Socio-Economic Benefits of Community Forest (A Case Study of Dumsi Vir Community Forest User Group Palungtar Municiplity-10, Gorkha District)

Abstract

Nepal’s community forestry has become an example of progressive legislation and policies in the decentralization of forest management. It has attracted international attention because in Nepal, decentralization is linked with emerging issues sustainable forest management, forest governance, policy advocacy, equity, gender, poverty and the role of civil society in community forestry. The general objective of this study is to identify the economic and environmental activities through development of community forest. The specific objective is the socio- economic benefits of Dumsi Vir community forest on socio-economic and environmental life of local community in Gorkha District Altogether there are 240 member households under study area community forest a fair sample of 60 households (FUGs) were selected by using random sampling of probability sampling method. Out of the Random Sampling Method, lottery method was used for sampling procedure. The FUG has been playing role for the development of local human resource and also enhance the rural livelihood. It has also empowered people towards team building, group dynamism as well as self- motivation in community development. The direct and indirect benefits from the community forestry have played the greater role in the social life of the people in the study area. The main economic activates of FUG in this forest are particularly agricultural, livestock farming and other home based industries. Iron based, furniture and bamboo based industries are making based to this forest for raw materials which are indicator of economy and are also acquired for additional income from forest. Another aspect of this research is the environment of forest. The bio-diversity is conservation very effective through various activities.