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Abstract

This report shows that community forestry in Nepal is not just about forest conservation, but that Forest User Groups also foster sustainable and equitable local development. They do this through both active forest management and also effectively accessing external support and assets. Forest User Groups (FUGs) succeed in creating livelihood opportunities for rural communities in general and for poor and marginalised households in particular. Thus community forestry has brought about socio-economic change and contributed significantly to community development, livelihood diversification, biodiversity conservation , improved governance and greater social inclusion.

The report provides examples of community forestry at its best, implementing a wide range of community development initiatives -

Infrastructure development by FUGs includes construction of roads, bridges, irrigation facilities and drinking water systems. They carry out projects to reduce the impact of disasters such as river embankment strengthening. FUG offices are often build by the group and used for a range of other activities as a community resource.

Education is supported by FUGs in a number of ways including scholarships, salaries for teachers, timber for construction and furniture, and funds for buildings, materials and a community library. Some FUGs support informal education, greatly contributing to adult literacy, numeracy and awareness.

Health and sanitation has been improved through FUG support to activities such as health post construction and operation, safe motherhood programmes, toilet construction and health camps.

Employment creation and raising funds takes place in many FUGs through activities such as establishing savings and credit groups, developing forest-based enterprises and establishing markets for forest products. Some are experimenting with ecotourism. In addition FUGs contribute to the national treasury through royalties and taxes.

Governance, inclusion, empowerment and equity are all effectively addressed through the working of model FUGs. The institutional processes of FUGs encourage basic elements of good governance. Social inclusion and empowerment is at the heart of the working of many FUGs and is enshrined in the groups' legal documents. Many groups promote equity in the distribution of forest products and in access to financial and other opportunities and thus have a bias towards poor and excluded households.

Poverty reduction and livelihoods support is a key aspect of the working of many FUGs. Nearly all groups identify the poorest and most excluded member households and offer a range of opportunities such as grants or loans for income generating activities, or the use of allocated land within the community forest for sustainable production of subsistence or marketable products. Some offer skills development training and others have programmes specifically for disabled members.

Social and cultural activities take place in several FUGs to raise awareness of both environmental and social issues, to support cultural conservation and to contribute to peace building process and post-conflict rehabilitation.

Energy provision in rural areas has been improved though FUGs whether through extending electrification or promoting improved cooking stoves and biogas or developing enterprises to make briquettes from invasive forest plants.

Environmental services are significantly enhanced under the management of FUGs. Active sustainable management leads to improved forest condition with resulting improved biodiversity, soil conservation and watershed protection. Community forests contribute to climate change mitigation by both preventing forest destruction or degradation and through sequestering carbon into new growth. They also contribute to the capacity of members to adapt to effects of climate change and are expected to be managed to increasingly play such a role, particularly in increasing the resilience of the poorest and most vulnerable.

The report also highlights where Forest User Groups fail to live up to their potential and offers ways forward.