Contribution to Forest and Environment Conservation
Covering a total area of 2337 sq km. Banke district encompasses different geographical belts, namely Terai, hills, and the Chure. Situated about 507 Km west to Kathmandu, Banke’s 50.17% of the land is covered by forests including national forest, community forest, and protected areas including buffer zone. The dominant tree species found in and around the district includes Shorea robusta, riverine forest, broad-leaved forest. Agriculture is the main occupation of the people in the district despite the fact that more than 75% households hold less than 1 ha farm land. Some of the major crops in Banke include paddy, wheat, maize, mustered (DAO 2016). Though people depend on rainfed agriculture, there are major river systems that have played a significant role in the lives of the people in Banke. The rivers include Rapti, Mohana, Daduwa and other seasonal rivers that serve as major water sources of the district. There are several seasonal rivers that have originated from the Chure region.
The inception of handover of community forests in Banke dates back to 1992 where Gigara CF was the first one to be handed over to the community. During the initial days of the handover of community forests, the primary agenda was on improving the forest conditions mainly by protection of key forest species. In addition, people’s participation in forest management and institutional development of forest user groups was closely looked at. With improved forest conditions, people started talking about social inclusion, community development, equitable and benefit sharing within their group. In 2007, following the fifth national conference of community forestry, several new agenda including REDD+, Climate change adaptation and mitigation, indigenous rights, free prior information consent started entering the priorities of the CFUGs. There was in fact a paradigm shift from merely forest product harvesting to ecosystem services based forest management practices in CFUGs in Banke district.
Following the handover of community forests in Banke, there was a wave of interests, mainly from the youths in getting involved in forest management activities. In fact, the interests and involvement of individuals in forest management did show some positive results. The story of Ram Bahadur Bhandari is a good illustration of how motivation results in positive impact. Ram Bhandari was interested in environmental conservation and forest management since his school days. In 1996, the District Forest Office in coordination with the CARE/IFAD project, initiated the handover of community forests. With series of meetings and workshops taking place around that time in the village, Ram Bahadur participated in almost all of them, His diligence paid him well, where he was appointed as the secretary to the executive committee of Ban Shakti Community Forest User Group. This was a major turning point in his life. His appointment as a secretary provided him an opportunity to demonstrate his affection towards environmental conservation. Following his appointment, he attended several meetings with the DFO and project staff. Moreover, social and resource survey on community forests was carried out jointly, where Ram Bhandari was part of the team. Following the survey, the team drafted the CFUG constitution and operational plan and was finalized through series of discussion with the forest user group members. The documents were finally submitted to the District Forest Office approval. In 1997, the District Forest Office handed over about 109 ha of the national forest as community forest.
Looking at forests back in time
Prior to the handover of the community forests, the forest condition was too poor with presence of dead trees, soft woods and bushes. “During the period of hand over, the quality of the forest was too bad, we could hardly see a healthy tree standing in the forest” opines Hema Gharti Magar, former secretary of CFUG. Uncontrolled grazing was the primary cause of forest degradation that resulted in poor regenerations and soil erosion. Illegal hunting was rampant in the forests and control of poaching was not an easy task back then. Likewise, forest fire used to be a common phenomenon mainly during the spring and summer. Lack of monitoring and law enforcement allowed smugglers to freely enter the forest where the consideration of environmental sensitivity of the forest was totally absent. Due to the poor quality of the forest, water sources were drying in a fast pace leaving the people with lesser access to drinking water. Similarly, incidents of erosion within the forest and nearby the settlements were on rise creating chaos among locals.
People participation to address these problems hardly took place back then. Ignorance of the people deteriorated the forest conditions and forest products and services were on decline. Hardly hit due to the forest degradation were the marginalized groups including women, Dalits and poor with high level of dependency on forest for their livelihood. On one hand, the provisions stipulated in the operational plan were hardly looked while on the other hand, monthly meetings used to be irregular and participation of the CFUG members was not encouraging. The general assembly used to be merely a ritual during the initial years of community forestry handover. “This was a common scene throughout the district and people had very less interest in community forest” opined Ram Bahadur.
Following series of dialogues with the CFUG members about the importance of forests, the scenario changed. People were sensitized on the effects of deforestation and forest degradation following which they were keen on participating in various programs organized in their vicinity. The District Forest Office Banke, in collaboration with IFAD, FECOFUN, and the Terai Arc Landscape (TAL) Project conducted series of capacity development trainings on forest management, Community Forest User Group Management and Leadership Development. Following these activities, local communities started participating in forest management activities. This really had a positive impact on the overall health of the forest, where regeneration was visible at denuded areas.
