Study of Vegetation Ecology, Conservation and Management Practices of Betini Community Forest in Mangalbare Urlabari of Morang District, East Nepal
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Department of Environmental Science
Abstract
A study on vegetation ecology, conservation and management practice of Betini
Community Forest (BCF) was conducted in Urlabari Village Development
Committee (VDC) of Morang district of Eastern Nepal. The field work was conducted
on the month of January to March in 2011. The major objectives of this research were
to study the species diversity of the forest and its status, demand and sustainable
supply of the forest product, to identify the management practice of the community
forest (CF) and to analyze the socioeconomic aspect of the Community Forest User
Groups (CFUGs). The methodologies include both primary and secondary data
collection. The primary data were collected by vegetation survey, socioeconomic
survey, Focus Group Discussion (FGD), Key Informant Interview (KI) and
Interaction with management committee. The secondary data were collected through
the internet, report, and other related journals. Vegetation survey was conducted by
using random sampling method in 49 quadrates where as socio economic survey was
conducted using structured questionnaires of 79 HH through stratified random
sampling method. The density and diversity index of the forest indicates that the
forest was dense (higher diversity) with dominant species of Shorea robusta and the
forest was more evenly distributed. The forest was found to be good in terms of high
regenerating species. However the demand of forest product does not match with the
supply from CF. Resources demand was found to be two times more in fuelwood and
35
th
times more in fodder than the forest can supply. Large farm households (HH)
have fulfilled the deficit of fodder and fuelwood through their own land and have
adopted alternative energy resources like biogas. The landless and small farm HH had
high pressure on the CF regarding the fuelwood and fodder. The unequal resource
distribution compels the locals for illegal extraction of resource from the CF. The
forest management practice of the CF was found to be weeding, thinning and new
plantation which is entirely depends on their traditional knowledge. Also the forest
provided good habitat for the different kind of animals, birds, and maintain biological
corridor of elephant.
Key Words: Community Forest, Forest User Groups, Demand, Sustainable supply,
Species Diversity, Biodiversity Conservation, Biological Corridor