18 Chait, Butwal. Stakeholders have expressed their concern that the forest management sector has not been included in the 100 agenda for governance reforms recently announced by the Rashtriya Swatantra Party (RASWPA)-led government.

Forestry experts, policy analysts and stakeholders have commented that the government has failed in the use of natural resources since the area with temporary benefits and long-term importance like forest management is not included.

About 45 percent of the total land area of ​​Nepal is covered by forests. There are more than 22,000 community forest user groups active across the country, which have been managing forest conservation and utilization at the local level.

Forestry experts claim that the new government has not paid attention to the potential to transform the national economy by creating 61 billion more annual revenue income and 100,000 more jobs if forest management programs based on the enhancement system can be implemented across the country.

Stakeholders have requested the government to review the 100 agenda and prioritize forest management. In particular, they demand that programs such as forest management based on forest promotion, price review of wood and forest products, foreign export of forest products, development of forest-based enterprises and creation of green jobs from the forest sector should be included.

Keshav Khadka, president of Lumbini Forest Technical Association, says that the hope that the new government will give priority to forest development due to the lack of resource-based forest management has not yet fully utilized the huge income potential of forests.

“It was hoped that the new government would include forest management in the 100 agenda so that the production and economic potential of the forest sector could be used, but it did not happen,” said Khadka, “I feel that the new government has neglected forest management.”

According to President Khadka, active forest management program has not been implemented in 500 forest areas out of more than 4,000 forest groups in Lumbini province.

Khadka claims that the program of forest management based on forest promotion can be easily implemented in 60 percent of the forest groups of Lumbini province and billions of income can be obtained from it. “The government should advance the forest management program as a priority project of the state, the forest sector is a big industry that can create millions of jobs,” Khadka says.

According to forestry experts, if forest management is prioritized and implemented in a planned manner, there will be an increase in wood and firewood production and thousands of jobs will be created and billions of rupees revenue will be collected at the union, state and local levels.

Khadka adds, ‘If the state implements an electronic tender system for maximum sustainable use of the forest area, organization and management survey, formation of the Nepal Forest Council, distribution of forest produce, it can get four to five times more income than at present,’ President Khadka says, ‘The priority of the new government should be to bring forest management to a new height by including the implementation of a digital online database system for forest area data management.’

Pramod Bhattarai, secretary of Lumbini Province Forest Ministry, says that the necessary legal bases for active forest management in the forest sector are almost complete and if some amendments and modifications are made, the program of active forest management can be rapidly advanced across the country.

According to him, out of the seven provinces, only in Lumbini, the forest management program based on the promotion system is being implemented effectively and the province is getting significant benefits from it.

“Forest management not only provides financial benefits, but also plays an important role in environmental balance. By increasing carbon reserves, it contributes significantly to areas such as mitigating climate change, biodiversity conservation, soil erosion and flood-slide control,” said Secretary Bhattarai.

Forestry Studies Institute Dean’s Office Professor Dr. Rajesh Rai said that the previous governments have completely failed to get huge revenue and other benefits from the forest sector. According to the government forecast that 60.32 million cubic feet of wood will be produced annually with traditional forest management, only 31.5 million cubic feet are being produced and of this, 20.59 million cubic feet of wood is coming from private forests. Rai said.

According to the National Forest Resources Survey and Forest Sector Strategy, 129 million cubic feet of wood can be produced annually in Nepal. But now it is being produced four times less.

‘To be honest, the government has not been able to get the immense income that can be obtained from community, partnership and government forests, which is a shameful situation,’ said Dr. Rai said, ‘if forest management is conducted in a scientific manner based on the enhancement system, annual revenue of 61 billion can be collected, 61,000 people will be created full-time jobs just by cutting trees.’

Apart from felling, adding all the creations in wood transportation, wood industry and furniture industry, employment will be created for at least 100,000 people annually. Rai’s estimate.

“Ignoring the use and management of forest areas means losing economic, environmental and social opportunities,” said Dr. Rai said, ‘Sustainable development, green economy and local employment promotion programs should be carried out immediately, including forest management.’

Dr. Rai suggests that the government should not ignore this as the forest management based on the enhancement system will increase carbon storage and reduce the risk of fire.

“For the sustainable development, environmental balance and economic prosperity of Nepal, forest management is an indispensable sector, it seems that if this sector is not given priority by the government, it can have a long-term impact,” said Dr. Rai said.