Management In Nepal Research Articles

Open-Source Data Alternatives and Models for Flood Risk Management in Nepal

Availability and applications of open-source data for disaster risk reductions are increasing. Flood hazards are a constant threat to local communities and infrastructures (e.g., built-up environment and agricultural areas) in Nepal. Due to its negative consequences on societies and economic aspects, it is critical to monitor and map those risks. This study presents the open access earth observation (EO) data, geospatial products, and different analytical models available for flood risk assessment (FRA) and monitoring in Nepal. The status of flood risk knowledge and open-source data was reviewed through a systematic literature review. Multispectral optical data are widely used, but use of microwave data is extremely low. With the recent developments in this field, especially optical and microwave data, the monitoring, mapping, and modeling of flood hazards and risk have been more rapid and precise and are published in several scientific articles. This study shows that the choice of appropriate measurements and data for a flood risk assessment and management involves an understanding of the flood risk mechanism, flood plain dynamics, and primary parameter that should be addressed in order to minimize the risk. At the catchments, floodplains, and basin level, a variety of open data sources and models may be used under different socioeconomic and environmental limitations. If combined and analyzed further, multi-source data from different models and platforms could produce a new result to better understand the risks and mitigation measures related to various disasters. The finding of this study helps to select and apply appropriate data and models for flood risk assessment and management in the countries like Nepal where the proprietary data and models are not easily accessible.

A Review of Policies and Institutions for Landslide Risk Management in Nepal

Nepal has been experiencing different kinds of natural hazards in recent decades due to its unique topographic and climatic diversities. Earthquakes, landslides, floods, lightning, fire, cold and heat wave are major hazards. Among them, the landslide is one of the major natural hazards, and the occurrence of landslides is due to active tectonics and the Asian monsoon. The Spatio-temporal distribution of landslides in Nepal suggests that fatal landslides had an average of 113 death per year from 1971-2021. Moreover, Sindhupalchowk, Gorkha and Syangja had the highest number of fatal landslides. A proper landslide risk management policy should be implemented to reduce lives and properties. Landslide risk reduction is always challenging because it needs strong political determination, appropriate plans and policies, and good governance. This study reviewed the government's different plans, policies, acts and available literature to understand the status of landslide risk management in Nepal. Key informant interviews were conducted among stakeholders to understand how landslide risks are managed. The Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act (DRRM), 2017, has considered the evidence-based decision-making processes instrumental in the paradigm shift from response-centric to anticipative and prevention-based approaches. Similarly, the Local Government Operation Act, 2017 has authorised and mandated the local government to undertake various functions for Disaster Risk Reduction. It is found that most of the plans and policies have not addressed landslides as an independent entity. Most existing documents have included disaster risk reduction but failed to identify the key issues of landslide risk reduction in Nepal. Therefore, this paper reviewed the current plans and policies and suggested recommendations for landslide risk management in Nepal.

Assessment of Environmental Policies and Institutions for Effective Air Quality Management in Nepal

Air pollution is a serious environmental threat in major cities of Nepal. The major emission source of air pollutants is vehicular emission, resuspension of street dust litter during dry climatic conditions, black smoke plumes from brick kilns, and refuse burning. Effective plans and policies are required for the effective management and monitoring of air pollution. This study aims to review environmental policies and plans prevalent in Nepal and assess their effectiveness in controlling air pollution. The study is based on the literature review and a questionnaire survey using Najam's 5C framework for policy analysis. Although several national policies, plans, laws and standards have been formulated and international agreements have been ratified for the management of air pollution, separate policy dedicated to air pollution management has not been formulated in Nepal. According to Najam's framework, the content, context, and commitment of the overall policies, plans, and agreements for managing air quality in Nepal were assessed as effective. However, the capacity of the implementor, client support, and management coordination was found ineffective. This study recommends that a separate policy on air quality management is required, while the capacities of stakeholders and coordination mechanisms should be strengthened to improve the country's air quality.

Ethnoveterinary use of plants and its implication for sustainable livestock management in Nepal.

