A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science, School of Environment, Resources and Development

Thesis (M.Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2001

The potential of community forestry for deriving multiple benefits from forest goods and services are being increasingly recognized, and the numbers of forest user groups are also increasing in Nepal. His Majesty's Government of Nepal made a sta1i on decentralizing forest management from the department of forest by handing over at to the local people. It is extensively adopted and put into practices in village as well as municipality area of the country. This is a comparative study of the physical condition and organizational performance on such effect of community forest management in municipality and village area. The aim of the study was to explore Community forest management in village area and municipality regarding the functioning including involvement of local users especially in the protection, utilization, benefit sharing and process of institutionalization. The study was carried out in four community forest user groups (FUGs), two from municipality area and two from village areas of Makawanpur and Tanahun districts. Using random sampling techniques, total 120 forest users were chosen and survey carried out. Observation of forest condition, review of FUGs records, interview with forest user committee (FUC) and key informants were also examined during the data collection process. The findings of the study showed that there were significant differences in the socioeconomic characteristics of users in municipality and village area. These characteristics affected the forest product needs, preferences as well as objective of the forest management and also influenced compliance with silvicultural operation, utilization and sharing of forest products and institutional capacity building of the FUGs. The forest conditions of the study area were improved after take over by local community. The village FUGs were focusing more on basic forest needs fulfillment purpose where as greenery, recreational oriented purposes were also included in municipality FUGs' focus of forest management. Besides, more extensive silvicultural practices were carried out in municipality area CF. All the member of the FUGs were utilizing and sharing the forest products such as timber, fuel wood and fodder and leaf litter, by means of several rules and regulations formulated by the assembly. Rural users seemed to be more dependent as well as more satisfied due to increased availability of the timber and fuel wood from the CF. All FUGs are accountable and have developed recording systems and specified rules and regulation to carry out the forest management activities. These FUGs have their own funds raised from sales of forest products, membership fees, penalties imposed and grants and funds were invested in both the forest development activities and community welfare. All the FUGs in study area have been trying to involve all the users in the forest management activities and exploring linkage with other organizations for the suppo1i. However, the participation of users are found low in municipality FU Gs but have more opportunity for linkage and extension of the area of support with many more organization than villages. Finally, CF management practices have been operating in both areas, even though the management functions are considerably different in municipality area. Therefore, this study recommends for a suitable policy and programs covering the interest of urban settlers also should be tailored towards the achievement of sustainable community forestry development in Nepal.