Abstract
Terai is a narrow strip of low, flat, and fertile land, which runs along Nepal's southern border at <1,000 m of altitude. Possessing a complex mix of flora and fauna, the Terai is an area of global importance for biodiversity. It supports a spectacular assemblage of Asia's megafauna. Terai is a Global 200 site and a Focal 25 ecoregion of the world. The most immediate threat to biodiversity in the area is habitat loss and fragmentation, which is primarily caused by the lack of sustainable management of natural resources. Poverty, population growth, and migration drive communities to extract and over-exploit resources.
In Nepal, the history of forest management has been distinctly different in the hills and the Terai, with each area relying on different management strategies up to the present time. Government made several attempts to implement forest management plans in Terai. However, such plans were never implemented. Before 1950, the local people were encouraged to convert forest land into agricultural land to generate government revenue. In 1957, the government nationalized all forest of the country and assumed the duty for protection and management of all forests. Lack of institutional capacity with the Government to mange the vast forest areas created a management vacuum and unscrupulous elements of society indulged in massive deforestation. In order to remedy the situation, for the first time in 1976, the Government encouraged local people to participate in forest management.
To conserve forests in Terai, it was decided to test the community forestry model that was developed in the hills. In the beginning the government was reluctant to hand over the forest to local communities because the forest was commercially very valuable and the government was receiving revenue for long time.
The Jalandhara Community Forest in Banke district was one of the examples where the model was tested. The forest is 76 ha and is managed by 32 households. The forest was turned over to local communities for management in 1996. The operational plan was revised in 2000 to incorporate the management of NTFPs into it.
Forest vegetation of the Jalandhara area can be reconstructed at three stages: - Early Vegetation: Village elders recall that about 50 years ago the area was covered with a very dense jungle and was rich in both plant and animal biodiversity. The local people did not care about the forest because forest products were plentiful in the area. They could easily satisfy their needs.
- Forest Destruction: Between 1969 and 1990, landless people encroached the area. Forest vegetation was cleared. When the District Forest Office of the Banke District removed the encroachers forcefully, the forest was mostly covered with thorny vegetation like Zizyphus sp. and some over-mature, dead and dying trees. In 1991, the Forest Department planted the barren area. To address the problems of encroachment, the forest was handed over to the nearby local communities in 1996.
- Local Forest Restoration Initiative: In 2000 socio-economic data were collected using participatory rural appraisal tools. The demands for forest products were estimated. They produced an inventory of species and estimated growing stock, average annual increment, and allowable cut for forest products. A species list was prepared with species name, regeneration count, and growing stock for both timber and NTFPs. The users planned for major activities and set up management prescriptions.
The results of such interventions show a difference of regeneration status between 1996 and 2000. In 1996, the regeneration of tree species was 600/ha in the natural forest area and 1,700/ha in the plantation area (not including NTFP yielding species). The inventory of 2000 showed that the number of regeneration shoots with diameter at breast height (dbh) < 4 cm (including both trees and NTFP yielding species) was 71,000/ha. Though the figures do not allow for comparison because of the inconsistency in counting NTFP yielding species, these figures may be used for indicative purpose only.
While revising the operational plan in 2000, the users recorded more than 30 plant species in the forest, including species of late succession that the village elders recalled having seen in the early vegetation stage. Several medicinal plant species native to the Terai area were also recorded.
In 1999, Jalandhara CFUG earned the equivalent of US$ 41 from the sales of fruits of Piper longum. This was possible just after they were made aware of Piper management through informal technical assistance from the project. After realizing the economic benefits from Piper, users created a Piper plot of 0.2 ha inside the community forest. They expanded the area to 8.5 ha and earned US$ 450. Within about two years’ time, the group accumulated US$ 3,300.
Although a quantitative evaluation is lacking, user's experience of changes in the condition of the forest over time can provide a basis for qualitative judgement. In the period before the forest was handed over to the local communities, the local people had no motivation to protect the forest. Forest products were collected haphazardly during this period. During the period of local control, users claim to have observed a positive change in the forest condition. They have regulated the use of forests.
The amount of money earned by the group may not be substantial, but users have realized the importance of integrating NTFP management with traditional forest management practices for timber production. Thus, conservation efforts that recognize the economic benefits for the local communities are likely to succeed. The institutionalization of CFUG activities, if measured in terms of processes involved in biodiversity conservation, appears to be effective.
Evidence shows that if the community forests are managed and conserved properly, many native plant species, which have not been observed for years, can be restored, enriching the biodiversity of the area. The Jalandhara Community Forest can become a model for replication of sustainable forest management and biodiversity conservation efforts elsewhere.
|