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Policies and practices for the rehabilitation of degraded lands and forests in leasehold forestry, Nepal
| Publication Type | Journal Article |
| Year of Publication | 2003 |
| Authors | Baral, S, P. |
| Journal Title | RAP Publication |
| Pagination | 285-294 |
| ISBN Number | 1014-191X |
| Key Words | community involvement; degraded forests; degraded land; female; labour; fodder legumes; forest fires; forests; fruit trees; government policy; grazing; hedgerow plants; leases; less; favoured areas; multipurpose trees; natural regeneration; non-; wood for |
| Abstract | This paper aims primarily to share experiences gained in Nepal in the rehabilitation of degraded forest lands and forests and its impacts on the local communities. The government policy is to lease out patches of degraded forest lands to small groups of poor families ensuring long-term land tenure for a maximum of 40 years, with extension for another term. From 1993 to 2001, a total of 7 000 ha degraded forest lands has been leased out to 1 655 groups covering 11 255 poor families. Moreover, leasees are given minimum inputs, forage seeds and planting materials, with training and simple technology. The processes of rehabilitation of degraded lands, with total participation of poor families are: protection from grazing and fire, invigoration of natural regeneration of desired species and their proper management, promotion of hedgerows along contours, and planting of perennials and preferably leguminous forage species, fruit trees and multipurpose tree species. The government policy is that all the benefits from the leasehold forests can go directly to the leasehold families by a group decision or sale of surplus products without sharing with government agencies. An assessment showed that vegetation that covered only 32% of degraded land in a newly handed-over area steadily increased to 50% in the 2-year- old group, 68% in the 4-5-year-old group and 78% in the 6-7-year- old group. Likewise, the most significant measurable difference in the vegetation between 1994/95 and 2000 is the tremendous increase in species diversity. Leasees directly benefited from huge amounts of fodder, fuelwood and other non-timber forest products from these forests in reduced collection times, especially by women who are the main workers in the hills. With the increased production of forage, poor families have now increased the number of goats and milking buffaloes that give them a good source of income. Despite many challenges, this leasehold policy is successful and the government has converted it from project to programme, implemented in 30 districts. |
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