People's Participation in Communityforestrya Case Study of Kumari Community Forest of Badikhel VDC, Lalitpur District

Abstract

This research has conducted in the issue of Community Forestry, whichis people oriented forest program in Nepal. The community Forestryprogram is handled through local organizations known as Forest UserGroup. The effectiveness of community forest in relation to people’sparticipation is thus very crucial.Thisstudy focuses in the institutionalprocess, participation in decision making, implementation and in benefitsharing and affecting factors relation to people’s participation andchanged knowledge and skill of Forest User Group of KumariCommunity Forest of Badikhel VDC Lalitpur District. The mainobjectives of the study are to access the institutional process ofcommunity Forestry, to judge the people’s participation in communityForestry activities, to find out the factors affecting participation, toexamine the changes of people’s skill and knowledge. To meet theobjectives of study, primary data were collected from the field visit. Atfirst, respondents were selected from random sampling method. Then thedata were collected from interview with respondents, formal andinformal group discussion, key informants interview and directobservation methods. The secondary data were collected from variouspublished and unpublished material related to community forestry andpeople’s participation. These data were analyzed descriptively andanalytically. In the community forest, Bahaman and pahari cast are the dominatingForest User Groupswhereas Chhetri, Magar, Newar and Damai are inminority.Hence, most of the respondents were selected from Brahminsand Pahari community.Participation of Brahman community is high incomparison to other casts. Women participation was satisfactory but lessthan male. The Users are satisfied with the work carried out by ForestUser Committee and community Forest Program. Newar users are farbehind in participation in community forestry activity. The educationlevel was found influential factor in active Participation. The differentcommunity forest related training, which were already held, hasbenefited the users. The users havemanaged to gain some knowledgeabout Community Forest from their Community forest Program. The v users who participatelessare lessactiveandare foundnot somotivatedto participate. Therefore, more training should be conducted to makethemactive for higher participation. The most appreciating thing is thatthe community forestry user group has separated 75% of its income forlocal development and from this; they have constructed differentdevelopmental works. In overall, this community forestry was found amodel forest with respect to technical aspects whereas; some majorchanges in social aspect should be made to improveparticipation fromall level, in community forestry.