Privately planted tree species protection.

Community forestry was formally launched in Nepal since late 70's to increase participation and control of local people in forest management. It has received highest priority within the forestry sector and is one of the most successful development initiatives in Nepal. However, emerging evidences show that forest user groups have selective behaviour over the choices of species to fulfil basic requirements of forestry products, which may be leading to loss of shrub, and unwanted timber species. This indicates that biodiversity conservation contradicts with community forest management. The aim of the project is to develop a model user group demonstrating active forest management and biodiversity conservation leading to a win-win situation in community forestry in Nepal. The project also endeavours documenting biodiversity at users' level using CFUG as an appropriate option.

Construction of biogas plant in Bharkhore.

This project will develop a model CFUGs demonstrating active forest management and biodiversity conservation leading to a win-win situation. To achieve this, the CBCP will develop base line information, community documentation of biodiversity information, creating income generation activities addressing biodiversity conservation, promoting innovations to biodiversity conservation while adopting active forest management, reducing pressure to forest products through alternative energy, promoting private plantation, developing mechanism for local people financial contribution to biodiversity conservation, broadening the role of FECOFUN as civil society organisation for biodiversity conservations. The piloting work will be replicated and expanded to other CFUGs through local level networking. It also ensures contribution of CFUGs towards biodiversity conservation as their operational plan activities.

The proposed study aims to contribute towards the conservation of bio-diversity in community forestry in Nepal. The CBCP focuses to conduct environmental conservation activities and develop and demonstrate approaches for integration of biodiversity conservation into community forestry management. It will increase skill and awareness on conservation of forest ecosystems through training and extension activities at various levels. The CBCP aims to strengthen and develop linkage and support with different agencies such as community level networking organisation (FECOFUN) for the conservation of biodiversity. In addition, the mobilization of community forest user groups fund to conserve and document biodiversity at local level will have sustainability implications. It will be disseminating in neighbouring CFUGs and ultimately the methodology could be a national scheme for biodiversity conservation in community forestry.

The higher levels of biodiversity awareness at community level and increased allocation of public resources to biodiversity protection will have substantial offer at local level towards biodiversity conservation. The strengthened participatory approaches to environmental protection as part of their operational plan will have higher demonstration effects with easy replication of best practices. The development of a methodology to integrate participatory biodiversity conservation in community forestry supported with participatory extension materials focusing on biodiversity conservation will increase capacity of CFUGs and line agencies to sustainably manage their community forests.