Role of Community Forestry in Rural Development (A Case Study of Malghakri Community Forestry, Rampur VDC Dang)

Abstract

The forests of Nepal are second largest natural resource after the water, during the last four decades the forest area has decreased due to the uncontrolled use of forest and their products. Before some years 6.4 million hectares of forest, but the current time forest area is only 4.27 million hectares (29%) of total area. The forest deforestation rate was 1.7% per year. So forest depletion has brought many environmental impacts as soil erosion, land slide, floods, soil degradation and out-migration of people. Forest conservation resource is fundamental protection of the other resources as water, soil, flora and fauna human activities like agriculture animal husbandry, and others on it. In 2005, the government handed over a total of 12,19,272 hectares and 14,337 CFUGs for development conservation, management and sustainable use of the forest and 16,47,717 HHs is directly benefited. This study was located at the mid-western development region of Dang district, and covered area 290.7 hectares with 350 HHs. It was targeted to the role of CF in rural development, and various economic and environmental activities, which are being through the forest. The study objectives were : (i) to examine the socio-economic status (ii) Analysis the local development activities and (iii) asses the impact of CF in local environment of Malghakri community forest. Research designed of the study was descriptive and analytical, sample size was 55 HHs, taken from 1198 HHs. The research was qualitative and quantitative in nature and used primary and secondary source of data, where primary data were collected by the field visit by interview, questionnaire, FGDs and secondary data were collected from various books, journal, official report and publications . In the study area there is different types of caste/ethnic groups in the users group. Education status of women is comparatively low than man. All the women were engaged in household work and agricultural production. In CF women's representation on executive committee is minimal, but participation, group meeting, benefit sharing and forest utilization pattern seems satisfactory. Most of the respondents were not familiar with committee members. The lower cast people, whose majority was highest were not active in different activities like forest protection, bio-diversity maintenances, pruning, thinning, nursery, fire line construction and assembly. The alternative income generation activities and improved technologies must be forwarded for this community. These suggestions are the recommended for the better balance of the forest resources in the community forest.