Mainstreaming Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services into Community Forestry in Nepal. Newsletter September 2017

Transcription

1 Newsletter September 2017

2 2 1. Background Community forestry is the noble innovation of Nepal in the field of participatory forestry management. It was developed to curb the large scale deforestation and degradation rate due to the failure of the government centric forest policy systems in Nepal. The community forestry programme was evolved in the form of 'Panchayat Forest' and 'Panchayat Protection Forest' in With the promulgation of the Forest Act, 1993 and Forest Regulations 1995; the Panchayat and Panchayat Protection Forests were transformed into the 'Community Forests' and implemented all over the country. After the initiation of community forests, once degraded forests have been restored into green, local ownership and empowerments strengthened almost throughout Nepal. Community Forest is an integral part of the national forests handed over to local users for the protection, management and utilization of the forestry resources. Community Forest User Groups(CFUGs) are entitled to fix the price of forest products and sell freely in the market. 100% of the income entirely goes to the concerned CFUG (with the exception of external sale of Sal and Khair for which a 15% of the royalty rate goes to the government). Community forestry has brought a considerable amount of qualitative and quantitative positive changes in biophysical condition of forests as well as livelihoods of community through increased forest productivity, restored degraded areas and maintenance of the ecosystem services in Nepal. It has therefore widely recognized as a successful model of participatory forest management that empowers local communities to manage their local forest resources in Nepal. The legal and policy frameworks for the conservation of the biodiversity both at the local and national level are favorable. The government of Nepal has shown its strong commitments for the conservation of the biodiversity, at national and international level. The National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) recognized that CFs are significant for the promotion of biodiversity and ecosystem services (ES). NBSAP has envisioned in its strategy that by 2020, all the community managed forests include a biodiversity chapter in their operational plans and respective user groups to effectively implement those plans as priority actions. Similarly, "Forest Policy 2015" has also emphasized on increasing the benefits from conservation and utilization of biodiversity and environmental services. The Community Forest Development Program(CFDP) guidelines (third amendment 2015) has mentioned on exploration of possibilities to improve the livelihood through utilization of environmental services like water resources, landscape beauty, watershed, biodiversity conservation and carbon stock, under sustainable management of Community forests. However, biodiversity conservation and environment services have not well been streamlined into the CFs despite its progress in other dimensions. Community forests have been providing various ecosystem services and there is very high potentiality of the development of rural livelihoods by optimum and sustainable utilization of these resources but the level of awareness and knowledge about the conservation, management and utilization of the biodiversity and ecosystem services is very low among the members of community forests and user groups. Community forests are home to many endemic and threatened species and reservoir of ecosystem services but major attention of the Community Forest User Groups is on productivity of major forest products rather than addressing wider bio-diversity or ecosystem values. Commercially important species such as timber, fuelwood carry more value than lesser used and known species. Many species that might hold significant importance in future are yet to be identified. Hence, they are overlooked during the tending operations and other management activities. Furthermore, community forests in many cases are confined within the conservation of the floral diversity rather than faunal diversity. While the users are not directly getting benefits from conserving wildlife, they feel less concerned towards wildlife conservation because of the fear of rise in human-wildlife conflict. Likewise, the impact of climate change on ecosystem services such as water resources, stream drought, forest fire etc. are also visible. The project and Ecosystem Services into was designed with the aim of mainstreaming biodiversity and ecosystem services more effectively into CFs of Nepal, to benefit people and wildlife through capacity development, tools, policy and process.

