Community forestry user group networking and the emergence of a federation of community forestry users in Nepal

An account is given of the factors leading to the formation of FECOFUN - the recently established Federation of Community Forestry Users in Nepal. The organization was founded by and for community forest users in Nepal, and has no development professionals on its staff. The federation has emerged out of a recognized need to link forest users from all parts of the country and represent their interests at a national level. Underpinning the formation of FECOFUN is a history of issue-based and area-specific networking activities between forest user groups. An account is given of these activities, illustrated by case studies, and set in the historical context of Nepalese forestry and forest legislation.