Abstract of paper to be published in Banko Janakari 12(1)
Unintended outcomes of community forestry intervention in Nepal : some implications
J. C. Baral

This paper illustrates how community forestry intervention, despite good intention, may produce unintended outcomes. The reason is mainly attributed to the practice, which tends to consider intervention as a blueprint approach than a process. This is in contrast to the policy, which essentially considers intervention as a process for devising a fair and equitable system, based on consensus derived from a number of informal dialogue and discussions. Arguments are put forward in favour of a process approach that do not necessarily limit itself to the problem of intra-community level but would go beyond and attempt to embrace wider issues pertaining to the inter-community or the region. It is pointed out that unintended outcomes do not necessarily limit themselves to the community forestry sector but extend to the field of development intervention in general.

Bamboo growing and its market development potential for sustaining rural livelihoods and poverty reduction in eastern Nepal
A.N. Das

The Eastern Nepal is rich in bamboo resources due to favourable climate. The decreased supply of forest products as a result of increased forest degradation has considerably raised interest of rural households towards bamboo growing. The multiplicity of uses has made bamboos one of the most widely cultivated families of plants both in the Terai and Middle Hills of eastern Nepal. Bamboo and its products are readily sold and bought in markets. Bamboo is an important source of income and sustaining livelihoods for bamboo grower households, craftmakers and traders, many of whom are socially and economically disadvantaged. The development of bamboo resources and their commercial utilisation aspects are not yet fully explored to its potential. The development of bamboo resources that includes its marketing and wise use can help reduce poverty in Nepal. This paper explains recent trends of bamboo use, marketing trends, economics of bamboo growing, income generating aspects, and its development potential in eastern Nepal.

Comparative study of different sampling intensities for Community Forest Inventory (CFI) in the middle hills of Nepal
Gopal Pakash Bhattarai

The Community Forest management and planning for sustainable development and utilisation requires a good knowledge of forest related information such as growing stock, species diversity, increment, and yield. For this, information of existing growing stock of the forest is necessary and to get the better result of estimated growing stock needs better sampling methodology. In this context, the inventory results of total enumeration with that of Systematic Sampling (SS) and Simple Random Sampling (SRS) using various sampling intensities were compared. Pokhareban Community Forest (area 6.66 ha; altitude ranging 1,000m to 1,300m.) was selected for this study. The CF is situated at Pangretar Village Development Committee, Ward No. 3 of Sindhupalchok District. The forest is basically in pole size stage and consist of Chilaune-Katus ( Schima-Castanopsis ) species, which is common type in the mid-hills of eastern, central and western development regions of Nepal.

In this study, Systematic sampling method gave the better result compared to Simple Random Sampling. Considering the financial and human resource constraint, 2% sampling intensity (area wise) will be an appropriate sampling intensity for the inventory of community forests in the mid hills of Nepal. However, further studies should be carried out in different species composition to make good prescription in this regard.

The role of forest in supplying Soil nutrients in agricultural production system in the mid hills of Nepal
Krishna Prasad Oli & Mangal Siddhi Manandher

Forest litter is one of the major sources of soil nutrients in the hills of Nepal. Litter is collected and placed for animal bedding or in some cases they are spread directly into field. The direct benefit have not been measured in crop field, despite it being a major sources of soil nutrients in the agricultural production system, which is used traditionally. The farmers collect Forest litter and either mixed with animal manure or turned down into animal bedding ultimately using as source of fertilizer. This is an important traditional innovation for recharging soil nutrients in the agricultural land. Despite the use of animal bedding for maintaining soil fertility, however the extent of exact input of litter and their fertilizing ability under different forest system in Nepal has not been studied. This study is designed to understand the annual forest litter and major soil nutrient yield from different forest types found in Rupa and Begnash Lake area in the midhills of western Nepal. This paper also examines the quantity of forest litter produced under six different forest category, nutrient yields for agriculture from the forest litter from different forests and discusses on the significance of the forest litter in replenishing soil fertility in the middle mountains of Nepal in the light of existing knowledge base.

Various patterns of retaining trees in Indigenous Agroforestry practices exist in the Mid-hills of Nepal
R.K. Shrestha

Trees in the farmland have key role in sustaining the mid-hill farming system of Nepal, which is a complex, traditional and highly integrated with its components---forest/tree, livestock and crops. The existing indigenous practice of retaining trees on various places of farmland plays a major role on various functions performed by trees. A survey conducted in 1995 on finding out those practices in two villages from two different agroecological zones, revealed that there were five specific difference parts of various farmlands used for retaining trees. Out of that two parts, middle of Terrace (T) Riser (R) and outside T on T edge were most commonly used parts of farmland. Since they were reported to have good effect on soil conservation and fodder and fuelwood production. In addition, they occupy insignificant space of cultivated land.

