Leasing degraded forest land: an innovative way to integrate forest and livestock development in Nepal

Community-based leasehold forestry is described. The idea behind this system is that it provides a complementary system to community forestry, through which more marginal people may be assisted out of acute poverty while enhancing environmental rehabilitation. The project provides step-by-step information on the leasing process, including the social, legal and bureaucratic requirements for approval and issue of an official lease certificate to groups of poor people. The project also teaches renovation and management skills for the common degraded forest lands distributed in small patches throughout hill communities. The degraded land has provided a good source of loppage for livestock while also helping to protect the environment by increasing forest cover.