to forest development and maintenance
2002-2006
Moist Civil
War
Focused to poverty reduction and community
empowerment; recognized CFUGs as an effective local
institution as they survived even in the war and conflict time
of the country between the Maoist and Government
2007-2015 CF focused on governance, poverty reduction
and sustainable forest management;
Payment for Ecosystem Services, climate
change and REDD; mandatory to invest 35%
of generated income from CF to pro-poor
programs; mandatory to include women in the
key posts of the executive committee of
CFUGs
2015 onwards Federal Democratic Republic Country
(Discussion on structure of forestry sector)
Source: Pokharel et al., 2006; Ojha et al., 2006; MFSC, 2007; Gautam et al., 2004; DoF, 2001
Forest Management Regimes in Nepal
Government managed forest: National forest
managed by government
Community forestry:
National Forest that is handed over to a user group
to develop, conserve and manage; extract, exploit,
trade and/or distribute the forest products by fixing
the prices independently, according to an
approved operational plan
Protected forest :
Leasehold forest:
Religious forest:
Buffer zone community forest:
Other forms of
community
based forest
management in
Nepal 60% of the total forest can
be handed over as CF
Trend of CF hand over
1,8 mil ha of CF handed over to
19,916 CFUG among 2,546,760
households (DOF, CF division
Aug 2017)
New CF hand over per year
Are
a in
Ha
~29% of total forest area
of Nepal
~46% of total households
of Nepal
Main feature CF in Nepal
District Forest Office (DFO) can handover any part of national
forests to the communities, who are traditional users of the
resources.
DFO (State) provides technical assistance and advice.
Land ownership remains with the state, while the land use
rights belong to the Community Forest User Group (CFUG).
All management decisions (land management and forest
management) are taken by CFUGs.
Main feature CF in Nepal
Each household is recognised as a unit for the membership and
every member has equal rights over the resources.
CFUG are recognized as independent, self-governing, autonomous
and corporate body with perpetual succession.
CFUGs can generate their fund from grant received by Nepal
Government and other local institutions, sale of CF products and
amount received by other sources such as fine, etc.
CFUGs can use their funds community development except ~25%
of it must spend on forest conservation and development.
Main feature CF in Nepal
35% of CF’s income from selling forest products spend for poor and
marginalized users through livelihood programs.
CFUG are allowed to plant short-term cash crops like NTFPs such as
medicinal herbs.
User groups can fix prices of forestry products for their own use.
CFUGs can transport forest products under their jurisdiction anywhere
in the county.
In case of forest offences, CFUGs can punish their members according
to their constitution and operational plan.
Procedure of CF formation
Submission of interest of CF by concerned to DFO
Formation of CFUG & constitution of CFUG (general
assembly)
Application to DFO for registration of CF
Registration and issuance of certificate to CFUG by DFO
Preparation of Operational Plan (OP) of CF with support
from DFO (Survey & demarcation of forest area, forest
inventory and calculation of annual increment)
Submission of OP to DFO & approval of OP by DFO and
formal handover of CF certificate
Other forms of CBFM in
Nepal
Main features
Collaborative Forest:
Management (MGT) of
national forest collaboration
with local people, local
government and department
of forest
-Unlimited tenure management but is
defined through a 5-10 years management
plan.
-Benefit sharing: 50% UG, 40% District
forest office & 10% local government.
-Unlike CF, includes the distant users
-User group have to satisfy the need of
user group at first and surplus products
can be sold outside.
CBFM: Community Based Forest Management
Leasehold forest: Handover of
government forest to a group of local
poor households to improve their
livelihood
-Tenure period lasts for 40 years
-Handover of degraded forest to ultra
poor
-Users not allowed to cut trees before
handover but they are allowed to
harvest any product planted by them
Protected Forest: Government forest
which has outstanding environmental,
scientific and cultural importance
-MGT through 5-10 years plan
-Limited user right to local community
but special feature must be protected
-Provision of subsidies by Gov. or
other line agency, alternative energy,
eco-tourism development & support of
private forest
Buffer zone (BZ) CF: the Forest
outside the core area of National
parks (NP) and wildlife reserves
(WR) managed by local community
as community forest.
-Tenure similar as CF (5-10 years)
-Harvest and use forest product for
their own use but selling timber to
outsiders prohibited
-30 to 35% of income of NP & WR
from tourism goes to BZCF
Religious forest: government forest
that have been entrusted to
any religious entity, group or
community.