Conservation and development of local forest resources and wildlife through community forestry: a case study from Baghmara community forest, Chitwan.
A. Tamrakar and B. K. Sharma

A study was carried out during autumn 2001 within the users group of Baghmara community forest located at the buffer zone of Royal Chitwan National Park. The main aims of the study were to: i) find out the level of participation from users group members towards community forest management, and ii) assess the perception of users group members towards the current management practice. Data were collected through primary and secondary sources. Most of the users group members were found satisfied (98%) with current management practice and 99% members have positive perception towards Baghmara community forest. The people's participation for community forest management was quite high and more than 80% members were satisfied with the current fuel-wood distribution practice. The involvement of one or two persons from each household in management and fuel-wood collection and provision of alternatives for sustaining livelihood who solely depend on forest products are recommended.

Local forest and rangeland management system in the hills of Nepal
Dr. Giridhari Sharma Paudel and Dr. Gopal B. Thapa

This paper examines the forest and rangeland management system in Setidovan and Bangshing Village Development Committees (VDCs) of Syangja District located in Mid-hills of western Nepal. Main objective of this paper is to search out the appropriate forest and rangeland management strategies in order to enhance the productivity of these resources. The analysis is based on primary and secondary information obtained from field survey undertaken from January to March in 2001. Three types of forest management system, indigenous community forest management system, government initiated community forest management system, and VDC owned open access forest, are apparent in both VDCs. The spontaneously formed indigenous forest management committees had well managed a few patches of natural forests through “strict watch and control” policy. Even though they are not legally recognized, but had clear policies, either written or verbal, on protection and harvesting. The government initiated community forest management committees had clearly written forest management plans, and the condition of forests under their jurisdiction is improving gradually. In contrast, VDC owned open access forests are degrading rapidly, and there is an immediate need to transfer the management responsibility from government to communities. However there are no appropriate rangeland management systems in the ridges even in the Bangshing VDC and their condition is degrading gradually.

Resolution towards mountains tragedy
V.P.Singh

Once abounding forest resources of Nepal, due to over the decades of continued exploitation, has constantly grown up to a state of deficit associated with ecosystem degradation. This has largely been realised by the threats in all lives of the poor mountain residents of the country. In response to this derogation the rural community living in the vicinity of these resources have organised themselves and enforced stern protection measures that act as a shield against usufruct rights of the community. In place of having dynamic equilibrium to the ecosystem through gradual interventions the present custodial practices have hindered the growing capacity of resource. The acute shortage of basic forest commodity brought in by the application of such practices and community anticipation to discern benefits beyond subsistence needs in future has intimidated the sustainability of these organisations in long run. The frigid community mentality circumscribed by the hidden concurrence of field staff has to be thawed for any transformation to take place. The study carried out in central mid hill district of Kabhrepalanchowk during late 1999 gives scientific grounds for such transformation. Findings of the study spread over 22 different community forests of the district conclude that active management practices, harmonised with the forest ecosystem and social system, can contribute to sustainable forest management.

International Year of Mountains 2002 Celebration in Nepal
Dr.Lokendra Raj Sharma

The UN General Assembly called all the governments, INGOs, NGOs, private sector, individuals and UN organizations to celebrate year 2002 as an International Year of Mountains (IYM) by adopting a resolution in 1998, which encourages taking the advantage of the resolution for increasing public awareness of the importance of sustainable mountain development. Mountains occupy about one-fifth of the world's land surface; provide life support to one-tenth and goods and services to more than half of the world's population. This reflects the importance to protect and encourage ecological, social and economical aspects of mountain not only for the welfare of the mountain community but equally for the communities living in lowlands.

Being composed of about 86% of mountains, we believe that the celebration provides us a unique opportunity to push the mountain agenda globally, regionally and nationally to achieve the goal of sustainable mountain development in Nepal. We should not consider the celebration merely a series of events taking place only in one year. It is an opportunity to launch long-term efforts for sustainable mountain development extending beyond 2002. Therefore, the success of IYM depends on many grounds such as research and exchange of information, effective awareness campaign, training, education, capacity building, well designed policy, coordinated, committed and dedicated action for well being of both mountain and lowland people.

Participatory Forest/Watershed Management Approach through Community Development in CDFWCP-II (SABIHAA)
M. Dhakal and A. Hirabayashi

For the purpose of developing a model of participatory community resource management on an equitable and sustainable basis, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has been assisting HMG/JICA Community Development and Forest/Watershed Conservation Project Phase-II (CDFWCP-II), whose nickname in Nepali is SABIHAA ( SA amudaaik BI kas tathaa HA riyali A ayojana) , on the basis of requirement from HMG Nepal since July 16 1999, following the same project Phase-I (1994 – 1999).

First, the report will shortly review a present trend of policies and strategies adopted by Department of Soil Conservation and Watershed Management (DSCWM). Secondly, the report will show introduction of SABIHAA: its framework and approach for development of an applicable and sustainable model in Nepal in terms of participatory community resource management. It will be emphasized that important components in SABIHAA, especially ward-level (administrative unit) approach and actor-oriented approach, and learning-by-doing concept and process. Finally the paper will show achievement and finding through these important components with consistency of the present DSCWM policy and national policy on decentralization, and sustainability of the project.