The Constitution and operational plan of Gigara CF was renewed for the first time in 2002. The CFUG members, through their general assembly, decided to place forest conservation as a major priority in their CF. Likewise, during the third revision of the operational plan in 2008, people’s participation and equitable benefit sharing was highlighted. Gradually the idea of Climate Change and REDD+ entered the forestry sector in 2008. Citing the need for capacity building on Climate change and REDD+, RECOFTC organized a training of trainers on REDD+ in 2009. Ram Bhandari got an opportunity to take part in the training following which he shared the knowledge and ideas with the members of the CFUG. This created a sense among the CFUG members on the need for incorporating activities related to climate change within their CF priorities. Moreover, this also gave an opportunity to acknowledge the wider services rendered by forests.
Kesh Kumari Bhandari, executive committee member of Gigara CFUG expressed her experience as “understanding of climate change issues and other benefits from the forests has helped people to develop adaptation strategies during the adversities”.
The training organized by RECOFTC followed a cascading approach thus allowing additional CFUG members to take part. Mr. Bhandari conducted orientation on REDD+ for 100 CFUGs in Banke district alone involving 4000 user group members. According to the District Forest Officer Banke, “the understanding on REDD+ and climate change adaptation and mitigation at various levels has sensitized the local people and has motivated more people in taking part on forest management and social inclusion initiatives”.
Changes in Policies and Practices
As a result of better awareness on the values of forests and its management, Banshakti, Kanyashwori, and Siddheshwori CFUGs carried out the revision of the CFUG constitution and operational plan in 2014. With the revision, the CFUG members have incorporated issues pertinent to erosion control, carbon sink, aesthetic values, oxygen, water resource management, among others in the operational plans. In addition, the user group members have already started implementing some of the activities in their vicinity.
Improving Good Governance in community forests
With the revisions in their operational plan and the constitution, Banshakti, Kanyashwori and Siddeshwori CFUGs have incorporated the provisions on public hearing and social auditing in the documents. The decision was unanimously passed by their general assemblies. According to the District Forest Officer Banke, all the CFUGs have in place legal provisions on public hearing and social audit of their annual activities. This has ensured participatory planning and regular monitoring of activities within the CFUGs. Moreover, CFUGs have conducted the well-being ranking of the user members based on which benefits coming out of the forests are distributed equitably. In Banke alone, about 50% of the CFUGs have been managing their account according to a double entry system. In another decision, CFUGs are obliged to have women members in one of the key positions (chairperson or secretary) in addition to having 50% women participation in the executive committee. This has ensured the women participation in forest quality improvement process.
Improvement in Leadership and Technical capacity of the users
In addition to the decisions, CFUGs have been holding regular meetings, interactions and capacity building programs, which have helped them in developing leadership qualities. Most notably, the CFUG members have established community based organizations, including cooperatives, and School Management Committees, that too has been working in the welfare of the community. In addition, representatives of various CFUGs have been elected in the local government units.
The CFUG members have dedicated their time for forest management initiatives as well. For instance, Banshakti CFUG has divided the forest into four blocks and has implemented forest management activities. Likewise, many CFs in Banke have maintained a block system and have implemented forest management activities. In another case, Bankshakti, Siddeshwori and Kanyashwori CFUGs have promoted agro forestry system in farm lands of CFUG members. The primary objective of this is to reduce the pressure in forest. Similarly, Banshakit CF has been providing loan to its user group members to install bio-gas plants. So far, 19 members have installed bio-gas plants while 7 households have installed solar panels to generate electricity for household purpose.
Enhanced Networking at district level
With various forest management initiatives in place, the CFUGs have been able to extend good relationship with the District Forest office, District Soil Conservation office, District Agriculture Development office and District Livestock office. Moreover, they have also been receiving support from these institutions to carry out capacity development programs in addition to technical support. Besides, link with the local governments and local NGOs has also provided an opportunity for the CFUG members to have a better understanding of the local development activities and its link to community forestry.
Why this change is important for local people?
Local Communities: Local communities are better informed and well equipped to cope with various adversities related to forest and climate change. These efforts have supported them to develop knowledge and skills of the local people towards developing environmentally resilient strategies. CFUGs have been institutionalizing these issues by incorporating them in their operational plans and constitution. Moreover, learning out of the experiences of their neighboring CFUGs, others have adopted similar practices in their farm lands and private forests. In one of the examples, local people have applied control mechanisms to address the issues of invasive species in their farmland.
Government: The government is the key responsible actor to lead the climate change adaptation and mitigation initiatives in the country. Government will also be responsible to integrate the learnings from the grassroots practices into the national policies, strategies and plans. This can directly contribute to the Sustainable Development Goal -13 and also support in achieving other SDG goals indirectly.
Neighboring Villages: The lessons from good practices from one or multiple CFUGs can be replicated elsewhere. Where regions can have similar issues pertinent to water scarcity and erosion, the activities can be replicated in order address them.