Tropentag, October 6 - 8, 2009 in Hamburg "Biophysical and Socio-economic Frame Conditions for the Sustainable Management of Natural Resources"

Can Community Forestry Survive in Restructuring New Nepal?

¹Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Department of Forest Science and Forest Ecology, Germany
²Tribhuvan University, Department of Humanities and Social Science, Nepal
³Tribhuvan University, Institute of Forestry, Nepal
⁴Tribhuvan University, Tansen Nursing College, Nepal

Abstract

Nepal is the pioneer of people centred forestry in the world. It has started community forestry in 1978. Since then, the country has achieved wider name and fame for mobilising people participation to restore degraded forestry resources and sustainable supply of forestry products to local community.

Nepal is predominantly an agrarian country with very diverse geographical and cultural conditions. The elevation range is unpredictably varied within the narrow stretch. The elevation varies from 70 m asl at South to the 8848 m asl at North. The country is divided into three regions on this basis; Terai (17%), Hill (68%) and Mountain region (15%). Terai is most populated region with nearly half of population whereas the North is very sparsely populated. Altitudinal variation has tremendous influences in social, economical and environment equilibrium.

Despite all these differences, the government promulgated the same sets of community forestry management throughout the country. The community forestry has achieved some successes in maintaining the greenery, restoring degraded lands and supplying forest products to communities in hilly regions. But, the community forestry has different consequences and externalities in the Terai and Himalayan regions.

As in the Terai, the local ethnic groups have been displaced further South by the hill migrants in the course of time, and also have been indirectly barred from their traditional rights over natural resources. The forest is being handed over to local people who are in proximity to the forest. The distant user cannot be involved in community forestry.

During the recent period of political upraise and transformation of Nepal to the Federal system, community forestry is certainly going to be questioned at least in terrain regions where the most commercial and productive forestry resources are available. During these periods of political turmoil, also the rights of hill migrants and local people is going to be discussed, and the communal conflicts will multiple. Preliminary symptoms in this direction have already been noticed. The pros and cons of community forestry in the context of terai region in Nepal, and a perspective solution to the perceived challenges will be presented in this presentation.

Keywords: Community forestry, Nepal, political change

Contact Address: Rajendra K. C., Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Department of Forest Science and Forest Ecology, Albrecht Thaer Weg 24d/11, 37075 Goettingen, Germany, e-mail: rkc_nepyahoo.com