PROSPECTS OF PRIVATE FORESTRY AROUND URBAN CENTERS - A STUDY IN UPLAND NEPAL

A substantial proportion of the population in the area concerned depen ds on fuel-wood as its major source of fuel. As a result, forests arou nd towns - as in the case of Upper Pokhara Valley - are undergoing deg radation. Private forestry could be an attractive option to control or even to reverse this process. Besides providing employment and income opportunities to farmers, this would help to alleviate pressure on co mmonland forests and control erosion. Steep slope gradients, combined with moderate precipitation and temperature, have made the area studie d most suitable for tree- and bush-crops, including assorted varieties of fruit-crops and fuel-wood trees. The financial analysis of fuel-wo od plantation vis-a-vis traditional cropping systems revealed the form er to be more profitable in kharbari and infertile bari areas. Fuel-wo od plantation on khet and fertile bari was both financially and social ly unfeasible. Results of the financial analysis were confirmed by far mers' approval of the idea of growing fuel-wood trees on kharbari and infertile bari. While an extensive-scale fuel-wood plantation would de pend on the availability of gainful non-farming employ ment opportunit ies, there is some prospect of utilizing uncultivated and infertile la nds immediately for that purpose. In this endeavour, it is necessary t o provide some basic support services and facilities, including provis ion of tools for pitting, extension service, and establishment of vill age nurseries for supply of the necessary tree-seedlings. Extension ag ents associated with both GOs and NGOs could play a significant role i n motivating villagers to adopt commercial fuel-wood tree-plantation a nd in mediating entangled issues. Besides, clarification of the issue of ownership of private forests, amendment of the Private Forestry Cod e, and consolidation of the community forestry programme, are other me asures required for the promotion of private forestry in Nepal.