Study shows country has sufficient timber for reconstruction

KATHMANDU, Aug 6: Nepal has needful stock of forests resources to meet the need of timber for rebuilding of houses and structures damaged by the earthquake, a study shows.

The study commissioned by the Department of Forest (DoF) shows altogether 58.28 million cubic feet of timber can be extracted from forests. The country needs 51.82 million cubic feet of timber for reconstruction of homes, monuments and other structures destroyed by the earthquake, according to the study.Though the country has forest resources in abundance, import of wooden furniture and other products increased five-fold to more than Rs 2 billion in 2013/14.

Surya Sedhai, spokesperson of Department of Customs (DoC), said an increasing number of people prefer imported wooden products these days as they are cheaper compared to domestic forest products.

Price of timber has soared in the domestic market after the government, in 2009, banned extraction of timber, except for household purpose, from forests managed by community groups. The decision made Nepal a net importer of wood and wooden furniture.

After the earthquake of April 25, the government has lifted ban on extraction of forest resources from community-managed forests in order to ensure easy availability of timber -- a key construction material.

Shankar Adhikari, secretary of the Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation, said community-managed forests can now extract a maximum 50 percent of their forest stock by taking permission from local authorities. Community Forest Users Groups in quake-hit districts can extract forest more than the ceiling.

Ganesh Karki, president of Federation of Community Forestry Users, Nepal (FECOFUN) said it is unfortunate that the country is importing forest products worth billions of rupees every year despite having forest products in abundance. "Now that the government has allowed us to extract forest resources, we will be in a position to export timber after two years," he added.

According to the study, community-managed forests alone have 41.5 million cubic feet of timber in stock. Similarly, 718,000 cubic feet of timber can be extracted from different national forests. Different depots have 2.3 million of cubic feet of timber in stock. Likewise, 9.26 million cubic feet of timber can be extracted from fallen, dead and decaying trees in national forests.

Secretary Adhikari admits that valuable timber trees are decaying because of the belief that trees should not be felled even if timber is in short supply.

The government had enforced the ban on extraction of forest resources in 2009 to control massive deforestation in Chure.

Forestry Expert Binod Bhatta compares forest with crops which will go to waste if not harvested in time. "The country desperately needs a consistent policy for proper use of forest resources," said Bhatta.

Speaking at a meeting of Development Committee of legislature-parliament on Sunday, committee Chairman Rabindra Adhikari had said forest can contribute up to 20 percent in country's GDP.

Contribution of forestry sector to GDP currently stands at 5 percent.

"Proper use of forest resources can create jobs as well as substitute import of timber and wooden products and also earn foreign currency through export of such resources," he added.

Related story

Shortage of timber hits reconstruction of monuments