Traditional herbal remedies are used worldwide for treating both human and livestock health issues. Though such uses are relatively well-explored for humans, the ethnoveterinary uses of plant-based remedies in the healthcare choices of livestock in Nepal and associated knowledge are largely ignored. This is important as sustainable livestock production is an emerging issue. This study reviews the existing ethnobotanical studies conducted in Nepal and reports the use of 393 species of plants from 114 botanical families in ethnoveterinary practices. Thirty-four different ailments were treated using these plants. The present review revealed that Nepal has a rich diversity of ethnoveterinary plants. This study shows that traditional herbal medicine plays a significant role in meeting the livestock healthcare needs of Nepali farmers and hence is a viable practice. The study also contributes a wealth of knowledge about ethnoveterinary practices for further planning and use. This will provide an option for livestock farmers who cannot afford allopathic medicine or who are not allowed to use such medicine under organic farming schemes that are likely to be a part of sustainable livestock farming programs in Nepal soon.

A Global Collaboration to Develop and Pilot Test a Mobile Application to Improve Cancer Pain Management in Nepal.

IntroductionQuality palliative care, which prioritizes comfort and symptom control, can reduce global suffering from non-communicable diseases, such as cancer. To address this need, the Nepalese Association of Palliative Care (NAPCare) created pain management guidelines (PMG) to support healthcare providers in assessing and treating serious pain. The NAPCare PMG are grounded in World Health Organization best practices but adapted for the cultural and resource context of Nepal. Wider adoption of the NAPCare PMG has been limited due to distribution of the guidelines as paper booklets.MethodsBuilding on a long-standing partnership between clinicians and researchers in the US and Nepal, the NAPCare PMG mobile application (“app”) was collaboratively designed. Healthcare providers in Nepal were recruited to pilot test the app using patient case studies. Then, participants completed a Qualtrics survey to evaluate the app which included the System Usability Scale (SUS) and selected items from the Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS). Descriptive and summary statistics were calculated and compared across institutions and roles. Regression analyses to explore relationships (α = 0.05) between selected demographic variables and SUS and MARS scores were also conducted.ResultsNinety eight healthcare providers (n = 98) pilot tested the NAPCare PMG app. Overall, across institutions and roles, the app received an SUS score of 76.0 (a score > 68 is considered above average) and a MARS score of 4.10 (on a scale of 1 = poor, 5 = excellent). 89.8% (n = 88) “agreed” or “strongly agreed” that the app will help them better manage cancer pain. Age, years of experience, and training in palliative care were significant in predicting SUS scores (p-values, 0.0124, 0.0371, and 0.0189, respectively); institution was significant in predicting MARS scores (p = 0.0030).ConclusionThe NAPCare PMG mobile app was well-received, and participants rated it highly on both the SUS and MARS. Regression analyses suggest end-user variables important to consider in designing and evaluating mobile apps in lower resourced settings. Our app design and pilot testing process illustrate the benefits of cross global collaborations to build research capacity and generate knowledge within the local context.

Chasing Performance of Protected Area Management in Nepal

Nepal represents a unique biodiversity which is associated with higher topographic variation and regional climate. The landscape 60 m above sea level reaching its maximum elevation up to 8.8 kilometers, strong monsoon system entering from south east of Nepal and westerly entering from the west contribute to considerable variety of life forms in the relatively smaller land area. The rich biodiversity not only forms the part of many ecological systems in the region but also provides varieties of ecosystem service in the region. Realizing the efficacy of conservation of biological and natural resources, the early conservation efforts were initiated in Nepal in the early 1970s when the concept of Protected Area (PAs) was in its rudimentary stage. Since then PA management achieved its greater heights in Nepal marching to include 30% land area of Nepal under PAs, which is perfectly following AICHI Target of 2030. In this communication, we have accessed the achievements and lapses in PAs management in Nepal. It is claimed the considerable increase in land areas and types of protected areas, and visible lapses in PAs management. Basically, it is very critical to pinpoint biodiversity hotspots and species endemism before setting aside protected areas for conservation. It emphasizes that it has been a high time to initiate the conservation of several small protected areas in order to complement the existing single large protected area system. Further, I recommend the equal conservation consciousness for areas outside conservation areas in Nepal with more focus on educating people for caring Mother Nature.

