Fifth Community Forestry National Workshop (9 to 11 Nov 2008)

PROGRAMS UNDER DEPARTMENT

A. Community Forestry Programme

Community Forestry (CF) is one of the priority programs. Bilateral donors are also involved in the development of Community Forestry Programme. About 35 percent of the total development budget allocated to MFSC is spent on Community Forestry Program. About 60 percent of the total development budget of the CF program is funded through foreign assistance. The major donors are DFID, SDC, AusAID, USAID, and GTZ.

Main Objective:          To achieve sustainable management of forest resources by converting accessible national forests into Community Forests on a phase wise manner.

Strategy:                    Handing over of accessible forest areas as Community Forests to the Forest User Groups for management and utilization of forest resources.

About 1.45 million households or 35 percent of the population of Nepal is involved in community forestry management program. To date, 14,337 Community Forestry User Groups (CFUGs) have been formed of which 778 are composed of women only committee members. A total of 1,219,272 hectares of National forest have been handed over as community forests and 1,647,717 households have benefited

Impacts of Community Forests

• Restored degraded forest land

• Resumed greenery

• Increased Bio-diversity

• Increased supply of forest products

• Empowered women, poor and the disadvantaged group

• Promoted income generation and community development activities

• Improved Livelihood

B.     Leasehold Forestry Program

Leasehold Forestry Programme is a community based forest management approach. Under this program, degraded forest land is leased out to a small groups of people living below poverty line, (families with less than 0.5 hectares of land and/ or per capita income less than NRs 3035 (USD 110 in 1989 price) for maximum period of  40 years. There is no fee charged.  This program started from 1993 as Hill Leasehold and Forage Development Project (HLFFDP)

Salient Feature

• Focused programme for the people living below poverty line

• Integrated programme with credit facilities

• Agro forestry products and income

• Rehabilitation of degraded forest lands

• IFAD support for 22 districts, rest by Nepal Government

Objectives

• To raise the income and living condition of families living below poverty line.

• To improve the ecological condition in hills.

Achievements to date

•  Leasehold forestry for the poor:

• Number of leasehold groups  formed – 3,417

• Number of household involved –   17,244.73

• Handed over lease land – 28,128 ha.

• Leasehold forestry for the other organizations:

17 Nos    568.54 Ha. (Click here for detail)

IMPACTS OF LEASEHOLD FORESTRY

• Increased ground cover.

• Time saved in collection of forage and fuel wood by 2.5 hours per day per household.(Ohler, 2000)

• Annual income of households diversified and increased up to $400

• Increased food security by 16% per person per month.

• Increased self-esteem and confidence of women.

• Proved effective poverty alleviation mechanism & rehabilitation of degraded forest.(Ohler, 2000 and Thomes, 2000)

C.    Collaborative Forest Management

In April 2000, MFSC formulated the policy of collaborative forest management as a way to manage the Government - managed forests in the changing context of participatory forest management through the involvement of local people. Bio diversity Program for Siwalik and Terai is being implemented in 8 districts of Central Development Region supported by SNV/Nepal in 2002. Likewise, DFID is Supporting Collaborative Forest Management Program in 3 Terai Districts of Western Region.

Objectives

• To develop forests with stable and sustainable production for different needs

• To make forest products available equitably

• To generate employment;

• To generate revenues for user groups and all layers of government

• To develop and maintain biodiversity.

Achievement to date

• Formed of District Forest Coordination Committee (DFCC) and Collaborative Forest Management Group.

• Prepared CFM plans  in Bara, Parsa and Rautahut Districts.

• Established Forestry Sector Investment Fund.

• Awareness rising throughout Terai.

D.    Terai Arc Landscape Programme (TAL)

Initiated in 2001, the TAL program aims to restore and maintain the critical forest corridors and bottlenecks connecting 11 protected areas in Nepal and India. This program is supported by WWF Nepal. The TAL program is implemented by the District Forest Office outside protected areas in partnership with local communities and NGOs. The TAL Program spreads across more than 49,500 Sq km along the outer foothill of the Himalayas from Bagmati River in the east to Yamuna River (India) in the west.

Goal:  To conserve the biodiversity, forests, soils and watersheds of the Terai and Churia hills in order to ensure the ecological, economic and socio-cultural integrity of the region.

Objectives

• To restore and manage degraded forest corridors and maintain links between protected areas and the Tal.

• To conserve tiger, elephant, rhino and other species of special concerns including plants and birds

• To maintain and enhance environmental services for agricultural productivity, soil conservation and watershed management

• To promote conservation education for local community and strengthen their capacity

• To develop effective coordination and communication among conservation partners and stakeholders.

Achievement

• Formulation of Terai Arc Landscape- Nepal Strategic Plan (2004-2014)

• Restoration of critical and degraded corridors of wildlife through community mobilization outside the protected areas.

• Promotion of forest-based, agro-based and off-farm income generating activities.

• Increased level of conservation awareness through formation and support of school based Eco-clubs, community forest user groups, radio programs, documentary and publication.

• Reduced poaching incidences including illegal timber cutting, encroachment, forest fire and grazing in corridor.

• Established good rapport between the major stakeholders such as CFUGs, CFCC, CBOs, and other governmental and non governmental line agencies.

E.    Tree Improvement Programme

The Tree Improvement and Silviculture Unit (TISU) is implemented with Government of Nepal financial source since, July 16 2005. The unit is under Community Forest Division of  the Department of Forests was started as National Tree Seed Project in 1982 with financial and technical aid of Australian government. The unit was then supported by EEC/ODA between 1987 and 1991, with objectives of collection and distribution of tree seeds for District Forest Offices' plantation programmes. The Tree Improvement Programme (TIP) was launched as a project with  financial and technical assistance of Danish government  between 1991 and 1998. It had extended its activities nationwide aiming at quality seed supply for plantation. Two Regional Seed Centres in Pokhara and Hetauda are established and the following activities were carried out during the period.

• Identification and registration of district seed stands

• Advanced tree improvement of Dalbergia sissoo

• Establishment of Breeding Seedling Orchard (BSO)

• Initiated support to Kabhre Seed Co-operative,  a pilot activity

NARMSAP started  Tree Improvement and Silviculture Component (TISC) in March 1998 for 5 years (up to July 2003) and extended up to July 2005. The component silviculture and gene conservation supported Seed Co-operatives, decentralized seed activity, in Kabhre, Kaski and Ilam. Regional Seed Centers in Biratnagar and Dhangadhi were also established.

Achievement

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