Resources Assessment for Scientific Forest Management in Community
Forest of Lowland Terai: A case study from Piparichapa Community Forest,
Rupandehi, Nepal
Awasthi
Nripesh, Gotame Pabitra, Gyawali Ayush, Koirala Dhiroj, Lamichane Sushma, Rawal
Asmita, Shrestha Sandesh
Institute
of Forestry, Tribhuvan University
Abstracts:
The resources in terms
of seedling, saplings, poles and trees are assessed to determine the status of
forest and to predict future structure. The study was carried out in
Piparichapa Community forest situated in Rupandehi district of Nepal, taking
0.5% sampling intensity with circular plots based on Community forest inventory
guidelines. The forest area is divided into 10 periodic blocks for initiation
of management based on irregular shelterwood system. The study found poor
regeneration and good status of poles and trees, recommends for silviculture
based management in such poor forest existed in lowland Terai, to improve the degrading nature of forests.
Keywords: resources, regeneration, scientific forest management, periodic blocks
1. Introduction
Forest management is
organization of forest resources or property with the application of
scientific, technical and economic principles of the forestry. It includes
protection and improvement of forest in one hand and controlled harvesting as
well as marketing of the forest products in the other hand. The forests are
managed primarily with objectives of providing maximum benefit to greatest
number of people.
In Nepalese context,
about 40% of total area is occupied by the forest cover. Similarly, the
livelihood dependency of local people on forest and its products is remarkably
high. Forest is being utilized for both productive and protective purposes.
Nepal has been passed through three phases in managing the forest, namely
privatization, nationalization and populism. (Hobley and Malla, 1996, MPFS,
1988).
While going through
historical background, the forests were the private properties during Rana
period. As a result, resources were monopolized and over-exploited. It was
Nationalisation Act 1957 A.D after Democracy in Nepal, huge tract of forest
under communal and private control brought under state property. Different
forest management regimes like Panchayat Forest, Panchayat Protected Forest,
Private Forest and religious forest were the major component and included in
the Forest Act 1961 A.D. But, this system was not succeeded as expectation of
the state. So, realising the participation of local people in the management of
forest, community based forest management system was designed by the mid 1970s.
Similarly, MPFS (1988/89) emphasised Community forestry as first priority and
CF was initiated in 1978s. Similarly, other forest management systems were
adopted according to objective of management and based on ownership. According
to forest Act 1993, forest are categorised into two namely National and private
forest based on ownership.
Community forestry has
gained more popularity in mid-hills of Nepal rather than Terai due to large
tract of productive forest, lack of transparency and accountability so on in
Terai forest. In this way, GoN has developed a new concept especially in Terai
region ie; Collaborative Forest Management including all stakeholders,
according to Forest policy 2000 and is now operating in nine district of Terai
in the country. Nepal has adopted community based forest management strategy
under following categories:
1. Community forest
2. Collaborative forest
3. Leasehold forest
4. Religious forest
5. Buffer zone forest
The present need in
forest management of Nepal should be towards its scientific and sustainable
forest management. Silviculture based management promotes regeneration in place
of old and decaying trees and yields sustainably. The need of scientific
management comes through the increasing demand of forest products from
increasing population in the globe. Master Plan for Forestry Sector 1988
projected total timber demand of the country to be 3.2 million cubic meter in
the year 2010-11. Similarly, the projected demand for industrial sawn timber
for the same time was 438 thousand cubic meter. Looking towards the present
supply, it’s far less than the projected demand (Subedi, 2011).To meet demand
and supply curve of local people and industrial sector; it is utmost to
introduce technical principles in forestry, to obtain sustained yield from
forest.
The reason behind
adopting scientific management in forest are improving the degraded forest
condition, to meet the demand of timber, increase in revenue, increase in
employment opportunity, to gain confidence and trust and potential sustained
annual yield from the forest (Subedi, 2011).
2. Objectives of the
study:
The study was carried
out to assess the status of resources within forest in terms of seedlings,
saplings, poles and trees which determine present status and predict future
structure. Its another objective is to identify the need of silvicultural
intervention in existing natural forests of lowland Terai.
3. Methodology
Study Area
The study was carried
out in Piparichapa Community forest, situated in Rudrapur VDC of Rupandehi
districts of Nepal. It occupied an area of approximately 186 Hector.
fig:
1. Map of Study Area
Steps
for bio-physical measurement:
•Data for forest boundary is obtained from etrex
10 garmin GPS, and map of forest boundary is prepared through arc view 3.2 and
arc GIS 10
•Periodic blocks are set
up based on physical, natural and man-made features such as nalah, gravel
roads, etc and tried to equalize the area of all periodic block.
•Systematic sample plot
were layout using arc gis and inventory on giving plot of each periodic block
were done to assess the forest condition of periodic block. Data are processed
in MS-Excel.
•Periodic block first
for first ten years were selected on the basis of forest condition, interest of
local user groups, etc.
•Ten sub-blocks for
first periodic block were layout on the map.
•Total enumerations on
the sub-block were done to denote stem mapping.
•Mother tree and
harvestable tree were selected based of phenotypic character of tree.
•Especially for the
sampling in the periodic block, a circular plot of 500 sq meters were
established to measure tree, pole, sapling and seedling according to the
inventory guideline 2068 as shown below.
•Sampling intensity=
0.5%
•Stand table is prepared
in term of stem per hector of each periodic block in order to compare the
status of forest in each periodic block. Nested Circular plot of following size
was used for the study purposes based on Community Forest inventory guideline
of Nepal.
For tree: 500 sq meter=
12.61 m radius from the centre.
