scholarly journals Conflict resilience among community forestry user groups: experiences in Nepal

Disasters ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
pp. 517-539 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Nightingale ◽  
Jeevan Raj Sharma
2009 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sushma Bhattarai ◽  
Prakash Kumar Jha ◽  
Niraj Chapagain

In spite of the widely accepted success of Community Forestry in reviving degraded land, it is still seen as being unable to provide tangible benefits to the poor. This paper illustrates that through continuous sharing, deliberation and negotiation among the poor and non?poor members of Community Forest User Groups (CFUGs), management of community forests can be made far more equitable than the usual scenario. Drawing from the experience on the processes and outcomes of Livelihoods and Forestry Programme (LFP), this paper brings empirical evidence of how facilitation support has enabled the poor to have more equitable access to community forests. Three key pro?poor institutional arrangements resulting from the facilitation process include: a) establishing special use rights arrangements within CFUGs for the poor, b) pro?poor silvicultural practices, and c) equitable forest product and benefit distribution mechanisms. The paper suggests some changes in policy and practice to institutionalise these outcomes. Full text is available at the ForestAction websiteDOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jfl.v8i2.2304 Journal of Forest and Livelihood 8(2) February 2009 pp.1-15


2009 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 93-100 ◽  
Author(s):  
KBK Nirmal ◽  
Ravi K Shrestha ◽  
Sudil G Acharya ◽  
Abdul S Ansari

Violent conflicts are quite often perceived as a destructive and negative phenomenon, and there is little understanding of how they also offer opportunities for a positive change in the society. In particular, little is understood about how violent conflicts and development processes interact and create positive changes in local institutions and practices. This article focuses on such interactions observed amongst the Community Forest User Groups (CFUGs) in the Koshi Hills of Nepal, as the Livelihoods and Forestry Programme (LFP) worked through the conflict period. It demonstrates that the Maoist conflict contributed in several ways to enhance the pro-poor outcomes of development actions. We show that the conflict helped empower the marginalised groups, improve their access to community resources, and bring about important changes within the local institutions and practices, contributing to equitable resource management. We suggest that there are positive sides of a violent conflict, where development interventions need to focus on. We also argue that development brings about equitable outcomes if it is complemented with local level advocacy in favour of the poor and marginalised groups. Full text is available at the ForestAction websiteDOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jfl.v8i2.2311 Journal of Forest and Livelihood 8(2) February 2009 pp.93-100


2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 182-196
Author(s):  
L. Puri ◽  
I. Nuberg ◽  
B. Ostendorf ◽  
E. Cedamon

Operational plans are a key element in community forestry in Nepal. However, the relevance of these plans to forest user groups (FUGs) is under scrutiny. This study investigates the usefulness of operational plans against the backdrop of knowledge, capacity and management practices of FUGs. Data were collected from 13 operational plans, 16 group discussions involving forestry professionals, and 218 household interviews in two villages of Lamjung district in Nepal. Whereas operational plans should specifically reflect site specific objectives and activities of forest management, the survey revealed identical objectives across the community forests. Current operational plans are technically complex, poorly linked to the place-based context of livelihood needs and less useful to the FUGs to inform and enhance forest management. This study proposes to differentiate community forests according to their production potentials, and revise the operational plans by shortening the elements that have little or no relevance to the FUGs.


2018 ◽  
pp. 113-119
Author(s):  
K. K. Yadav ◽  
G. P. Kafley ◽  
K. P. Yadav

Government of Nepal has adopted different models like community forestry, leasehold forestry, collaborative forestry, buffer zone community forestry and public land agroforestry for management of forest resources. Poor focused leasehold forestry is only the approach adopted since early 1990 that has two major objectives: livelihood improvement and environmental conservation. Forest user groups of 5–15 households (HHs) are provided with part of national forests for a period of initial lease of 40 years. Leased forests are managed mainly with forestry crops, forage and non-timber forest products (NTFPs) to meet the dual objectives. Past studies and researches have indicated that leasehold forests are better than the hand over time however they are inadequate in dealing with silvicultural aspects in leasehold forestry (LF). This research paper has highlighted the significance of silvicultural aspects of leasehold forestry for overall socio-economic benefits to the poor and vulnerable forest users. Review of the existing policy and legal documents, studies and progress reports of the leasehold forestry projects implemented during the last two decades, consultation with leasehold forest user groups from five districts (Tehrathum, Makawanpur, Tanahun, Pyuthan and Doti) formed the main source of data for this article. Further, author’s own experiences in the sector were taken as supporting reliable information for the study. The study found that silvicultural practices, except plantations and weeding, were not adopted in leasehold forest but there was great potential for such practices to maximize the socio-economic benefits. Proper use of silvicultural practices might have increased contribution to currently realized benefits like (i) increased income of members i.e. poorest families (having less than 3 months secured foods) were reduced over years, (ii) group members had increased access to different networks and cooperatives, (iii) participation of women, poor and indigenous people increased in the decision-making process, and (iv) forest coverage was increased with respect to the hand over time. Some issues on silviculture aspects included proper guidelines for silvicultural methods, capacity of staff and leasehold forest user group members, smaller sizes of leasehold forests, and promotion of appropriate species. Banko JanakariA Journal of Forestry Information for Nepal Special Issue No. 4, 2018, Page: 113-119 


