Forest Management and Evolution of Community Forestry (CF) in Nepal. Anil Shresth PhD Asia Forest Research Centre Faculty of Forestry UBC

Transcription

1 Forest Management and Evolution of Community Forestry (CF) in Nepal Anil Shresth PhD Asia Forest Research Centre Faculty of Forestry UBC

2 Outline Introduction Forest and Biodiversity in Nepal Forest Management & Evolution of Community Forest (CF)in Nepal Main Features of CF in Nepal Outcomes of CF in Nepal (Ecological/Socio-Economic) Challenges of CF in Nepal Conclusion and way forward

3 Located in South Asia between Two Massive Country India & China Area : 147,181 km 2 Population: ~30 million (Rural 81%; Urban 19%) Population Density: 196 individual/km 2 GDP Per Capita: 694 USD About 125 caste/ethnic groups 123 different languages CBS, 2011

4 Physiographic and bio-climatic zones of Nepal Diverse elevation gradient Within 120 km, 63 m from sea level to top of the world (8,848 m)

5 Biodiversity in Nepal (Fauna) Nepal occupy only 0.1% of global land mass but supports high biodiversity

6 Biodiversity in Nepal (Flora) Among 118 types of ecosystem, 112 forest ecosystem 4 cultivation ecosystem 1 water body ecosystem 1 glacier/snow/rock ecosystem Middle Mountain: 53 High Himal : 38 High mountain : 38 Terai : 14 Siwalik : 12

7 Forest types of Nepal Alpine Tropical Forest (up to 1,000m) Pinus, Thuja, Juniper spp Sub-tropical Forest (1,000-1,700m) Temperate Forest (2,000-2,700m) Pinus roxburghii Rhododendron Bamboo Upper Temperate Forest (2,700-3,100m) Sub-alpine Forest (3,000-4,200m) Schima-Castanopsis Alpine Forest (4,000-5,000m) Shorea robusta

8 Fodder Food and Fruits Medicines Farm Forestry Livelihood Linkage in rural Nepal Population: 30 million (Rural 81%; Urban 19%) Fuel wood Leaf litter for manure Timber Livestock grazing

9 History of Forest Management and Evolution Community Forestry in Nepal हर य बन न प लक धन (Green Forests are the wealth of Nepal) Before 1927 No administrative forest office Set up Kathmahal = Wood depot & East/West Wing supplying sleepers to India Establishment of Department of Forest with circles and 44 range covering Terai Plenty of forest, indigenous forest management system, large forest under then ruler Rana Establishment of Institute of Forest

10 (Collapse of 104 years of autocratic Rana government) Period of transition to convert forests as private property to state property Introduced Private Forest Nationalization Act; declared private forests as state property Promulgated Forest Act (1961); government took control on forests resources Massive deforestation Fortress approach Theory of Himalayan degradation

11 Emergence of form of community forestry concept Democracy Recognized for the 1st time need for community involvement in forest management through national forestry plan; introduced Panchayat Forest and Panchayat Protected Forest Rules (1978), Decentralization Act (1982), and Decentralization Regulations (1984) Prepared a 25 years Master Plan for the Forestry Sector and endorsed it by the government in 1989 as a major policy document; recognized community and private forestry as the largest program

12 Introduced user group concept to fulfill basic needs of forest products; introduced Forest Act (1993) and Forest Regulations (1995); emergence of Federation of Community Forestry users in Nepal (FECOFUN) Focused to contribute poverty reduction; prepared community forestry directives (1996); revised forestry sector policy (2000); introduced forest inventory guidelines (2001); made mandatory to invest 25% of generated income from community forestry to forest development and maintenance Moist Civil War Focused to poverty reduction and community empowerment; recognized CFUGs as an effective local institution as they survived even in the war and conflict time of the country between the Maoist and Government