3 3 2. Description of the project The project and Ecosystem Services into has been initiated by Bird Conservation Nepal (BCN) in collaboration with the Department of Forests (DoF) and Federation of Community Forestry Users Nepal (FECOFUN) for three years from April 2015 to March 2018 under the technical and financial support of BirdLife International and Darwin Initiative. 3. Objectives of the Project 1. To demonstrate the value of integrating biodiversity/es into CF. 2. To raise awareness, improve understanding and strengthen capacity of key forestry staff of DoF, FECOFUN, CFUGs and NGOs/programmes involved in CF. 3. To pilot new approaches to biodiversity mainstreaming by updating Operational Plans (OPs) and monitoring procedures for 14 community forests. 4. To produce an official Biodiversity Supplement to CFDP Guidelines, 5. To disseminate lessons learned throughout Nepal and Asia. 4. Expected Outputs of the Project 1. Information and knowledge on ecosystem service and biodiversity linkages to livelihoods and wellbeing, in the context of community forestry compiled, documented and shared. 2. Training courses for forestry professionals revised to include modules relating to the integration of ES and biodiversity into CFM planning and, through training of trainers, forest officers and FECOFUN staffs trained; with appropriate tools, guidelines, and awareness materials available for use in guiding CFUGs community forestry users groups understood and became capable on inclusive planning, integration and monitoring of biodiversity and ES in their forests and Operational Plans revised and adopted accordingly. 4. National biodiversity supplement to the CFDP guidelines published by DoF and in use, with high level of awareness of its existence and relevance among key CFM stakeholders and practitioners. 5. CFM stakeholders nationally and regionally became aware of the lessons learnt from the project. 5. Project implementation modality: The project works by following CF policy and process; developing and testing practical tools and mechanisms to incorporate biodiversity conservation and ecosystem service into operation plan of community forest, as part of sustainable forest use. The project contributes to fulfil some significant gaps in awareness and capacity of key stakeholders on biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services through curriculum design and training along with development of biodiversity supplement to CFDP guideline. These different activities carried out by working team of the project under the advice of Advisory Committee (Chair by Director General of DoF) and Technical committee (Chair by Deputy Director General and Chief of CF Division) was formed to validate the output of working team. Advisory Committee BCN DoF FECOFUN Central Forest Training & Extension Center RECOFTC CEO DG Chair Person Director DDG Technical Comittee Focal person Focal person Expert Expert Project Officers Front line Implementer

4 4 6. Key Activities 6.1 National workshop National workshop was organized at hotel Malla, Lainchour, Kathmandu on 4 th and 5 th August 2015 representing well renowned scientists, policy makers, academicians and practitioners from Department of Forest (DoF), Department of National Park and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC), National Park and Wildlife Directorate, Department of Forest Research and Survey, Department of Soil Conservation and Watershed management, Department of Plant Resources (DPR), FECOFUN, Green Foundation, Forest Action, BirdLife International, Himawanti Nepal, National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC), ZSL, NFA, WWF Nepal, Forestry Experts, media persons, Small Earth Nepal, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), UNDP, SANDEE, TU, eg-tech, BCN, ANSAB, NEFTA to discuss how can simultaneously maximize benefits to biodiversity and ecosystem services, and protect and enhance livelihood diversity and community resilience, and to find out the important activities that should be carried out urgently to enhance the biodiversity and ecosystem services into community forestry. Afterwards, all the findings presented by researchers was compiled and documented as proceedings and destributed to stakeholders. Proceedings of a national workshop Jointly Organized by Department of Forests (DoF), Federation of Community Forestry Users Nepal (FECOFUN) and Bird Conservation Nepal (BCN)

5 5 6.2 Regional workshops in Pokhara, Dadeldhura and Hetauda BCN in close coordination with FECOFUN and DoF conducted regional workshop in Pokhara on 26 th September 2015, Dadeldhura on 18 th November 2015 and Hetauda on 5 th January 2016 for comprehensive and up-to-date review about community forest management, ecosystem services, biodiversity and livelihood in Nepal, including social dimensions. The main objectives of the regional workshop was to identify the status of the biodiversity conservation and environment services and explore how well these issues have been addressed into the community forestry systems of seven different districts in High mountain, Mid-hill and Terai. The workshop attempted to assess how the Operational plan and constitution of the CFUGs have incorporated the conservation of biodiversity and ecosystem services? What are the provisions in the Operational plans? How far they implemented and what are the linkages between biodiversity conservation and rural livelihoods? On the basis of review, the information and knowledge on ecosystem service and biodiversity linkages to livelihoods and wellbeing, in the context of community forestry (including cultural, social, gender-based and institutional differences in understanding, interpretation, practice and impact) were compiled, documented and shared with Government and civil society forest management stakeholders; entry points for mainstreaming biodiversity into pro-poor CFM identified.

