Ethnobotanical Use of Wetland Resources and their Role in Local Livelihood (A Case Study from Beeshazar Lake of Chitwan District)

Abstract

Ethnobotany is the study of how people of a particular culture and region make use of indigenous plants. Field ethnobotany is the observation of the human-plant relationship in places where it is visible and may be either experienced and/or documented, in stories and images. Wetlands are among the most productive ecosystems in the world. They arevery important in terms of their ecological, economic, cultural and recreational domains of livelihood. Wetlands also support people’s livelihood, or a means of earning for living. Often poor and some ethnic communities in rural areas, are directly dependent on wetlands for their socio-economic or cultural association. The study entitled “Ethnobotanical Use of Wetland Resources and their Role in Local Livelihood” was conducted in wetland sites Beeshazar Lake and its surrounding community; the study was focused to access the ethnobotanical use and community’s dependency on the wetland resources. The questionnaire survey was conducted on 30%of total households in surrounding community, which mainly comprised ethnic groups in the area who had close association with the use of wetland resources. 30 female and 35 male were interviewed followed by focus group discussions, key informant surveys and direct observations. In this study area, total 133 species of 52 families were identified; out of which habit/plant type of 58 species were trees, 19 species were shrubs, 36 species were herbs,3 species were grass and 17 species were climbers. Based on site condition, 10 species were dependent on wet regions of the wetland, 96 species on moist land and 27 on dry site condition. Among the communities, Tharu and indigenous group adjacent to the Beeshazar lake has close association with the use of the resources. Ten major types of species, having socio-cultural importance were Pipal, Bar, Bel, Sal, Aanp, Dhaturo,Aank, Tulsi, Dubo and Bayar. Among the highly collected edible resources; mushrooms(4 Species), Dryopteris cochleata (locally called as neuro), Spinach and Bamboo shoots make a good seasonal income to the local people.Local people make as much as NRs 20,000 per season by selling these mushrooms and fern. Amala, Harro and Barro,Asparagus and Sashra Buti were identified as a major contributor to household medicines. Local community forest user group is generating more than Rs.19,42,468/year by selling wetland resources and using this cash for local development,skill development of community people, women empowerment, community forest office management, wetland resource conservation and management.