13 CF focused on governance, poverty reduction and sustainable forest management; Payment for Ecosystem Services, climate change and REDD; mandatory to invest 35% of generated income from CF to pro-poor programs; mandatory to include women in the key posts of the executive committee of CFUGs 2015 onwards Federal Democratic Republic Country (Discussion on structure of forestry sector) Source: Pokharel et al., 2006; Ojha et al., 2006; MFSC, 2007; Gautam et al., 2004; DoF, 2001

14 Forest Management Regimes in Nepal Government managed forest: National forest managed by government Community forestry: National Forest that is handed over to a user group to develop, conserve and manage; extract, exploit, trade and/or distribute the forest products by fixing the prices independently, according to an approved operational plan Protected forest : Leasehold forest: Religious forest: Buffer zone community forest: Other forms of community based forest management in Nepal 60% of the total forest can be handed over as CF

15 Area in Ha ~46% of total households of Nepal Trend of CF hand over 1,8 mil ha of CF handed over to 19,916 CFUG among 2,546,760 households (DOF, CF division Aug 2017) New CF hand over per year ~29% of total forest area of Nepal

16 Main feature CF in Nepal District Forest Office (DFO) can handover any part of national forests to the communities, who are traditional users of the resources. DFO (State) provides technical assistance and advice. Land ownership remains with the state, while the land use rights belong to the Community Forest User Group (CFUG). All management decisions (land management and forest management) are taken by CFUGs.

17 Main feature CF in Nepal Each household is recognised as a unit for the membership and every member has equal rights over the resources. CFUG are recognized as independent, self-governing, autonomous and corporate body with perpetual succession. CFUGs can generate their fund from grant received by Nepal Government and other local institutions, sale of CF products and amount received by other sources such as fine, etc. CFUGs can use their funds community development except ~25% of it must spend on forest conservation and development.

18 Main feature CF in Nepal 35% of CF s income from selling forest products spend for poor and marginalized users through livelihood programs. CFUG are allowed to plant short-term cash crops like NTFPs such as medicinal herbs. User groups can fix prices of forestry products for their own use. CFUGs can transport forest products under their jurisdiction anywhere in the county. In case of forest offences, CFUGs can punish their members according to their constitution and operational plan.

19 Procedure of CF formation Submission of interest of CF by concerned to DFO Formation of CFUG & constitution of CFUG (general assembly) Application to DFO for registration of CF Registration and issuance of certificate to CFUG by DFO Preparation of Operational Plan (OP) of CF with support from DFO (Survey & demarcation of forest area, forest inventory and calculation of annual increment) Submission of OP to DFO & approval of OP by DFO and formal handover of CF certificate

20 Other forms of CBFM in Nepal Collaborative Forest: Management (MGT) of national forest collaboration with local people, local government and department of forest Main features -Unlimited tenure management but is defined through a 5-10 years management plan. -Benefit sharing: 50% UG, 40% District forest office & 10% local government. -Unlike CF, includes the distant users -User group have to satisfy the need of user group at first and surplus products can be sold outside. CBFM: Community Based Forest Management

21 Leasehold forest: Handover of government forest to a group of local poor households to improve their livelihood -Tenure period lasts for 40 years -Handover of degraded forest to ultra poor -Users not allowed to cut trees before handover but they are allowed to harvest any product planted by them Protected Forest: Government forest which has outstanding environmental, scientific and cultural importance -MGT through 5-10 years plan -Limited user right to local community but special feature must be protected -Provision of subsidies by Gov. or other line agency, alternative energy, eco-tourism development & support of private forest

22 Buffer zone (BZ) CF: the Forest outside the core area of National parks (NP) and wildlife reserves (WR) managed by local community as community forest. Religious forest: government forest that have been entrusted to any religious entity, group or community. -Tenure similar as CF (5-10 years) -Harvest and use forest product for their own use but selling timber to outsiders prohibited -30 to 35% of income of NP & WR from tourism goes to BZCF -Unlimited tenure with 5- year plan -No forest product sale for profit -Use of forest for religious purpose only

23 MSFC 2013, DOF

24 Outcome of CF in Nepal Ecological/Conservation Outcomes 38.0% Increased forest cover particularly in mid-hills FRA 2015

