Trees outside forests: an ignored dimension of forest resource assessment

In Nepal, no initiatives have been taken so far to assess the trees outside the forests (TOF), which includes tree resources on all land use categories outside the recorded forest area, despite their significant role in sustaining livelihoods. TOF includes trees grown on farmland, unproductive and marginal lands, along canal and roads, and in and around homesteads and nearby human settlements. As TOF has a significant role to play in sustaining rural livelihoods, inventory of such resources is important, and hence be included in forest resources assessment.