Two decades of community forestry in Nepal: What have we learned?

Two decades of community forestry in Nepal: What have we learned?
mitigation measures in response to climate change, good potential was identifi ed
for making such an explicit link in the future. Whilst both NSCFP and LFP were
found to have made signifi cant contributions to forestry policy, the strong and
continued resistance on the part of government to certain pro-poor reform
measures (especially the commercialisation of forest products) was highlighted.
Simply put: there are still many challenges ahead.
As a fi nal point of refl ection, it has been estimated that, if all activities are taken
into account and calculated at their real value (rather than voluntary unpaid
contribution), the annual cost of community forestry per CFUG is approximately
NRs 119,100. Of this, the government bears about 13%, donors have so far
provided about 16%, and the rest, an overwhelming 71%, is borne by local
communities themselves (Pokharel et al, 2008; Bhattarai, 2011). Over the last 20
years, SDC has provided some CHF 22 million in support of community forestry
in Nepal. Whilst it would be disingenuous to calculate the contribution of local
communities in the NSCFP area against this fi gure, it is nevertheless worth
considering their huge investment and commitment - especially as some 39% of
CFUG members are, by any defi nition, living in poverty. The value of community
forestry to them lies in securing their long term access to and rights over forest
resources, and in affording membership of a local decision-making body that is
expected to function democratically, and to treat its members with dignity.
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