Status of

Abstract

Nepalese people in the rural area are facing poverty and their livelihood depends upon the forest resources partially or entirely. Community forest helps to restore the degraded habitat, conserve biodiversity, increase food and water supply whereas national forest provides basic requirement for livestock and human beings. National forests are declining globally, leading to climate and biological changes as its consequences. To mitigate its further worsening, community forest concept has been promoted worldwide. Present study area lies at tropical region of Rautahat District, covering national forest and its parts handed to forest users group for strong monitoring and management by local people of community forest. The two adjacent Janachahana Community forest and adjoining national forest were simultaneously studied to compare present plant diversity status and tree regeneration pattern in both the sites. Semi-structured questionnaire method was used for interviewing local respondents. Altogether 137 plant species were reported in present study, among them 113 species from JCCF, 76 species from National forest and 52 species from both sites is common. Systematic random sampling method was used to collect ecological data and calculate ecological parameters like density, frequency, coverage, IVI, diversity indices and regeneration. Plant diversity was high in community forest than national forest based on both Simpson and Shannon-Wiener diversity indices. Shorea robusta has good regeneration, IVI and density in both the forests type. Shorea robusta, Dalbergia sissoo, Ficus hispida, Tectona grandis were dominant species in Community forest whereas in National forest Shorea robusta, Semecarpus anacardium were dominant. Value of IVI was highest for species Dalbergia sissoo in JCCF and Shorea robusta in national forest. Regeneration status showed that species like Mallotus philippensis, Shorea robusta, Dillenia pentagyna in community forest and Shorea robusta, Dillenia pentagyna in national forest were high. Soil texture ranged from silt to sandy loam. The ethnobotanical study showed that most of the people use plant materials from the forest to cure Gastritis (Aegle marmelos, Centella asiatica, Phyllanthus emblica, Psidium guajava, Syzygium cumuni, Terminalia bellirica, Terminalia chebula) than the other ailments. Maximum collection of plant materials was recorded for firewoods and fodder from the JCCF throughout the year in definite time interval. Every species have their importance and their conservation should be encouraged to promote and conserve for their livelihood, income generation and also for sustainability