Study on Carbon Stock of Leasehold Forests of Katakuti VDC, Dolakha District

A study was carried on ten leasehold forests of Katakuti VDC, Dolakha district to estimate the carbon stock. Random sampling was used to collect the biophysical data of trees/ poles, sapling, root and leaf litter, herb and grass. Then, the biomass was calculated using the respective equation and the calculated biomass stock was converted into carbon stock multiplying with 0.47. Similarly, the soil samples were collectewd from different depths of 0-10 cm, 10-20 cm and 20-30 cm to determine the soil organic carbon. Lastly, all analyzed data were compiled to get total carbon stocks. The result showed that the estimated total carbon stock per ha was found to be highest in Srijana leasehold forest with 125.493 t C/ha. The estimated total carbon stock of 10 leasehold forest was found to be 1439.033 tons. Here, Leasehold forests have been an emerging and successful example in conserving forests in epal. So, it is recommended to extend such studies in other parts of Nepal. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/init.v5i0.10255 The Initiation 2013 Vol.5; 63-67

Market situation of Bio-Briquette in Kathmandu, Nepal

This paper analyzes the present market scenario of the bio-briquette in the Kathmandu valley. The bio-briquette has been emerged as alternative biomass energy in the Nepal from one decade. But it does not scale up as per targets due to the lack of the awareness, technologies transfer and markets. There are opportunities to establish and replace fossil fuel through using wastage vegetations as well as economic empowerment of local people. It has found that the market situation of the bio-briquette is initial stage. Now, the supply and demand condition is increased trends and it is available in super market, department store and other outlets in the Kathmandu valley. It uses especially in the cooking, heating for children/older, house and office purposes. It is high potential to establish as alternative biomass energy in Nepal through promoting the sustainable markets. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/init.v5i0.10254 The Initiation 2013 Vol.5; 55-62

Sustainable Resin Collection and trade Practices in Mid Hills of Nepal

Non Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) in mountains are one of the enormously valued ecosystem services due to their contribution to the livelihood of people. Pine resin is one of the viable NTFP in middle mountain of Nepal which is tapped from Pinus roxbhurghii tree and can be used in paints, varnishes, stimulant, anti-spasmodic, astringent, diuretic and anti-pathogenic and so on. This piece of work is an attempt to review the current status of pine resin collection enterprise in Nepalese Community Forests and its contribution to the livelihood of Community forest users in mid-hill region. Typically, existing legislations and guidelines have high potential to endure the sustainable livelihood promotion by resin tapping enterprise but the endeavors of revitalizing the financial benefit sharing and governance system is still far. The valued contribution of resin enterprise to sustainable livelihood of users is not impossible but it needs greater effort of all stakeholders. For example, partial intervention to market, involvement of poorer households, improve the local and regional governance and so on. Participatory monitoring of collection work and proper enforcement of sustainable harvesting procedure both have to be improved in state of arts that could finally recognize the rational benefit sharing mechanism among various value chain actors from collector to international traders which is indispensable. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/init.v5i0.10262 The Initiation 2013 Vol.5; 128-137

Nepal’s Pro-poor Leasehold Forestry Program: Processes, Policies, Problems and Ways Forward

The pro-poor leasehold forestry program has put forth the ultra-poor’s livelihood agenda in the natural resource management regime and tried to liberate the poor from complex poverty trap through manipulating and institutionalizing the local resources. This paper is based on review of published and unpublished documents, direct field observation of leasehold forest user groups and discussion with concerned stakeholders and line agencies working in pro-poor leasehold forestry program. The paper has explicitly tried to dig out the institutional, field level and legal issues, and put forwarded some ways out. The unclear land tenure right and use rights of conserved forest trees have created misunderstanding to the beneficiaries that ultimately pushed the pro-poor leasehold forestry program towards uncertainty. Both technocratic approach and supply-driven implementation of the program have created misunderstanding while deliberating the program, and resulted low participation, weak institution and little internalization at community level. The explicit learning-oriented approach both in policy making and program designing is central to achieve the dual objectives of program: environmental amelioration and poverty reduction. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/init.v5i0.10258 The Initiation 2013 Vol.5; 84-95

Green Economy for Sustainable Development in Nepal: Role of Forestry Sector

Although there is no unified view among the policy makers and development experts on what represents and drives a Green Economy and there is also no clarity on what it means for the mountain countries like Nepal, the concept is however, very pertinent in the context of rapid climate change and unsustainable development. There is a general agreement that green economy provides opportunities for developing and forest rich country like Nepal as the fossil fuel-based and import oriented consumerism based economy cannot be successful today and in future. It is likely that green economy could be a good vehicle to reach sustainable mountain development (SMD). However, there is a need to develop specific and strategies and action plans to implement green and low-carbon economic activities. First and foremost, there is a need to develop a national policy and to use green economy to achieve poverty reduction and sustainable development. The economic growth rate has to be sustained while reducing poverty through sound development plans and programmes actively participated and managed by poor and enterprising rural and urban communities and supported by government, non-government and donor agencies. There are numerous challenges in adapting and adopting Green Economy policies in a poor country like Nepal. Capacity and skill development, technology adaptation, transfer, and retrofitting to suit Nepal’s hilly and mountainous terrains, need for huge investment in processing and value addition, and of course adapting to and mitigating against climate change are some of the major challenges. Notwithstanding these constraints, green economic policies and programmes can be means to achieve sustainable development in the mountainous region. There is need to document good case studies for drawing lessons so that future green growth pathway can be charted in a flawless manner and scaling up of the success to create bigger impacts can be achieved. Finally, effective and outcome oriented implementation will require multi-disciplinary planning, interdisciplinary implementation, and effective and participatory monitoring and evaluation. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/init.v5i0.10259 The Initiation 2013 Vol.5; 96-109

An Overview of Chinese Pangolin (Manis pentadactyla): Its General Biology, Status, Distribution and Conservation Threats in Nepal

Chinese Pangolin is nocturnal, shy, non-aggressive, solitary, strange and burrowing mammal which has received low scientific attention. Little information is known about its biology, distribution and status. In Nepal it is distributed in many districts and protected areas. The status of this mammal is decreasing in the country but there is no any research regarding its biology, status and distribution. Although, this mammal is protected nationally and internationally, it is facing too much problems due to habitat destruction and illegal trade. This article mainly focuses on the biology, status, distribution and conservation threats of this ecologically beneficial handsome creature. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/init.v5i0.10267 The Initiation 2013 Vol.5; 164-170

Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) in Nepal: A Review

Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) in developing countries is a mechanism that allows industrialized countries to offset their emissions by purchasing carbon credits from developing countries, which reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation by avoiding such activities. The Government of Nepal is committed to REDD through reversing deforestation and forest degradation, conservation of existing forest and enhancing forest carbon stocks, while addressing livelihoods concerns at the same time since 2009 and now it has been flourished in the country along with concept of sustainable development of the forest resource of country. Nepal has undergone different stages during this process and has planned certain strategy for the future. The assemblages of the available information on REDD in Nepal is important to over view its holistic prospect, aspect and potentiality in the least developing country like Nepal which holds the greater possibility to be benefited from the REDD. Nepal is now in the process to prepare national REDD strategy by 2013 and there are different On Going REDD -Plus Piloting Initiatives in Nepal. Nepal has greater potentiality of being benefited from REDD though some policy related to it needed to be redefined and clarify. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/init.v5i0.10257 The Initiation 2013 Vol.5; 75-83

Sawmilling in Sweden: Past, present and future

With 62% of her land covered with forest, Sweden is the world’s second largest combined exporter of paper, pulp and sawn wood products. Modern industrial sawmilling of Sweden started from the mid-19th Century after British import was made liberal, and Norwegian exporters faced short supplies of raw materials and Canadian producers were more expensive. During the same time, Sweden also developed industries and technology making it more competitive. However, after 20th century, sawmilling in Sweden started to adopt ‘integrated forest firm approach’ where many small and locals sawmills were forced out of the business because of numerous war-crises and oil-crises that occurred. In recent decades production and exports from Sweden is in increasing trend. This increasing trend is the result of some specific strategies undertaken by Swedish sawmilling sectors viz. transforming market channel, transforming product value adding strategy and transforming service value adding strategy. Currently, Swedish sawmills can be categorized into nine groups based on their value addition strategy and technology they use. These sawmills face competition from other materials and countries, low efficient transfer of technology and knowledge transfer, presence of small scale sawmilling, and some sawmills are in risk as they lack of product diversification and have specialized production. Future of the sawmilling in Sweden is expected to be growing. However, they have to encourage the use of wood, transfer skill and knowledge, increase the size of the firm, further diversify the products, and also improve technology and mechanization. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/init.v5i0.10260 The Initiation 2013 Vol.5; 110-120

Local People Perception on Biodiversity Change In Lower Mustang

Local people response was obtained on biodiversity change in lower Mustang relying on social survey and from various data sources for natural assets. The main focus was centralized on the change in avifaunal and mammalian diversity and the effect of environmental change on agricultural/livestock forest as well as on grazing land. The change was detected on wildlife movement, livestock depredation, forest stock, palatable species and birds. Climate change is the key issue in conserving biodiversity and linking its goal in livelihood. Change in livelihood pattern seems more adverse factor for community development as urbanization is prevalent. Animals and birds solely dependent in the nutshell area are at increasing rate but transition (forest and agriculture) species are decreasing. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/init.v5i0.10256 The Initiation 2013 Vol.5; 68-74

Lowland Wetlands in Nepal

Wetlands are considered to be one of the most threatened of all major natural ecosystems and are claimed to deserve a high priority for conservation and sustainable use. The conservation of wetlands is important because it provides a multitude of benefits i.e. ecological, economic, aesthetic, religious and socio-cultural benefits. This paper attempts to gather information about significance and classification of wetlands on the one hand and current status of lowland wetlands of Nepal and their threats on the other. Wetland dependent communities account for more than 17 % of the country’s population out of which more than 90 % are of Terai origin. As a result, a close interaction takes place between local community and biological resources of the wetlands. It with increase in population causes a number of threats to wetland ecosystem and associated biodiversity. These threats can be broadly categorised as habitat destruction and degradation, loss of ecosystem integrity, and depletion of species abundance and diversity. The importance of wetlands and their threats has been recognized in Nepal and different legislations have been formulated regarding Nepal Wetland Policy 2069 recently. But the policies itself cannot manage the wetlands without its appropriate implementation. Current status of wetlands is decreasing which shows a greater need of review and strong implementation of the existing policies. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/init.v5i0.10269 The Initiation 2013 Vol.5; 182-193