6 6 6.3 Training courses for CF professionals Workshop and meeting in Kathmandu Expert Consultation Workshop was held on 3 rd and 4 th March 2016 in Hotel Summit to develop outline of the biodiversity supplement for the production of an official biodiversity supplement to national community forest management guidelines and to agree and design the content of training materials, tools and guidelines. Expert consultative meeting was held on 4 th November 2016 in Kathmandu to develop training need assessment through addressing biodiversity and ecosystem services related components into training manual and curricula for the purpose of mainstreaming biodiversity and ecosystem services into community forestry in Nepal. Meeting was represented by DoF, Forest Training Centers, FECOFUN, KAFCOL, BirdLife International and BCN. Based on the prepared TNA, training courses for forestry professionals was revised to include modules relating to the integration of ES and biodiversity into CFM planning Training of Trainers Programme Four days long Training of Trainers programme for forest officials, Social mobilizers from FECOFUN, HIMAWANTI, COFSUN, REDD and DNPWC was organized by BCN on 18 th May to 21 st May at Buddha Nagar, Kathmandu. The main objective of the programme was to provide training to participants from different districts of Nepal based on recently prepared training manual to make them aware about incorporating biodiversity and ecosystem services related components into the operation plan of community forests Training programme for forest officials in Surkhet and Pokhara The five days long training from 26 th to 30 th May 2017 was conducted in Pokhara (western region) and Surkhet (mid-western region) with the technical coordination of Western Regional Forest Training Center and Midwestern Regional Forest Training Center respectively. The main objective of the programme was to provide training to forest officials from different districts of western and mid-western region based on recently prepared training manual to make them aware about incorporating biodiversity and ecosystem services related components into the operation plan of community forests.

7 Training programme for FECOFUN staffs in Butwal National level training was also organized by FECOFUN on 9 th to 13 th July 2017 at Butwal, Rupandehi under the financial and technical support of BCN. The training was conducted with the aim of enhancing capacity of Social mobilizers of FECOFUN from the different districts of Nepal in terms of mainstreaming biodiversity and ecosystem services related components into operational plan. 3) Lathuwa Commmunity Forest, Kailali 4) Bandevi Community Forest, Kailali 5) Bhotedaha Community Forest, Dang 6) Kafal Gaira Community Forest, Gulmi 7) Maranga Jhakrevir Community Forest, Gulmi 8) Naudhara Community Forest, Lalitpur 9) Godawari Kund Community Forest, Lalitpur 10) Dumri Thumka Community Forest, Udayapur 11) Radha Krishna Buffer Zone Community Forest, Bara 12) Namuna Buffer zone Community Forest, Nawalparasi Two community forests, one each from Sankhuwasabha and Sunsari are yet to be selected. So far, 2 Community Forest Operational Plans have already been prepared and submitted for approval. For other 10 CFs, field work and data compilation have been completed and incorporation is in progress. 6.4 Piloting of and Ecosystem Services in 14 Community Forests Following 14 community forests representing three geographical regions, 5 development regions and 7 provinces were selected to incorporate biodiversity and ecosystem services into their operational plan. 1) Jhyari Buffer zone Community Forest, Mugu 2) Ratamata Choti Khada Buffer zone Community Forest, Mugu Province No. 7 Ghodaghodi Lake Complex, Kailali Rara National Park Complex, Mugu Province No. 6 Nawalparasi Forest, Nawalparasi Province No. 4 Phulchoki Forest, Lalitpur Province No. 3 Udayapur Forest, Udayapur Province No. 1 Deukhuri Foothill Forests, Dang Province No. 5 Reshunga Forest Complex, Gulmi Parsa National Park, Bara Province No. 2 Dharan Forests, Sunsari Khandbari-Num Forests, Sankhuwasabha

