Stream I: Community Forestry

(d) More than 22000

Nepal has crossed about 22,000 Community Forestry User Groups (over 22,000 CFUGs, with roughly 3 million households involved) managing nearly 2.4 million ha of national forest.

(b) Thimphu, Bhutan

The SAARC Forestry Centre (SFC) was established in Thimphu, Bhutan, to promote regional cooperation in forestry among SAARC member states.

(d) All of the above

Success of community forestry depends on the capability of the forest land, the community's own choice of forest use, and the nature of the support from the organizational structure.

(c) Both (a) & (b)

Social forestry is forestry of the people, by the people and for the people, in which efforts are aimed at raising and managing trees for the benefit of rural people.

(b) Government

Land in community forestry remains national forest owned by the government. Only the right to manage, use and sell forest products is handed over to the CFUG.

(c) Sindhupalchowk

The community forestry concept in Nepal was initiated through pilot work, notably the Nepal-Australia Community Forestry Project, in Sindhupalchowk (with Kavre).

(a) Madhes

Madhesh Province, mostly intensively cultivated and densely populated Tarai plain, has the smallest forest area and lowest forest cover of the provinces.

(d) The area that community enables to manage

There is no fixed ceiling on area. The forest is handed over according to what the user group is capable of and willing to manage.

(c) Irregular shelterwood system in tarai and selection system in the hill

Under Scientific Forest Management, the irregular shelterwood system is applied to even-aged Sal forests of the tarai, and the selection system to the uneven-aged mixed forests of the hills.

(c) 17

The 2030 Agenda adopted by all UN Member States in 2015 sets 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with 169 targets.

(d) Growth to meet current needs, preservation for the needs of future and change in all respects of life

Sustainable development meets present needs without compromising future generations, and involves change in economic, social and environmental aspects.

(d) All of the above

Documented impacts include restoration of degraded forest land, empowerment of women, the poor and disadvantaged groups, and income generation and community development from CFUG funds.

(b) 1978

The Panchayat Forest and Panchayat Protected Forest Rules of 1978 (2035 BS) enabled handing over forests to local panchayats, the first step toward community forestry.

(c) Traditional use practice

Users are identified by who has traditionally used the particular forest, not by administrative boundaries, so the real dependent users are included.

(d) All the above

Accessibility, traditional use practice and the community's willingness to manage the forest are all used as criteria for handing over national forest.

(a) Investigation, negotiation, implementation, and review

The process begins with investigation of users and forest, followed by negotiation and agreement (constitution and operational plan), then implementation, and finally review.

(d) All the above

Community forests can be managed for multiple objectives including watershed management, eco-tourism and biodiversity conservation.

(c) Utilization of the generated fund

The CFUG constitution sets out the group's rules, including fund mobilization and utilization, whereas harvesting and forest management details belong in the operational plan.

(c) One-half of women

Current policy and the Forest Act 2019 require at least 50% women in the CFUG executive committee, with representation of disadvantaged groups.

(a) Community forestry

A part of national forest handed over to a user group to protect, manage and utilize is a community forest. Leasehold, religious and buffer zone forests are different categories.

(d) All the above

The constitution states who the users are, who has rights to which forest resources, and who does what (duties and responsibilities).

(b) Province Forest Directorate

An aggrieved CFUG may appeal the Division Forest Officer's decision to cancel registration to the higher forest authority, the Province Forest Directorate.

(b) 51

A decision of the general assembly requires a quorum of more than half, taken as 51% of users, present.

(a) 25%

At least 25% of CFUG income must be invested in the development, protection and management of the forest. The rest goes to community development, pro-poor and other activities.

(d) The government has waived the taxes on CFUG on the sale of Saal and Khayar timbers

This statement is incorrect: the government levies tax (about 15%) on CFUG sales of Sal and Khayar timber. The other statements are correct.