For pole: 100 sq meter=
5.64 m radius from the centre.
For sapling: 25 sq
meter= 2.82m radius from the centre.
For seedling: 10 sq
meter= 1.78m radius from the centre.
4. Results
a) Establishment of
Periodic block:
The part or parts of
forest containing one age-class set aside to be regenerated or otherwise
treatment during a specified period is called periodic block. It is necessary
to divide the rotation period in to as many parts as the number by which the
rotation is divisible by the time taken to regenerate an area.
Number of Periodic Block
(PB) = Rotation Period/ Regeneration Period
Area of PB = Area of
whole working circle/ number of PB
Basis of PB
Establishment inside the Community Forest
Artificial Human
Development Works
Eg. Gravel Road.
§ Natural
Features eg. Ghola
§ Interest
of Local People.
However, the area of
periodic blocks is tentatively equal and was established and provided by
government official to us to continue the work of inventory.
The inventory is based
on above map.
fig:
2. Map showing Periodic Blocks for management
b) Stand Table for each
Established Periodic Block
Stand
table is used to project the diameter, height, basal area and volume of
forested area. It is unlikely to yield table as it can be applied to any kind
of stand, even aged or uneven aged stand. It assists in prediction of current
yield as well as future yield and as whole to predict the status of forest.
Periodic block
|
stem/ha
|
1
|
46.67
|
2
|
73.34
|
4
|
70
|
5
|
73.33
|
6
|
75
|
7
|
113.34
|
9
|
95
|
10
|
92
|
c. Forest Condition Based on
Regeneration:
According
to inventory guideline of Nepal, regeneration in terms of seedling more than
5000 per hacter is regarded as good, between 2000-5000 per hacter as
satisfactory and below 2000 per hacter as worst condition. Similarly,
regeneration in terms of sapling more than 2000 is regarded as good, between
800-2000 per hacter as satisfactory and below of which 800 as worst situation.
Table:
1. Regeneration Condition of Forest
Periodic Block
|
Seedlings/ha
|
Forest Condt
|
Saplings/ha
|
Forest Condt
|
1
|
11,333
|
GOOD
|
267
|
Worst
|
2
|
18,667
|
GOOD
|
133
|
Worst
|
4
|
0
|
Worst
|
0
|
Worst
|
5
|
5667
|
GOOD
|
0
|
Worst
|
6
|
6000
|
GOOD
|
0
|
Worst
|
7
|
0
|
Worst
|
0
|
Worst
|
9
|
0
|
Worst
|
0
|
Worst
|
10
|
2,333
|
Satisfactory
|
1,733
|
Satisfactory
|
Grading: It is an intelligence choice of selecting
timbers for specific purposes. Grading is used since the timber came in use. It
depends on the species, size, defects, grain, etc of the timber. According to
Inventory guideline, the timber which can be convertible into three straight
logs of approximately 6 feet and having cylindrical bole kept in first class timber. The straight bole
timber that can be convertible into two logs of approximately 6 feet kept in second class. And rest of dead, dying,
decaying and deformed tree is kept in 3rd
class timber.
Table:
2. Grading of Trees in each Periodic Block
Periodic Block
|
No. of trees/ha
|
||
1st
class
|
2nd
Class
|
3rd
Class
|
|
1
|
20
|
13.33
|
6.67
|
2
|
33.33
|
20
|
20
|
4
|
30
|
30
|
10
|
5
|
13.33
|
13.33
|
46.67
|
6
|
25
|
35
|
10
|
7
|
26.67
|
46.67
|
26.67
|
9
|
70
|
20
|
5
|
10
|
28
|
52
|
12
|
d. Stem Mapping in the sub-block of
Periodic block
Fig: 4. Map of sub-blocking in PB 10.
Sub-blocking
in periodic blocking was done into 10 tentatively equal parts in order to work
in each sub-block for 10 years. Similarly, total enumeration was done in one of
the sub-block of periodic block and tagging of tree was done in the field.
The stem mapping in sub-block of
periodic block number 10 is:
Fig: 5. Stem Mapping in sub-blocks of Periodic Block
The mother tree
and harvestable tree in the sub-block is shown in the map:
In
general, mother trees are selected and reserved trees in the forest in order to
obtain seeds for establishment of regeneration in future. They should be
genetically and phenotypically superior. But in practice, it is difficult to
identify and select the tree in genotype basis. The tree having good crown
cover, straight bole, free form defects, good branching, suitable ageing
condition, abundance seeds and fruits, etc are some basic to consider in
selecting mother tree. It is based on the principle that healthy and viable
seeds comes from healthy and viable progeny.
5.
Conclusion:
As per the above data, the regeneration condition in
the forest is poor. The number of pole and tree is in high whereas seedling and
sapling is insignificant. So, the forest needs urgent scientific management and
treatment. This forest is suitable for the shelter wood forest system.
6.
Recommendation
·
Further detailed study is necessary.
·
Technical empowerment of officials working in
scientifically managed forest.
·
Empowerment of local people and knowledge
transformation to them is urgent.
·
Proper coordination with local people is
necessary.
·
Update in equipments and instruments.
·
Grazing, uncontrolled forest fire and timber
smuggling should be prohibited strictly.
Limitation
·
Limited time duration.
·
Extreme climatic condition.
·
Lack of adequate technical understanding.
7. Acknowlegement:
·
District Forest Office, Rupandehi
·
Ilaka Ban Karyalaya, Rudrapur-2, Rupandehi
·
Multistakeholder Forestry Programme
·
Institute of Forestry, IoF, Pokhara Campus
·
Tour Incharge
·
Local people of Piparichapa women community
forest
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