25 Increased Forest Cover from barren land to Dense forest Niraula et al. 2013

26 1978 Better forest condition & density increased ecosystem services and goods (ESG) 2005 Adapted from Pokharel & Branney

27 Increased ecosystem services and goods: Fuel wood, clean water, NTFP (medicines), leaflitter

28 Community Forestry Division, Department of Forest Nepal Increased ecosystem services and goods: Fuel wood, clean water, NTFP (medicines), leaflitter

29 ESG such as soil and water conservation reduction of erosion, landslide, nutrient loss increased agricultural productivity Addressing Himalayan degradation theory

30 Increased EGS such as rehabilitation of gully erosion reduction of erosion, landslide, nutrient loss increased agricultural productivity

31 1974 Increased greenery, aesthetic value and healthy rural life 2010 Niraula et al. 2013

32 Restoration of forest and increased conservation of biodiversity (flora and fauna) including iconic species

33 Household s perception of CF from 3 CF in Kabhare district Manandhar and Shin 2013

34 Social outcomes of Community Forestry Empowerment of local people - Participation/Decision making for their own resources (Operation Plan) - Empowerment of disadvantaged groups (poor, lower caste and woman) - Access and ownership rights over forest and forest products (grass, leaf-litter, fodder, fuelwood, food and medicine) 50% of women in CFUG Either chairperson or secretary must be a woman 50% proportionate representation of from disadvantaged groups Livelihood promotion

35 % Contribution of CF in changing food security by social group Increased Food security % Contribution of CF in changing food security by well-being ranking MFSC 2013

36 Governance Establishment of robust legislation (Forest Act 1993, Forest Regulation 1995) Establishment of networks (The Federation of CF Users (FECOFUN/Nepalese Federation of Forest Resource User Groups) Capacity building of local people (Silviculture, gender equity, reading writing, record keeping)

37 Economic and Community Development Outcomes Poverty reduction Income from CFUG -Income from forest products ( Selling timber, fuelwood, NTFP & tourism) -Enhancing income from Enterprise development -Income from REDD+ Generate $ 13.7 mill profit (MFSC 2013) 30,000 jobs a year from running cost 300,000 jobs a year from benefits (Pokharel & Branny) -Income from users (membership fee/renew, new entry membership fees, fees from punishment) -Support from forest administration/donors

38 Devkota 2010 Devkota 2010

39 Green Enterprises/Green Jobs Biodegradable Plate Gooseberry (NTFP) Briquette for energy Cash crops:cardamon above and broom grass below

40 MFSC 2013 % change in household socioeconomic since last 5 years by well-being ranking % change in household socioeconomic since last 5 years by Social groups

41 CF as main vehicle for Community development % expenditure of different activities by CFUG Education Road Drinking water Health Posts 35% of CF s income from selling forest products spend for poor and marginalized users through livelihood programs MFSC 2013

42 Major challenges of CF in Nepal Subsistence/protection versus Sustainable /active forest MGT. management Forestry for prosperity Forestry Sector Strategy ( ) Subsistence to overall national development Protection to SFM

43 Challenges of CF in Nepal Difficulties in applying forest inventory/improved silvicultural management techniques due to lack of technical forestry knowledge among people Lack of timely revision of operational plan (OP)/follow of OP

44 Challenges of CF in Nepal Controversial policy, rules and regulation Controversy between Forest and local self governance act Periodic introduction new rule and regulation from Ministry of Forest New constitution 2015 Big controversy how forest will be managed under new Federal/provincial government

45 Challenges of CF in Nepal Inclusiveness Dominance of elite and higher caste Exclusion of poor and disadvantaged group Lack of investment in pro-poor livelihood Transparency Pokharel 2008 Decision making Forest mgt Benefit/revenue sharing Poor monitoring and evaluation/auditing

46 Way forward Forest for prosperity through SFM and Inclusive/Better Governance for economic development Hariyo Ban Nepal Ko Dhan (Green Forests are the wealth of Nepal) हर य बन न प लक धन

47 Thank you