2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 13-22
Author(s):  
P. K. C. Bhandari ◽  
P Bhusal ◽  
B. B. Khanal Chhetri ◽  
C. P. Upadhyaya

Women participation has been in discussion for long in community forestry in Nepal - a successful programme in participatory forest governance. Despite having ample of policy instruments to address the women concern in community forestry decision making activities several pragmatic issues have been encountered. This paper examines on the women participation in different community forestry decision making activities and identifies the factors influencing participation in such activities. The evidences were generated from five community forest user groups in Kaski district. The analysis was based on the household surveys that included the random sample of 213 respondents (107 females and 106 males). Similarly, regular triangulation and verification of the data were made through series of interviews, discussions and observations followed by the analysis of CF documents. Three ordered logit regression models were deployed to examine the determinants of women participation in decision making in forest management, resource utilization and participatory activities. The analysis showed lower participation of women in community forest decision making activities. Gender had the significant association with the participation in all decision making activities. The men with higher education, who are the member of executive committee and have access to community forestry fund, had participated significantly more than women in community forestry decision making activities. Low participation of women was associated with lower representation in user group committee, social and traditional beliefs and preoccupied assumption that women cannot lead which may result in unfair implication of community forestry.


2009 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mani Ram Banjade ◽  
Netra Prasad Timsina ◽  
Hari Raj Neupane ◽  
Kamal Bhandari ◽  
Tara Bhattarai ◽  
...  

Nepali society is differentiated by hierarchical and discriminatory social structures struggling for transformation. This culture is also reflected in the practices of Community Forestry. Community Forestry is expected to contribute to improved livelihoods within communities through forest management, ensuring social justice through the provision of better spaces and positions to poor and disadvantaged groups. Based on the lessons of nine Community Forest User Groups of seven districts of the hill and Terai regions of Nepal, we propose a more inclusive and interactive process, known as ‘Social and Transformative Learning' or ‘Action and Learning', which has greater ability to transform both agency and structure to ensure deliberative and pro-poor governance. Key words: agency and structure, pro-poor governance, transformative learning, community forestry doi: 10.3126/jfl.v5i1.1978 Journal of Forest and Livelihood 5(1) February, 2006 pp.22-33


2002 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-41 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anupama Lama ◽  
Marlène Buchy

Based on an extensive literature and illustrated by a field survey of two Forest User Groups in Nepal, this paper explores how participation in community forestry is affected by social status and more so by gender. Looking more specifically at gender differences, the paper presents the reasons and the ways in which women, despite the current rhetoric, remain excluded from any meaningful participatory process.


1970 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 25-29
Author(s):  
Buddi Sagar Poudel ◽  
Maneesha Pandey

This article attempts to determine the effects of socio-economic factors in participation in community forest management. The empirical data for this study was collected from six forest user groups of Syangja, Kaski and Tanahun districts. The selection of study sites and households was done by preparing a stepwise sample design to identify firstly, the forest user groups and secondly, the household units. A logistic regression model is used to determine the effect of socio-economic characteristics upon participation, where participation is considered as a function of caste, gender, and wealth ranks. It suggests that the wealthier and higher caste individuals are involved in higher level of decision making as opposed to poorer and lower caste individuals who participated in lower levels. Higher caste and rich individuals have got most of the opportunities. This paper thus concludes that the access and control of poor women and disadvantaged individuals in decision making process is minimal. Key words: Participation; socioeconomic condition; community forestry; forest user group; decision making Banko Janakari Vol.16(2) 2006 pp.25-29


1970 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-47
Author(s):  
AR Bhandari ◽  
H Uibrig

This paper intends to assess the distribution of community forestry benefits among economic groups of the users comparing protected area buffer zone with the Department of Forests regime in Nepal. Following the case study approach two forest user groups of Nawalparasi district, each from buffer zone of Chitwan National Park and Department of Forests regime were selected for the study. The study results suggest that the users in the buffer zone receive less benefit from community forestry than the users in the Department of Forests regime. Analysis of inputs and outputs reveals that poor households receive less benefit than the better off households in both of the regimes. Insofar the results counteract the principles of equity as expected from national forest policy goals and approaches. Key words: benefits, buffer zone, community forestry, equity, heterogeneity, Nepal. doi: 10.3126/banko.v18i1.2165 Banko Janakari, Vol. 18, No. 1, 42-47


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