Community Based Forestry in Nepal: Status, Issues and Lessons Learned

Author(s): Bhoj Raj Pathak, Xie Yi, Radhika Bohara

Community Based Forest Management (CBFM) is a system of managing forest by the participation of local community for the mutual benefit of forest and local people. However, the level of participation may be varied according to the modalities and tenure arrangements. Nepal has been implementing CBFM approach for the forest through differently named programs since 1976, with the formulation of National Forestry Plan, 1976. Recently, six different modalities of forest management are categorized as CBFM that covers about 2.3 million hectare forest that is 38.5% of total forest in the country, and involved more than 3.8 million households. This vast number of households benefited has also brought special attention on further development and expansion of community based forest management modalities in Nepal. Moreover, its piloting experience on CBFM, Nepal appears at the front position in implementing CBFM program in the international arena. To grab this achievement it has gone through many ups and downs. Behind its success stories it has faced many issues with lots of learning and experience. In this connection, this paper has tries to explore the current status of various CBFM modalities in Nepal retrospectively with the experience from more than 3 decades of policy formulation and implementation. Moreover, this paper also strives to illustrate the lessons learned, related issues and the recent initiatives on CBFM practice in Nepal, which may benefit the policy makers and practitioners interested in community based forestry. Moreover, this paper has highlighted that only one type of CBFM model is not enough to address the need of different category people of diverse locality, for which policy reforms and revision of relevant guidelines are crucial according to the changing context and lesson learns.

