Role of Community Forest in Community Development A Case Study of Dhubang V.D.C. Ward No. 2, Pyuthan District

Abstract

The Community Forestry program in Nepal officially started in the late 1970s. Since then concerning movement has been evolving to involve local communities in the management and utilization of forest. The policy of the government was originally intended to meet the basic forest products required by the communities through active participation in forest development and management. It was observed that the trend of forest degradation has decreased since the handing over of national forests to local communities, but a number of unintended social anomalies have also cropped up. Such anomalies essentially constitute of the inequality and unfairness in the local and national level and terms of long-term sustainability of forest resources. Based on the above facts it can be concluded that the FUG has emerged as a viable institution for community development using local resources. It has been found that the FUG has maximum benefits to the underprivileged group of the community from such community development activities.