In the mid-hills of Nepal, community forestry programs have played an important role in improving forest condition by adopting better forest protection and management measures. Through forest management, users are generating incomes that are used in community development activities. However, there are some problems of this system of forest management in relation to poorer households of a forest user group. That is the cost for operating community forest by poorer households exceeds the benefits received by them. Before the introduction of community forestry programs, all users living in and around forests were able to collect most forest products free of cost at any time. In community forests, free access to collect forest products has been restricted in order to improve the forest condition. The result of this practice is a decrease of forest product supply, including tree and grass fodder from the community forest.
It has directly affected poorer households keeping livestock. Forest resources are very important for them in maintaining their livestock population needed for generating income for survival, as they have small landholdings that are not sufficient to grow tree and grass fodder to support their livestock. In addition, some poorer households living near town and roadside were selling fuelwood in hotel and teashops etc. This practice in community forest areas is stopped that has also created problem to poorer people for generating income for day to day survival.
Community forestry activities also increase the contributory burden of poorer households for forest protection and management. As a user, every household, whether rich or poor pays an equal amount as monthly membership fee. In addition, poorer households also buy forest products based on rules and regulations written in the forest operational plan. Shrestha and Sapkota (2001) reported that the forest users of Dhading, Kaski, Baglung and Partbat districts of Nepal pay money for fuelwood, timber, cut grass, resin and stone gathered from community forest areas. Forest products that are commonly sold in Sindhu Palchok and Kabhre Palanchok districts are sawlogs, round poles and green fuelwood (Hunt et al, 1995).
Finally, the community forestry program has encouraged community development work that demands compulsory labour contribution and has had a direct effect on poorer households in generating daily income for livelihood because they have to engage in community development activities rather than working as casual labourers to generate income.
| Gokarneshwor Municipality Gokarneshwor | Local Governance and Community Family Planning Association of Nepal | IPPF |
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