Assessing the Feasibility of the Ecosystems Management Approach on Community Forestry System in Nepal
The paper is exploring the problem, situation and relation between the ecosystem management approached and Community Forestry (CF) management system of Nepal, has recommended further step to adopt ecosystem management approached in CF in Nepal. Thirty four percent of total forest of country has already handover to user as the CF. Out of them near about one percent of community forests are protection oriented which has met ecosystems management principles. CF handover process is increasing year by year and Government has targeted to handover 61% of Forest land as community forest. There are many problems in CF which is difficult to meet ecosystem approached i.e. forest product distribution, benefit sharing, resource utilization, good governance etc. Heavy silvilcuture system is applying in CF with out thinking to habitat for insect, wildlife. CF is leading towards economic and livelihood subsistence of local people. There is less consideration for whole ecosystem management approached in CF. Therefore, at least 25 % of CF area should be left in natural stage without the human interfere which will be provided habitat for other ecosystem component such as insect, birds, wildlife etc.
Community forest handover process should be based on accessibility, traditional use rights, willingness of users to manage forest as CF, capacity of users to manage the forest size and consideration of ecological aspect i.e. availability of ecosystems components, maintenance of Minimum Viable Population (MVP) of fauna and flora. Community Forestry should be used as a corridor to connect one protected area to another. Appropriated silviculute practice, development of different age structure vegetation and development of core zone inside the community forest will help to achieve ecosystem approached goals. Consideration of cultural, social, economical issues in operation plan, good governance practice and changing Community Forest Users Groups (CFUG)’s attitude towards the ecosystem approach are others important recommendation to concern authorities to include ecosystem approached in Community Forestry (CF) management system in Nepal.
Achyut Aryal. 2008. Assessing the Feasibility of the Ecosystems Management Approach on Community Forestry System in Nepal.
