Forest Politics, Policy, and People

August 6, 2023 08:45 am

Influenced by geographical and climatic variations, there are at least 54 forests or woodlands identified by the Ecosystem and Forest Types Mapping Program under the Ministry of Forest. Each forest has different physiology, productivity, and disturbance and thus has different timber and non-timber advantages.

Nepal, renowned for its lush green forests, possesses vast potential in its forest resources. However, it is crucial for the government to optimize these resources while maintaining their sustainability. Failing to do so not only undermines the saying, "Green forest is Nepal's wealth," but also depletes the hard-earned foreign currency of the country.

KATHMANDU, Oct 22: For the past 15 years, the production and use of wind energy based on forest resources has increased. A study conducted by National Forum for Advocacy Nepal (NAFAN) in collaboration with Global Forest Coalition and Environmental Paper Network has shown that.

KATHMANDU, July 9: As much as humans attack and destroy nature, nature always strikes back at us. When we exploit natural resources, the instances of natural disasters increase as punishment to us.

KATHMANDU, June 6: A couple has been found dead in a forest at Pharping in Kathmandu.

A large percentage of the poorest of the poor in the developing world are dependent on forest resources and the bulk of forest finance needs to reach them. The pledge to end deforestation must cater to their needs and aspirations; only then will a standing tree be viewed as more valuable than a felled one.

Forests are heavily exploited in Nepal’s Terai region with growing fragmentation of the contiguous expanse of forests in the region. Following the eradication of malaria in the 1960s, large scale migration from the hills to the low-lying region of Terai due to its fertile plains and accessibility has resulted in declining forest cover. For instance, deforestation rates stood at 1.3% per annum between 1979 and 1991. Rapid forest loss and fragmentation has consequently forced megafauna; including tigers, to live in isolated patches and led to declining populations.

ARGHAKHANCHI, April 11: Wood smugglers have stepped up their activities in Arghakhanchi at a time when the ongoing lockdown imposed to stem the spread of coronavirus has ground life to a halt for most people across the country.

KATHMANDU, Aug 25: The meeting of the Agriculture, Cooperative and Natural Resources Committee under the House of Representatives (HoR) has directed the Ministry of Forests and Environment to submit the maps with bordering of national forest within six months.

NEPALGUNJ, Aug 25: Until a decade ago, forests around the Rapti River were dense. People would go to the forest area to collect fodder and grass. These days, the woods have been replaced by human settlements in Fattepur, Binauna, Kachanpur, Kusum, Holiya, Betahani and Matehiya, among other places, according to the Forest Division Office of Banke.

KATHMANDU, Aug 2: The Supreme Court is to conduct a hearing on the case relating to forest by the constitutional bench.

JANAKPUR, Aug 2: In a first for the Federal Republic of Nepal, a provincial government on Thursday filed a writ petition at the Supreme Court against the federal government, accusing the latter of trying to capture some forests in the province by setting up a company that would get merged into the Timber Corporation of Nepal.

KANCHANPUR, July 21: Two artificial ponds have been created in Singhapur community forest in Krishnapur municipality. The ponds were created to facilitate drinking water for the protected wildlife in the forest.

Thought for forests

June 19, 2019 01:00 am

By 2050, what if we can’t see the forests or the trees? At present rate of exploitation of our forests in Asia and the Pacific, we run that risk

KAPILVASTU, June 11: Over 10,000 hectares of forest land has been encroached upon in the district of Kapilvastu.

PALPA, June 9: A girl has died and 10 others have fallen sick at Sarkidanda of Jhiruwas in Nisdi rural municipality after consuming wild mushroom.

ITAHARI, May 11: A decision taken by the government has increased the risk of encroachment of forest land in Sunsari.

Two dead bodies found

May 7, 2019 10:39 am

BALEWA, May 7: Two dead bodies were found, one in Badigad rural municipality and another in Jaimini municipality in Baglung district, police confirmed. The dead body of Bam Bahadur Gharti of Tamankhola rural municipality-2, Baglung was found decomposed in the forest of Badigad rural municipality-8.

POKHARA, April 19: Dense Nirmal Pokhari forest on the top, Seti River flowing beneath, and chirping of birds all around make the whole ambience magnificent. Machhapuchchhre and Annapurna in the distance give a spectacular view when the sky is clear. For an outsider who reaches Mountain Glory Forest Resort and Spa, a luxury hotel built near Nirmal Pokhari jungle, it is almost a different world.

300 bighas forest swept away

April 3, 2019 15:30 pm

KATHMANDU, April 3: The locals have demanded action against a construction company for negligence in constructing embankment on a section of the Karnali river here. They have called for taking action against the Highgriva-Siddhi Shahi Prakash JV Samakhusi Kathmandu for not constructing the structure.

Forest sector a major base of prosperity

February 18, 2019 11:30 am

KATHMANDU, Feb 18: The work plan for reform in the forest sector prepared by the Ministry of Forest and Environment has contributed to preparing a solid base for the national campaign of prosperity the government has launched.

MYAGDI, Feb 1: The rare ‘loderi’ variety of rhododendron has been found growing n the forests at Narchyang in Annapurna rural municipality-4 of northern Myagdi.

