Marty Logan in IPS News writes how community forestry in Nepal has risen above several obstacles during the last three decades. He writes despite the recent political developments, bureaucrats in the Ministry of Forests continue trying to reap the profits from timber and other resources in Nepal's 5.5 million ha of forests for the central government:
Activists say that because of its earning potential the government has been reluctant to recognise community forests in the Terai, preferring to designate "protected areas" and introducing a "collaborative forests" model in the region.
A guideline developed during the 18-month of royal regime created forest coordination committees in all 75 districts. According to Bhola Bhattarai of the Federation of Community Forest Users, Nepal (FECOFUN) the guideline directed the committees to send 75 percent of district forest revenues to the central government and keep the remaining 25 percent.
FECOFUN actively opposed the move until the new democratic government agreed to repeal the measure, and others passed by the royal government, on Jun. 30. But on Jul. 14 it backtracked, reinstating the guideline. "They didn't have any reason but some people from the Terai (Nepal's southern plains) demanded it and influenced some officials who changed their minds," argued Bhattarai.