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A
Framework for the Analysis of Community
Forestry Performance in the Terai
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Birkha Chhetry,
Paul Francis, Madhu Gurung, Vegard Iversen,
Ghanendra Kafle, Adam Pain and
Janet Seeley |
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Abstract:
Drawing on primary data from community
forest user groups (CFUGs) in two
Districts of the West Central Terai
of Nepal this paper develops a broad
analytical framework identifying key
factors that may contribute to building
understanding of how CFUGs function
and what the likely outcomes of that
process might be. We argue that there
is strong evidence that in practice
the external environment greatly restricts
the room for manoeuvre of CFUGs and
that there is a major disjuncture
between the rhetoric of CFUG formation
and the reality of CFUG operations.
The analysis and the framework identify
the crucial role of forest value in
driving perverse outcomes that limit
the prospects for establishing effective
and equitable CFUGs and provides strong
evidence of the policies of CFUGs
(access restrictions, price of membership
and mechanisms for product allocation)
being insensitive to the livelihoods
of the poor and causing distributional
bias.
Key words: Community
forestry, Terai, Community Forest
User Groups |
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Is Leasehold
Forestry Really a Pro-poor Innovation?
Evidences from Kavre District, Nepal
-Basundhara
Bhattarai, Hemant Ojha and Yadav Humagain
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Abstract:
Community based natural resource
management has gained increased concern
in the recent years as a means to
halting forest degradation and addressing
poverty. In Nepal, one of the recent
initiatives in this regard is Leasehold
Forest Policy, which seeks to enhance
the access of the poorer members of
the communities to communal land and
forest resources. This paper seeks
to analyze the practical efficacy
of this policy, taking case studies
of a cluster of eight Leasehold Forest
User Groups in the central hills of
Nepal. Our analysis indicates that
despite explicit policy emphasis on
granting exclusive use rights to the
targeted poorest households, there
was limited success in the cases studied.
We argue that the policy was based
on the impractical assumption that
“redistributive impact”
can be achieved through centrally
designed policy instruments and delivery
of extension services by state development
organizations without deliberative
engagement of citizens at different
levels. |
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Community
Based Forest Management Systems in
Developing Countries and Eligibility
for Clean Development Mechanism
-Tek Narayan
Maraseni, Geoff Cockfield and Armando
Apan
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Abstract:
Carbon sequestration rates can
be maintained or increased by afforestation,
reforestation, avoided deforestation,
forest preservation and particular
tending and cultural operations on
existing forests. Of these, afforestation
and reforestation are the only eligible
project activities under the Clean
Development Mechanism (CDM). Of the
three market-based mechanisms of the
Kyoto Protocol (KP), CDM is the only
one designed for developing countries
where, coincidently, community based
forest management systems (CBFMS)
are becoming the main form of forest
management. Using Nepal as a case
study, this paper explains why community
forestry (a form of community based
natural resource management) may not
be eligible for CDM project activities.
We then argue why enhanced natural
regeneration and forest preservation
activities should be considered under
the CDM project activities. If community
forests contribute to achieving the
main objectives of CDM program as
well as providing biodiversity benefits,
and if they are the only socially
acceptable and economically viable
option, we argue that they should
be eligible under the CDM project
activities. In particular, the CDM
forest definition (>10% crown cover)
should not be a barrier to their eligibility.
Keywords: community
based forest management systems, community
forestry, clean development mechanism,
developing countries, Nepal |
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Impacts of Community Forestry
Development on Livestock-Based Livelihood
in Nepal
-Bhubaneswor
Dhakl,Hugh Bigsby and Ross Cullen
|
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Abstract:
The paper examines changes in
livestock farming associated with
community forestry (CF) in Nepal.
Based on surveys of 259 households
from 6 community forest user groups
(CFUGs), and a survey of 64 CFUGs
in three mid-hill districts in Nepal,
the paper concludes that forage production
and availability has decreased with
the commencement of CF programs. This
paper challenges the assumption that
improved forest condition necessarily
leads to improvement in livelihoods
of the farmers.
Keywords: community
forestry, fodder, livestock, poverty,
rural development |
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How Can Collection of Wild
Edible Fungi Contribute to Livelihoods
in Rural Areas of Nepal?
-Morten Christensen
and Helle O. Larsen |
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Abstract:
Collection of wild edible fungi
is important for livelihoods in rural
areas of Nepal and neighbouring countries.
Only very few species of fungi are
being exported from Nepal, and compared
to neighbouring countries there is
still a potential to be exploited.
However, a system of quality control
and training of local people must
be considered to use this potential.
Also, a better understanding of the
ecology and management of the wild
edible fungi is necessary for the
development of a sustainable use of
the resource.
Key words: export,
mushrooms, NTFP, sustainability |
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25 Years
of Community Forestry in Nepal: A
Review of Fourth National Workshop
Proceedings
-Hemant
Ojha and Keshav Kanel
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A Commentary
on Bhattarai et al. (2002). "The
Vacillating Evolution of Forestry
Policy in Nepal: Historically Manipulated,
Internally Mismanaged."
-Hemant
Ojha and Naya Sharma
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