-Unlimited tenure with 5- year plan
-No forest product sale for profit
-Use of forest for religious purpose
only
MSFC 2013, DOF
Outcome of CF in Nepal
Ecological/Conservation Outcomes
38.0% 35.9 37.4 29.0 38.3 40.36 Increased forest
cover particularly
in mid-hills
FRA 2015
1990
2010
Niraula et al. 2013
Increased Forest Cover
from barren land to
Dense forest
Better forest
condition &
density→ increased
ecosystem services
and goods (ESG)
1978
2005 Adapted from Pokharel & Branney
Increased ecosystem
services and goods:
Fuel wood, clean water,
NTFP (medicines),
leaflitter
Increased ecosystem
services and goods:
Fuel wood, clean water,
NTFP (medicines),
leaflitter
Community Forestry Division, Department of Forest Nepal
1978
2005
ESG such as soil
and water
conservation →
reduction of
erosion, landslide,
nutrient loss→
increased
agricultural
productivity
Addressing Himalayan
degradation theory
Increased EGS
such as
rehabilitation of
gully erosion →
reduction of
erosion,
landslide, nutrient
loss→ increased
agricultural
productivity
1974
2010
Niraula et al. 2013
Increased greenery,
aesthetic value and
healthy rural life
Restoration of
forest and increased
conservation of
biodiversity (flora
and fauna) including
iconic species
Manandhar and
Shin 2013
Household’s
perception of CF
from 3 CF in
Kabhare district
Social outcomes of Community Forestry
“Empowerment” of local people
- Participation/Decision making for their own
resources (Operation Plan)
- Empowerment of disadvantaged groups (poor,
lower caste and woman)
- Access and ownership rights over forest and
forest products (grass, leaf-litter, fodder,
fuelwood, food and medicine)
Livelihood
promotion
50% of women in CFUG
Either chairperson or
secretary must be a
woman
50% proportionate
representation of from
disadvantaged groups
% Contribution of CF in changing
food security by well-being ranking
% Contribution of CF in changing food
security by social group Increased Food security
MFSC 2013
Governance
Establishment of robust legislation (Forest Act
1993, Forest Regulation 1995)
Establishment of networks (The Federation of
CF Users (FECOFUN/Nepalese Federation of
Forest Resource User Groups)
Capacity building of local people (Silviculture,
gender equity, reading writing, record keeping)
Economic and Community Development Outcomes
“Poverty reduction”
Income from CFUG
-Income from forest products ( Selling timber, fuelwood,
NTFP & tourism)
-Enhancing income from Enterprise development
-Income from REDD+
-Income from users (membership fee/renew, new entry
membership fees, fees from punishment)
-Support from forest administration/donors
Generate $ 13.7 mill
profit (MFSC 2013)
30,000 jobs a year from
running cost
300,000 jobs a year from
benefits (Pokharel &
Branny)
Devkota
2010
Devkota
2010
Cash crops:Cardamon
above and broom
grass below
Biodegradable Plate
Gooseberry (NTFP) Briquette for
energy
Green Enterprises/Green Jobs
% change in household socioeconomic since last 5 years
by well-being ranking
% change in household socioeconomic since last 5 years
by Social groups
MFSC 2013
CF as main vehicle for Community development
% expenditure of different activities by CFUG Education
Road
Drinking water
Health Posts
35% of CF’s income from selling
forest products spend for poor
and marginalized users through
livelihood programs MFSC 2013
Major challenges of CF in Nepal
Subsistence/protection versus Sustainable /active forest MGT.
management Forestry for prosperity
Forestry Sector Strategy
(2015-2025) Subsistence to overall
national development
Protection to SFM
Challenges of CF in Nepal
Difficulties in applying forest inventory/improved silvicultural
management techniques due to lack of technical forestry
knowledge among people
Lack of timely revision of operational plan (OP)/follow of OP
Challenges of CF in Nepal
Controversial policy, rules and regulation
Controversy between Forest and local self governance act
Periodic introduction new rule and regulation from Ministry of
Forest
New constitution 2015
Big controversy how forest will
be managed under new
Federal/provincial government
Challenges of CF in Nepal
Inclusiveness
Dominance of elite and higher caste
Exclusion of poor and disadvantaged group
Lack of investment in pro-poor livelihood
Transparency
Poor monitoring and evaluation/auditing
Decision making
Forest mgt
Benefit/revenue
sharing
Pokharel 2008
Way forward
Forest for prosperity through SFM and Inclusive/Better
Governance for economic development
“Hariyo Ban Nepal Ko Dhan (Green Forests are the wealth
of Nepal)”
“हरियो बन नेपालको धन”