8 8 6.5 Consultative Workshop Draft biodiversity supplement to the CF Guideline has been prepared. A number of activities led the development of this draft. On 15 th March 2017, BCN, in collaboration with the DoF and FECOFUN, organized a workshop at Alfa House, Baneshwor, Kathmandu on and Ecosystem Services into. The main objective of the workshop was to finalize draft biodiversity supplement through getting wider comments from wider audiences for the community forestry development programme guideline and to agree with the draft of training curriculum to prepare training manual and training materials to support forest users and forestry field workers in incorporating biodiversity, ecosystem services and climate change related issues into operational plan of community forest. Programme was attended by representative of FECOFUN, DoF, BCN, Hario Ban, Green Foundation, MoFSC, COFSUN, Dalit Network Federation, Himawanti, NijiPariwarik Ban, Ban Sanchar, Forest Action, NFA, KAFCOL, NEFIN and CFT&EC. 6.6 Darwin Initiative Mid Term Review (MTR) Darwin Initiative Mid Term Review (MTR) visit to BCN was carried out by Simon Mercer, Darwin consultant from 28 th November to 3 rd December The programme consisted of visits to key project partners and a field visit to a project pilot site in Godawari. Meetings and discussions were held with project and collaborating partner staff, as well as beneficiary community members. One of the outputs of the MTR was a short aide memoire summarising initial thoughts and potential recommendations from the review.

9 9 Views from Stakeholders about the project The constitution and operational plan of some of the CFUG have been prepared without much consultation which is very general problem throughout the country. I hope this project will be able to fix such problems. Rukmati Thagunna User, Nidali CFUG, Darchula The role of both local people and department of forest is very important in the conservation of community forest. The more people conserve the biodiversity the more they gain benefit from it to improve their livelihood. Dr. Rajendra KC DFO, Kailali The objectives of the project are very relevant at the present contexts of the community forestry in Nepal. Tanka B. Bhandari User, Achham There is very huge gap between the theory and practice on preparing the operational plans. The OP is generally prepared by the technicians without consulting users. The interests, roles and responsibilities of the users are not equally reflected into the CFUG constitution and operational plans. Additionally, the hand over process have been either slowed down or deviated at present. The boundary conflicts among CFs have also created problems in settling problems related to biodiversity conservation. Madhav Devkota User, Jaldevi CFUG There are lots of the opportunities to conserve biodiversity and ecosystem services. The well-structured legal provisions are there in the Forestry Rules and Regulations. The CFUGs are committed in the biodiversity conservation and management of ecosystem services. Ramesh Chand Former Regional Director Many plant species and their value are unknown to people in many community forests. There is immediate need of listing out and measuring the value of our natural resources in community forest to manage the biodiversity and ecosystem services properly. Prakash Lamsal Under Secretary, CFD, DoF There are some threats in mainstreaming biodiversity and ecosystem services into the CF constitution and Operational plans. Users mainly concentrate on some main economically valuable species only and ignoring the conservation of other flora and fauna. Kalidash Subedi Chairperson, FECOFUN, Kaski The Nation has high potentialities in improving the rural livelihoods of the people through biodiversity conservation, wildlife protection and nature based ecotourism. Manju Malasi Central Member, FECOFUN

