Two decades of community forestry in Nepal: What have we learned?
Two decades of community forestry in Nepal: What have we learned?
Two decades of community forestry in Nepal: What have we learned?
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<strong>Two</strong> <strong>decades</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>community</strong> <strong>forestry</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Nepal</strong>: <strong>What</strong> <strong>have</strong> <strong>we</strong> <strong>learned</strong>?<br />
10. FOREST POLICY<br />
CONTRIBUTION<br />
“The strength <strong>of</strong> the project <strong>in</strong> be<strong>in</strong>g able to <strong>in</strong>fl uence policy and legislation was made<br />
possible by the strong and close <strong>in</strong>volvement <strong>of</strong> project staff at fi eld level comb<strong>in</strong>ed with<br />
detailed monitor<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>dicators which enabled the justifi cation for specifi c recommendations<br />
to be made on the basis <strong>of</strong> concrete and <strong>of</strong>ten quantifi ed fi eld realities”<br />
Patrick Rob<strong>in</strong>son, <strong>forestry</strong> adviser to SDC <strong>Nepal</strong> 1989-1995 <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g CTA NSCFP 1990-<br />
1995<br />
<strong>Nepal</strong> is <strong>we</strong>ll known <strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong>ternational <strong>forestry</strong> circles for its <strong>in</strong>novative policy on<br />
<strong>community</strong> <strong>forestry</strong>, developed and revised over a passage <strong>of</strong> more than forty<br />
years. The most important national policy and legislation currently guid<strong>in</strong>g <strong>forestry</strong><br />
<strong>in</strong> the country comprises the Forest Act 1993, the Forest Rules and Regulations<br />
1995, and the Community Forestry Guidel<strong>in</strong>es, 2009. The Act sets out <strong>Nepal</strong>’s<br />
legislation on all aspects <strong>of</strong> <strong>forestry</strong>, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g <strong>community</strong> <strong>forestry</strong>, whilst the Rules<br />
and Regulations provide more detail on the manner <strong>in</strong> which the legislation should<br />
be implemented. The Guidel<strong>in</strong>es updated, and go beyond, the Forest Rules and<br />
Regulations <strong>in</strong> the level <strong>of</strong> detail prescribed. An important policy document that<br />
formed a basis for elaborat<strong>in</strong>g all these documents was the 25 year Master Plan<br />
for the Forestry Sector, which was approved <strong>in</strong> 1989 and has now come to an end<br />
<strong>of</strong> its period <strong>of</strong> coverage.<br />
A new Forest Sector Strategy<br />
for a further 15 years is under<br />
development. This is to be aligned<br />
with the spirit <strong>of</strong> new constitution<br />
which is proposed to be a federal<br />
republic <strong>of</strong> up to 15 states. National<br />
and state governments will <strong>have</strong><br />
to share po<strong>we</strong>r on resource<br />
governance. The role <strong>of</strong> the districts<br />
will possibly be limited to plann<strong>in</strong>g<br />
and coord<strong>in</strong>ation functions, and<br />
village municipalities, around 1,400–<br />
one third <strong>of</strong> the current number- are<br />
expected to be more empo<strong>we</strong>red<br />
<strong>in</strong> terms <strong>of</strong> govern<strong>in</strong>g natural<br />
resources, tax revenue and<br />
adm<strong>in</strong>istrative structures. They will <strong>have</strong> to work closely with local communities<br />
<strong>in</strong> matters related to natural resources <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g forests, water, sand, and land.<br />
FECOFUN advocates for the safegaurd <strong>of</strong> the rights <strong>of</strong> forest users<br />
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