Natural versus Plantation Forest under Community Management in Nepal's Far-Western Tarai

Forest will continue to degrade if indigenous people and local community's rights to sustainable forest management are not ensured. Community forest management is a viable regime to address this issue. However, there are limited studies on differences among Community Forest User Groups (CFUGs) in terms of population, forest condition and resource availability. The CFUGs with natural or plantation forest in Kailali and Kanchanpur of Nepal's far-western Tarai have varied experiences in conservation and use of forest products. They are diverse in terms of population composition and resource endowment. The CFUGs with natural forest are more resourceful than those with plantation forest. The CFUGs with plantation forest have high population pressure per household and unit area of CF. Men and hill migrants have dominated the decision making positions and processes more in the CFUGs with natural forest. The CFUGs with natural forest are relatively in the better-off position in terms of forest area available per household, forest product available from the mature forest and income generation from distribution of forest products outside and with in the CFUGs. The CFUGs with plantation forest less availability of forest products from young forest resulting in high population pressure on government managed forest and other sources to meet their demands. Thus, the government should devise separate policies to evaluate and support the 'natural' and 'plantation' forests. Analysis of demand and supply of forest products in CFUGs and their networking will help meet the demand of various segments of the CFUG and also neighbouring communities. The forest authorities and federations of CFUGs have important role to analyse demand and supply, and make provisions for distribution of forest products within and outside CFUGs. External support to provide biogas and improved cooking stoves would be imperative to reduce forest product consumption. Promotion of non-timber forest products in both natural and plantation forests would help conserve forest, generate income and develop ownership among the users for sustainable forest management. Promotion of agroforestry and private forestry would help increase the supply of forest products and adopt livestock stall feeding practice. The provision of leasehold and private property rights and their transferability within and outside CF management regimes will help benefit the poor for sustainable resource management.

Under progress