Community Based Forest management, People’s participation, Policy reform, Nepal

1. Adhikari, B., Lovett, J.C., 2006. Transactions costs and community-based natural resource management in Nepal. Journal of Environmental Management 78, 5–15.
2. Aryal, A., Brunton, D., Pandi R., Shrestha, T.K., Lord, J., Koirala R.K., Thapa, Y.B., Adhikari, B., Ji, W., and Raubenheimer, D., 2012. Biological diversity and management regimes of the northern Barandabhar Forest Corridor: an essential habitat for ecological connectivity in Nepal. Tropical Conservation Science Vol. 5(1):38-49. Available online: www.tropicalconservationscience.org
3. Banjade, M.R., Luintel, H., Neupane, H.R., 2004. An action and Learning Process for Social Inclusion in Community Forestry. In: Kanel, K.R., Niraula, D.R., Mathema, P., Kandei, B.R., Sharma, A.R., Gautam, M. (Eds.), Twenty Five Years of Community Forestry. Proceeding of fourth National Community Forestry Workshop. Community Forestry Division, Department of Forest, Kathmandu, Nepal.
4. Bhattarai, K., Conway, D., 2008. Evaluating land use dynamics and forest cover change in Nepal's Bara district (1973–2003). Human Ecology 36, 81–95.
5. Baral, S.R. Sapkota, S. and Paudel, G., 2016. Forest Management Practices and Issues of Protected Forest in Nepal. Poster published in “First National Silviculture Workshop (19-21 February 2017).Silviculture Division, Department of Forest, Kathmandu, Nepal.
6. Chhetri, B.B.K., Lund, J.F. and Nielsen, O.J., 2011. The public finance potential of community forestry in Nepal. Ecological Economics (2011), doi:10.1016/j.ecolecon.2011.09.023
7. Dhakal, M., Masuda, M., 2009. Local pricing system of forest products and its relations to equitable benefit sharing and livelihood improvement in the lowland community forestry program in Nepal. Forest Policy and Economics 11, 221–229.
8. DFRS, 2015. State of Nepal's Forests. Forest Resource Assessment (FRA) Nepal, Department of Forest Research and Survey (DFRS). Kathmandu, Nepal.
9. DOF, 2009. Community Forestry Guideline 2009. Department of Forest, Babarmahal, Kathmandu, Nepal.
10. DOF, 2014. Workshop proceedings on “Leasehold Forestry: A New Dimension on Livelihoods” Regional Workshop on Pro-poor Leasehold Forestry 11-13, June, 2014, Kathmandu, Nepal. p-1.
11. DOF, 2015. Hamro Ban 2072 (Nepali Version).Annual Progress Report FY 2071/072 B.S. Departmanet of Forest, Kathmandu, Nepal. (P-75).www.dof.gov.np
12. DOF, 2016. Unpublished data taken from Forest Management Section on December 2106. Departmanet of Forest, Kathmandu, Nepal. website: www.dof.gov.np
13. Ebregt. A., Sah, R.N., Paudyal, D., Thapa, Y.B. and Siwakoti, R.S., 2007. Collaborative Forest Management in Nepal (Challenges and Prospects). BISEPT-ST, Central Support Unit, Kathmandu, Nepal.
14. FAO, 2010. Global Forest Resources Assessment 2010 – main report. FAO Forestry Paper No. 163. Rome.
15. FAO, 2016. Forty years of community-based forestry: A review of its extent and effectiveness. FAO Forestry Paper No. 176. Rome.
16. Gautam, K.H., 2006. Forestry, politicians and power perspectives from Nepal's forest policy, Forest Policy Econ., 8, (P 175-82)
17. Gurung, A., Karki, R. and Bista, R., 2011. Community-Based Forest Management in Nepal: Opportunities and Challenges. Resources and Environment. 2011; 1(1): (P 26-31). DOI:10.5923/j.re.20110101.04
18. Kafle, M.R., 2015.Leasehold Forestry in Nepal: Policy, issues and way forward (Nepali Version). Hamro Ban 2015 (2072 B.S). Department of Forest, Kathmandu, Nepal. (P 51-65)
19. Kanel, K.R., 2007, Economic Impact of Forest Policy Changes: A perspective from Nepal. The Initiation, 2007. SUFFREC, Kathmandu Forestry College, Kathmandu, Nepal. (P 36-42)
20. Maraseni, T.N., Neupane, P.R., Lopez-Casero, F. and Cadman, T., 2014. An assessment of the impact if REDD+ pilot project on community forests user groups and their community forests in Nepal. Journal of Environmental Management, Volume 136. (P 37-46)
21. MFSC, 1993. Forest Act 1993. Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation, Government of Nepal.
22. MFSC, 1995. Forest Regulation 1995. Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation, Government of Nepal.
23. MFSC, 1999. Buffer zone Management Guideline 1999 (2056 B.S.). Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation, Government of Nepal.
24. MFSC, 2000. Forest Policy 2000. Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation, Government of Nepal.
25. MFSC, 2011. Collaborative Forest Management Guideline 2011 (Nepali Version, 2068 B.S) Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation, Government of Nepal
26. MFSC, 2015. Forest Policy 2015. Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation, Government of Nepal.
27. MFSC, 2016. Forest Act 1993, 2nd Amendment 2016. Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation, Government of Nepal.
28. MFSC, 2016a. Forestry Sector Strategy 2016-2025, 2016. Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation, Government of Nepal.
29. MPFS, 1989. Master Plan for Forestry Sector, 1989. Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation, Government of Nepal.
30. NPC, 2005. Impact Evaluation of Hills Leasehold Forestry and Forage Development Project, 2005. National Planning Commission. Government of Nepal.
31. Ohler, 2000. Final Report. Impacts of leasehold forestry on Livelihoods and Forest Management. Technical Assistance Phase two to the Hills Leasehold Forestry and Forage Development Project (GCP/NEP/052/NET). FAO, Nepal.
32. Ojha, H.R., Timsina, N.P., Kumar C., Belcher, B., Banjade, M.R., 2007. Community-based Forest Management Programmes in Nepal: An Overview of Issues and Lessons. Journal of Forest and Livelihood 6(2) September, 2007, P.1-7.
33. Oli, B.N., 2014. Pro-poor leasehold forestry in Nepal: A new Dimension on Livelihoods. Regional Workshop on Pro-poor Leasehold Forestry 11-13 June, 2014. Kathmandu, Nepal. Workshop Proceedings. Department of Forest, Kathmandu, Nepal. ISBN : 978-9937-2-8514-8. (P 53-66)
34. Oli, B.N., Dangi, R.B., Sharma, A.R., Pokhrel, D.C. and Karna, A., 2014. Community Forest in Nepal: Learning, Challenges and Destination (Nepali Version). Sixth National Community forestry Workshop report 2014. Department of Forest, Kathmandu, Nepal. (P 15-26).
35. Poudel, M., 2007. Evaluating Collaborative Management of Forest from Rangapur CFM, Rautahat. Banko Janakari, 17(1), pp.32-38. Department of Forest Research and Survey, Kathmandu, Nepal.
36. Paudel, N.S., Budhathoki, P. and Sharma, U.R., 2007, Buffer Zones: New Frontiers for Participatory Conservation?, Journal of Forest and Livelihood 6(2) September, 2007, P.44-53.
37. Pokharel, B.K., 1998. Foresters and Villagers in Contention and Compact: The case of Community Forestry in Nepal. Unpublished Ph.D. Thesis. University of East Anglia, Norwich, U.K.
38. Pokharel, B.K., Branney, P., Nurse, M. & Malla, Y.B. 2008. Community forestry: conserving forests, sustaining livelihoods and strengthening democracy. In H.R. Ojha, N.P. Timsina, C. Kumar, M.R. Banjade & B. Belcher, eds. Communities, forests and governance: policy and institutional innovations from Nepal. New Delhi, Adroit Publishers.
39. Roe, D., and Fred, N., 2009. The Origins and Evolution of Community Based Natural Resource Management in Africa. Community Management of Natural Resources in Africa: Impacts, Experiences and Future Directions, 2009: 2-12.
40. Rutt, R.L., Chhetri, B.B.K., Pokharel, R., Rayamajhi, S., Tiwari, K., Treue, T., 2014. The scientific framing of forestry decentralization in Nepal, Forest Policy and Economics (2014), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.forpol.2014.06.005
41. WHITE, A. and MARTIN, A., 2002. Who owns the world’s forests? Forest tenure and public forests in transition. Forest Trends, Washington, D.C.