Economic assessment of different possible forest restorationrehabilitation strategies

117 6. Looking forward

6.1 Conditions for success

Land restoration is the process by which an area is returned to its original state prior to degradation of any sort. However, some have argued that it is impossible to restore degraded natural habitats. Gunn 1991 clearly argued that provided that species have not been made extinct as a result of degradation, then restoration is possible. A number of policy, institutional and market issues need to be addressed in order to bring back forests through restoration efforts.

6.1.1 Policy measures

The policies and legislations for the forestry sector listed in Box 1 have great importance. The Master Plan for the Forestry Sector 1989 has forwarded strategies and programmes to cope with deforestation and forest degradation. Heavy emphasis has been laid on the participatory approach for forest management but national forests have had a mixed approach in this regard. The community forestry, leasehold forestry and collaborative forestry programmes are recognized as effective interventions to restore and rehabilitate degradation and deforestation. Collaborative Forest Management is yet another form of the participatory approach that employs local forest users, local government and state forest authorities to manage forest jointly. It is essential to reconcile Nepalese forest policy with global thrusts. Revising or developing a new policy that takes into consideration global commitments is warranted. Hence avoiding or reducing emissions would mean reducing deforestation and degradation. In this respect, Nepal is implementing the REDD+ and Clean Development Mechanism initiatives which can encourage local and regional governments to realize forest protection, livelihood development and climate change mitigation and adaptation. Nepal needs to reconcile its carbon policy to benefit in this respect. Overall, there are adequate policies and legislation frameworks to equip Nepal with the appropriate measures to carry out sustainable forest management, including restoration of degraded forests and lands. However, translating these frameworks into reality is another story. Institutions need to be strengthened and renewed, requiring decentralization and devolution of control from central agencies. Forest history and experiences in Nepal show that inappropriate and top-down policies have always failed to reduce forest degradation. Nepal owes much to the development of community-based forest management, including leasehold forestry, and the small measures for the entry of private forestry. Community forestry has been effective in landscape restoration, due to local participation, a supportive legal framework, a dynamic process of policy change, and financial as well as methodological support from donor agencies. Branney and Yadav 1998 argued that the quality of the forests is improving in nearly all forest areas under community forest management. Evidence from 60 case studies from Dolakha, Ramechap and Okhaldhunga suggests that most farmers who are FUG members feel that the forest agriculture interface has improved following the establishment of community forests in their villages NSCFP 2003. Various studies suggest that community forestry is effective in improving the forest condition and reversing forest degradation. Forest users claim that there have been fewer forest fires and encroachment incidents in community forests in recent years compared to the adjacent national forests. The overall forest condition has also improved in community forests in terms of regeneration, number of stems per unit area, basal area, growing stock, rate of annual increment, density of forest patches, species diversity, wildlife and total biomass. These measures appear to have stabilized forestry in the country and the production of forest goods from these sources is beginning to strengthen. Forests as a potential resource to raise the livelihoods of rural communities has also been realized through such measures. Box 1. Policy issues for controlling deforestation and forest degradation Over the past three decades, Nepal has seen considerable changes in institutions, policy and legislation for forests and other natural resource management. While they have become increasingly favourable, they still need to be reviewed in context with the current situation. Policy framework •฀ The Nepal Conservation Strategy of 1988 – emphasized the need for sustainable use of land and natural resources. •฀ The Master Plan for the Forestry Sector of 1989 aims to fulfill the basic needs for forest products on a sustained basis, conserve ecosystems and genetic resources, protect land against degradation and other effects of ecological imbalance and contribute to local and national economic growth. •฀ The Nepal Environmental Policy and Action Plan of 1993 seeks to institutionalize environmental protection in development processes. •฀ The Revised Forestry Sector Policy of 2000 introduces provisions on block forest management in the Terai, Churia and Inner Terai to curb widespread deforestation and degradation.