Funded by the Center for International Forest Research (CIFOR), this study wss part of the wider research on adaptation and collaboration in forest management, conducted by CIFOR in collaboration with institutions in 14 countries around the world. This part of the study was designed to complement the on-going CIFOR studies in Kaski and Sankhuwasabha districts to draw more general conclusions on adaptation and collaboration in Nepal’s forest management practices. Comparative case studies were used to expand the research base of the ACM project, increasing the number of sites and districts. Results of the study had been incorporated into the findings of CIFOR’s “ACM Main Case Studies (PAR)” to draw lessons on adaptive collaborative management in Nepal.

Funded by both the Department for International Development (DFID) and the University of Reading, both of the UK, and in collaboration with the Livelihoods and Forestry Programme of Nepal, this research project was implemented in Kushmisera, Baglung district. Engaged in a process of collaborative research, this project developed a monitoring process and appropriate indicators for forest management at the Forest User Group (FUG) level. These were developed in order to integrate aspects of forest resources, livelihoods, as well as society, policy and legislation. Local, district and national level workshops were held to share the findings and to generate critical feedback.

Building on the lessons of the PAR project conducted in Baglung district and the insights gained through the ACM studies, ForestAction and CIFOR jointly explored the need for reviewing the monitoring systems at local, program and policy levels. Two studies were then undertaken focusing on (1) a review of local-level monitoring systems and (2) a review of the monitoring systems of community forestry as a means of two-way communication between local communities and various levels at the Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation.