Forest Under Community Based Management – Uses and Implications

In 2014, the estimated world’s total forest area was more than 4 billion hectares (corresponding to about 31 percent of total land area) (FAO, 2015). About 1.6 billion people depend on forest for their livelihood. Moreover, to more than 80 percent of all terrestrial species of animals, plants and insects, forest serves as their home (UN, 2016). In addition to providing food, security and shelter, forest play a vital role in fighting the climate change, protecting biodiversity and the homes of the indigenous population. It is estimated that about thirteen million hectares of the forests are being lost every year (UN, 2016).

With the aim of involving communities and smallholders in forest management and governance, community based forestry (CBF) has received a considerable amount of attention over the years. In this time period there has been a substantial increase in the forest area under several regimes. It is estimated that to date almost one-third of the world’s forest area is under some form of Community based forest (CBF) management. The main objective of transferring rights to communities and smallholders is to bring sustainable management in forestry sector and as well improve environmental, social and economic and economic outcomes at the local level (FAO, 2016).

Nepal: In 2014/15, the number of community forest in Nepal was 18,961 and a total of 1,752,193 hectare of National forest has been handed over as community forest. Similarly, 2.29 million households in Nepal have been involved in community forest program (MoF, 2016). Community forestry activities (protection, production and distribution of forest products) in Nepal is operated by Forest User Groups (FUGs).

The model of community forest of Nepal has been globally recognized as one of the best practice model in community forestry and participatory protected area management. CFUGs have provided much more than just the delivery of forest benefits. It has become more an institution in bringing the change in the livelihoods of poor and excluded. The range of benefits has been comparatively higher compared to the need of labour. On average (in 2010, 2011 and 2012) Community forest User Groups (CFUGs) made a total income of NRs 290, 000 per CFUGs per year which is equivalent to NRs 4,225,590,000 for all CFUGs (MoFSC, 2013).

Target.

Our Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target in community based forest management is presented in the table below,

Year	2014	2017	2020	2022	2025	2030
Forest under community based management (as % of total dense forest area)	39	40.5	42	43	45	45

Year	Number of Community forest utilizing group	Area of handed over community forest
2007/08	14,389	1,225,993
2008/09	14,559	1,230,000
2009/10	14,686	1,233,012
2010/11	15,256	1,350,644
2011/12	17,533	1,639,658
2012/13	18,133	1,700,000
2013/14	18,471	17,31,482
2014/15	18,961	1,752,193

Communities in Nepal mange almost about 39% of total dense forest area of Nepal (MoF, 2015). If we look at the data on community forestry, what we can say is, this approach (involving local people) has been very impactful so far. Also, the number of community forest has been increasing every year. Similarly, the number of community forest user group is increasing every year.

The contribution made by this sector to overall forestry sector in its management and conservation certainly cannot be neglected. This approach has played a substantial role in helping forest area of Nepal to increase form 29% in 1999 to 40.36% in 2015 (MoFSC, 2015).

Plans and Policies

For the improvement and management of community forest, Government of Nepal has developed various plans and policies and among them some are Master Plan for the Forestry Sector (1989), Forest Sector Policy (2000), Community Forestry in the Tenth Plan (2002-2007), The Community Forestry Program Implementation Guidelines (1994-1995) which was revised in (2000-2001), Leasehold Forest Policy (2002), Nepal Australia Community Resource Management and Livelihood Project (2003-2006), Nepal Swiss Community Forestry Project (2004-2008), Nepal Resource Management Sector Assistant Program (2005), Livelihood and Forestry Program (2001-2011), SAGUN Forestry Programme (2002-2007), Enhancing Livelihood and Food Security from Agroforestry and Community Forestry in Nepal (EnLiFT) (2013-2018), Collaborative Forest Management Guideline (2003) and Forest Sector Strategy (2016-2025).

Currently, more than 25000 community-based forest management groups across the country are directly engaged in managing 30% of the country’s total forest. Besides, GoN has developed a strategy to maintain at least 40% of the total area of the country under forests. As well as, the GoN has announced 2014-2023 as forest decade with a theme: ‘one house, one tree, one village, one forest and one town several parks’ which aims to create new forests and tree groves in areas where forests have already been lost as well as to manage natural forests  (Kanel, 2006). It is estimated that out of total budget allocated for MFCS, about 35% is spent on Community Forestry Program. While about 60% of the total development budget of Community Forest Program is funded through foreign assistance. In addition, the donor agencies have funded at least US$ 237,021,562 for over the last 30 years, while the GoN have funded at least US$ 8,152,110 for over the last 20 years (MoFSC, 2013).