10 10 Darwin Initiative The Darwin Initiative was announced by the UK Government in 1992 at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. It was established as a non-departmental public body of Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR), moving to Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) on its formation in The Darwin Initiative is a UK Government funding program that aims to assist countries with rich biodiversity but poor financial resources to meet their objectives under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD); the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES); and the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS). The scope of supported projects is very broad and includes, institutional capacity building, training, research, work to implement the biodiversity convention, and environmental education or awareness. BirdLife International BirdLife International is the world s largest nature conservation Partnership. Together we are 120 BirdLife Partners worldwide one per country or territory and growing with 13 million members and supporters, over 7,000 local conservation groups and 7,400 staffs. BirdLife s vision is a world rich in biodiversity, where people and nature live in harmony. We are driven by our belief that local people, working for nature in their own places but connected nationally and internationally through our global Partnership, are the key to sustaining all life on this planet. This unique local-to-global approach delivers high impact and long-term conservation for the benefit of nature and people. BirdLife has nine Global Programmes - some are well established, others are more recent and responding to specific conservation issues. In addition to the Global Programmes there are programmes specific to a region. Together these Global and Regional Conservation Programmes help the Partnership focus and work around common priorities. They provide the framework for planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating our conservation work.

11 11 Federation of Community Forestry Users, Nepal The Federation of Community Forestry Users Nepal (FECOFUN), established in July 1995, is a national federation of forest users across Nepal and a formal network of Forest User Groups (FUGs) from all over the Nepal. As per its constitution, local/vdc level and District level FECOFUN are function under the umbrella of National FECOFUN. The national executive committee has been formed by National general assembly of FECOFUN and there is a provision of steering committee within the executive committee for day to day work. The district level FECOFUN has established in all districts of Nepal. The FECOFUN has dedicated to promoting and protecting users rights through capacity strengthening, economic empowerment, sustainable resource management, technical support, advocacy and lobbying, policy development, and national and international networking and to uphold the values of inclusive democracy, gender balance, and social justice. It has been working with different National and International agencies and project for the benefit of forest users and promotion of natural resources. Department of Forests Department of Forests (DoF) is the only government agency of Nepal for the sustainable management, utilization, protection and development of forest resources outside the protected areas. The forest administration in Nepal has evolved through a series of fundamental changes reflecting to priorities of the Government. The establishment of the first Department of Forests took place in 1942; however formal forest administration was began with the establishment of Ban Janch Adda in It is one of the five departments under the Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation. As per current structure, the Director General (DG) is responsible for overall forest administration and presently, it has commanding over seventy four district of Nepal. DoF has been providing its services through four administrative levels: headquarters (DoF), District Forest Office (DFO), Ilaka Forest Office and Range Posts. Planning and monitoring, Community Forest, Forest Silviculture, National Forest Divisions and other 5 main section are functioning at its headquarter. The main mandate of DoF is to manage the country s forest resources for the conservation of the natural environment and to supply the forest products to the people. So the DoF not only functions for Protection, management and utilization of forests but also devotes on Planning, implementation and coordination of forestry development activities. In addition, the DoF supports and facilitates the Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation to formulate policies.

12 12 Bird Conservation Nepal (BCN) Established in 1982, Bird Conservation Nepal (BCN) is the leading organization in Nepal, focusing on conservation of birds, their habitats and sites. It seeks to promote interest in birds among the general public, encourage research on birds,and identify major threats to birds continued survival. As a result, BCN is the foremost scientific authority providing accurate information on birds and their habitats throughout Nepal. We provide scientific data and expertise on birds for the Government of Nepal (GoN) through the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC) and work closely in birds and biodiversity conservation throughout the country. BCN is a membership-based organization with a founding President, patrons, life members, ordinary members, friends of BCN and active supporters. Our membership provides strength to the society and is drawn from people of all walks of life from students, professionals and conservationists. Our members act collectively to set the organization s strategic agenda. We are committed to showing the value of birds and their special relationship with people. As such, we strongly advocate the need for peoples participation as future stewards to attain long-term conservation goal. As the Nepalese partner of BirdLife International, a network of more than 120 organizations around the world, BCN also works on a worldwide agenda to conserve the world s birds and their habitats. Cheer Pheasant Photo Hari Basnet Advisors: Ishana Thapa, Prakash Lamsal and Thakur Bhandari, Editors: Parbat Raj Thani and Prashid Kandel 2017 Bird Conservation Nepal (BCN) All rights reserved P.O. Box Lazimpat, Kathmandu, Nepal Tel: , Fax: bcn@birdlifenepal.org Web: