FAO Forestry country profiles - forest management

Issues and concerns

The most significant forest management issues impacting the development of forestry in Nepal include:

• Increasing human and livestock populations continue to exert intense pressure on forests. Particularly, excessive and uncontrolled grazing degrades forests while restricting natural regeneration and promoting increased water runoff and soil erosion.
• A cumbersome bureaucratic permit system has seriously discouraged private forestry, as has the earlier nationalization of forest resources. Weaknesses in information dissemination, quality of seed supplies, planting material and adequate technical support have not been conducive to successful private forestry.
• The government has not been able to scientifically manage the country's forests, due to a lack of resources to implement management plans and various social and economic pressures that have caused widespread encroachment in many forests.
• Although the community forestry programme has gained momentum, technical support to the Forest User Groups still requires much improvement. Experiences of Forest User Groups have been variable, and often depend on the quality of extension services available to a Group.
• A lengthy process for handing over leasehold forests has also hampered the implementation of the Leasehold Forestry Programme.

Management objectives and approaches for the Terai forests remain a big issue. NGOs advocate management of Terai forests by communities for local needs, while many in government recognize the economic benefits of managing Terai forests as production forests for commercial timber.