Organizations

There are various organizations involved in the forest based community management and some of the government institutions involved are Ministry of Forestry and Soil Conservation (MoFSC), Department of Forests (DoF), Department of Forests Research and Survey (DoFRS) and Department of Plant Resources (DoPR).  While, The Institute of Forestry located in Pokhara and Hetauda are involved in teaching various community forestry related courses. Some of the civil society organizations involved in supporting community forestry are Nepal Forum for Environmental Journalists (NEFEJ), Nepal Forestry Association (NFA), Rangers Association and WATCH. The Federation of Community Forestry Users (FECOFN), Nepal Forest Resources User Group (NEFUG), HIMAWANTI and Community Forestry Supporters Network (COFSUN) are some of the networks supporting community forestry.

There are many development partners involved in management of community forest of Nepal and it includes Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA), Department for International Development (DFID), Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), and United States Agency for International Development (USAID), CARE Nepal, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and World Wildlife Fund (WWF).  While, international institutions working for community based forest management are The Regional Community Forestry Training Center (RECOFTC), The International Center for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC), and Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR).

These organizations have not only engaged people for the conservation and management of the forest resources but has also opened up new dimension where few products from the forests can be very potential for the commodity exchanges like sandalwood, asparagus, etc.

Positive impact

1. One of the important impact of community based forest management is that it promotes and conserves biological diversity.
2. CBFM has contributed towards the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Sustainable Forest Management and good governance of Nepal.
3. It has helped the rural areas who are deprived from infrastructure, education, health facilities and economic opportunities and acted as a steering vehicle for rural livelihood.
4. It has helped to create local employment opportunity and generate income from different activities such as sale of forest products, membership fees, fines from rule violators, sale of non-timber forest products and so on.
5. It has provided spaces for women participation considering women also have capacity to make decisions related to village development, resource management and their family concerns.

Challenges

1. There is lack of concrete data in order to show contribution and linkages of community forestry.
2. Implementation of community forest management has taken place in relatively accessible areas and remote areas have not come under the preview of community forestry interventions. The impact so far has been just limited to the Hills area of Nepal. Terai and Himalayan areas has been comparatively behind in this.
3. The community forest user groups are reluctant to apply improved techniques of forest management, as they believe it might destroy the forests.
4. Social exclusion and inequitable benefit sharing are one of the major challenges prevalent in community forestry.
5. Elite control over the forest management and exclusion of poor, Dalits and marginalized groups in decision making system is another problem.
6. Lack of production and processing of non-timber forest products.

Role of Civil Society:

·         Firstly, civil society can promote the benefits that people can get while getting involved in community forest. Also, civil society can promote the use of new techniques in forestry management and introduce the trade platform for the same. Also, civil society can create awareness about the ongoing illegal logging in community forests and bring the trade to the formal economic parameters rather than getting it wasted for the informal economy.

References

FAO. (2015). Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Statistical Pocketbook. Rome: FAO.

FAO. (2016). Forty Years of Community-Based Forestry: A review of its extent and effectiveness. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), United Nation (UN).

Kanel, K. R. (2006). Current Status of Community Forestry in Nepal. Bangkok: Regional Community Forestry Training Center for Asia and Pacific (RECOFTC).

MoF. (2015). Economic Survey 2014/15. Kathmandu: Ministry of Finance, Government of Nepal.

MoF. (2016). Economic Survey 2015/16. Kathmandu: Ministry of Finance (MoF), Government of Nepal.

MoFSC. (2013). Persistence and Change: Review of 30 years of community forestry in Nepal. Lalitpur: MoFSC.

MoFSC. (2015). State of Nepal's Forest: Forest Resource Assesment Nepal (FRA). Kathmandu: Department of Forest Research adn Survey (DFRS).

UN. (2016). oal 15: Sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation, halt biodiversity loss. Retrieved from Sustainable Development Goals: 17 Goals to transform our world: http://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/biodiversity/

Authors:

Chittaranjan Pandey – Assistant Professor and Deputy Coordinator, Center for Research and Development, King’s College, Nepal (Affiliated to Westcliff University, USA).

Aishwarya Pradhan – Research Associate, Center for Research and Development, King’s College, Nepal

Bibek Kadel – Research Associate, Center for Research and Development, King’s College, Nepal