Woman, son found dead

January 13, 2019 13:10 pm

RUKUM, Jan 13: A woman and her 20-month-old son were found dead in a forest at Sisne Rural Municipality-6 in Rukum on Saturday. The deceased have been identified as a local Renuka KC Shah, 30, and her son Atiam.

Banke, Oct 27: Encroachment of forest under various pretexts is increasing in Banke district in recent years.  The Division Forest Office, Banke has said that the forest land is encroached upon in the name of flood-displaced, landless squatters and displacement due to natural disaster in various places of the district.

Looking back to the paradigm shift of forest management in Nepal, community forestry is not an old practice. The emergence of community forestry and its policy in Nepal took place only after the failure of meritocratic forest management system which had already sacrificed the majority of the hill forests (Hobley, 1996).

Rare python released in community forest

September 27, 2018 10:15 am

KANCHANPUR, Sept. 27: A rare python that entered into the house of a local resident at Punarbas Municiapality-4 in Kanchanpur district was taken under control and released in a community forest on Wednesday.

DADELDHURA, Aug 15: Salleri forest is fast drying up due to resin collection against the set standard. Forest officials have been allegedly extracting resins in collusion with some companies against the limit set by the law.

ITAHARI, Aug 1: Around a decade and half ago, Anu Shrestha's family in Bahuni village of Morang district moved into a hut built near the Sundarharaicha jungle area leaving behind their home.

ILAM, July 17: The trend of encroaching upon forest land for settlement has been rampantly increasing in Ilam but the authorities concerned have turned a blind eye to this.

SURKHET, June 30: When dozens of families in Tikhakuna and Murmuri villages got displaced by floods in 2014, political parties availed them around 41 ropanis of land of a nearby community forest for their resettlement. The families started living in makeshift houses there.

KATHMANDU, June 29: The government has decided to allow the use of forest area for the construction of the 37 megawatts Upper Trishuli 3 B Hydropower Project.

KATHMANDU, June 18: Locals and some forest officers in Sarlahi have accused the District Forest Officer (DFO) and other forest officers of smuggling forest products from the national and community forests in the district.

MUGU, May 7: The locals of Karti Gaun, ward no. 4 of Mugum Karmarong Rural Municipality, have been reeling under an acute shortage of drinking water for the past several months.

BARDIYA, April 20: Forest fires in Bardiya National Park (BNP) have already spread along the forests of the East West Highway. Due to strong winds, there is a risk of the fires going out of control.

UDAYAPUR, April 5: Since the last few days, there has been random chopping down of trees in two community forests and a national forest area of Udayapur.

KATHMANDU, April 5: Fire has broken out in 2,303 hectares of forest area across the country with the onset of summer season.

NAGARKOT, Mar 28: The dispute of Changunarayan Community Forest, taking place for the past 22 years, has been settled after signing six-point agreement.

Forest fire claims one in Dhankuta

March 26, 2018 10:47 am

DHANKUTA, March 26: Fires in 13 different community forests in Dhankuta have caused damage of around Rs 20 million in the district, the Dhankuta chapter of Federation of Community Forestry Users’ Nepal (FECOFUN) said.

UDAYAPUR, March 26: Of late, thousands of hectares of forest along the Chure Range in Udayapur district have been destroyed by forest fires. Community forests in the eastern side of the district are the most affected.

UDAYAPUR, March 25: Human settlements around Katari are at high risk from forest fires that have occurred at Belsrot, Khasibas and Risku of Churiya area in Udayapur district. These areas lie in Katari Municipality.

Forest key to country's prosperity

March 19, 2018 13:31 pm

KATHMANDU, March 19: Minister for Forests and Environment Shakti Bahadur Basnet has reiterated that the forest could be turned into the main basis for the country's prosperity through its proper utilisation.

Missing the forest for Xi

March 18, 2018 00:30 am

China has lifted hundreds of millions of people out of poverty without adhering to Western approach

NEPALGUNJ, March 5: It became a real challenge for the consumers of Usha Greenery Community Forest (UGCF) to retrieve 49.44 cubic feet long Sal logs from smugglers who were preparing to load the timber in their tractor at around 10 pm on Friday.

NEPALGUNJ, Mar 4:  It became a real challenge for the consumers of Usha Greenery Community Forest (UGCF) to retrieve 49.44 cubic feet long Sal logs from smugglers who were preparing to load the timber in their tractor at around 10 pm on Friday.

SOLUKHUMBU, Feb 16: A fire that caught a house of a resident at Khumbu Pasanglhamu rural municipality-3 in Solukhumbu on Thursday noon swept through a nearby community forest, and it is going out of control, said the locals.

GULMI, Feb 9: The Siddeswor Community Forest based in Musikot municipality-5 of Gulmi district caught a massive fire.

KATHMANDU, Jan 28: Ranibari Community Forest is being developed as a single community forest inside the ring road of the capital.

KATHMANDU, Jan 28: Ranibari Community Forest is being developed as a single community forest inside the ring road of the capital.

KOHALPUR, Dec 18: The forest cover along the Nepalgunj - Baghauda section of the Hulaki highway is fast disappearing. Instead, small huts in large numbers have cropped up inside the jungle.

Missing the forest

November 1, 2017 01:30 am

Compared to gargantuan sums involved in money laundering and illicit flows, domestic corruption deals with petty amounts.