Status and Practical Implications of Forest Fire Management in Nepal

Forest fire occurs globally on various scales every year, causing economic, social, ecological, and environmental damage. In a developing country like Nepal, a critical review of policy envisions and its translation concerning the prevailing wildfire scenarios is lacking which is crucial for sustainable forest fire management. We examine the existing disaster management policies relevant to forest fire, and analyse forest fire incidences and their impact on forest cover loss and eCO2 (equivalent carbon dioxide) emissions using the data from Global Forest Watch (GFW) between 2001 to 2021. We also assessed public finance scenarios for forest fire management in Nepal and correlated and compared these data with each other. Our results find that the ‘Forest Fire Management Strategy 2010’ is the only comprehensive policy document that guides forest fire management in Nepal. Despite having low political and financial support (dedicated forest fire management budget is <0.5 per cent out of all forestry sector), awareness raising programme such as celebration of forest fire management week, broadcasting awareness raising messages and information, use of forest firefighting tools and equipements are some of the ground level interventions to prevent and control forest fire. GFW data shows that 29443 visual infrared imaging radiometer suite (VIIRS) fire alerts record (available only for 2012 to 2021), burns 207956.5 hectares (ha) area, 3.28 ha of forest cover loss, and 1132 Mg eCO2 emissions every year on average. These figures are 0.07 per cent, 0.05 per cent, and 0.0176 per cent compared to total forest cover loss, total emission (eCO2) from the forest, and proportion of tree cover loss to burnt area, respectively. Results entail that the existing forest fire management policy requires a revisit considering the changed national and international context, forest fire should be considered as a high priority by all sectors and actors because of its widespread socio-economic, ecological, and environmental impacts. Ignorance of forest fire management could severely hinder the target for national and international commitments including performance-based carbon trading and maintaining forest cover. The findings would provide insights for policy decisions to manage forest fires sustainably.

Unravelling the Local Dynamics of Increasing Fires in Community Forests of Mid-hills of Nepal

Forest fire is a global phenomenon and is having unprecedented impacts across continents. Nepal is not an exception to the increasing impacts, where hundreds of acres of forests is lost, or damaged, to forest fire. The severity of forest fire is on the rise in recent decades, wherein community forests have witnessed effects of the calamity over the recent years. This paper investigates the local factors behind the increasing frequency and severity of forest fires in mid-hills of Nepal. The paper draws on three separate cases from the research sites, involving five years of ‘Enhancing Livelihoods from Improved Forest Management in Nepal (EnLiFT2)’ project's team observations in Bhumlu rural municipality and Chautara Sangachokgadhi municipality of Kavrepalanchok and Sindhupalchok district respectively. This is complemented by informant interviews taken with 25 individuals. The paper primarily examines forest-people-fire relationship to demonstrate the weakening collective actions among the community forest user groups (CFUGs) as an important factor for increasing forest fires in the mid-hills of Nepal. We found the changing forest-people relationship, weakening CFUG governance, and increasing regulatory impositions as important factors driving the alienation of users from the forest thus, undermining collective action in forest management. We argue that strengthening collective action on better forest management to prevent forest fire is crucial over adopting mitigation techniques. The alienation of forest user groups from their forest in the changing socio-economic and forest management context can be addressed to strengthening the collective action for better forest management and ultimately to forest fire prevention and management.

Managing Pain in Low Resource Settings: Healthcare Professionals' Knowledge, Attitude and Practice Regarding Pain Management in Western Nepal.

BackgroundPain is a public health problem and affects millions of people globally. Effective pain management is possible through comprehensive pain management guidelines, adequate facilities, and trained healthcare professionals. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the healthcare professionals’ knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding pain management in Western Nepal.MethodsA cross-sectional study was carried out in hospitals of Pokhara, Nepal. Healthcare professionals, including doctors, pharmacists, and nurses, were enrolled. Tools for the study were “The Knowledge and Attitudes Survey Regarding Pain (KASRP)” and a validated practice-based questionnaire. Frequencies and descriptive statistics were used to describe the outcomes. Kruskal–Wallis H-test and Mann-Whitney U-test were used to analyze the association between the mean rank of KASRP score and sample characteristics. A p-value of <0.05 was considered significant for all statistical tests.ResultsA total of 336 healthcare professionals were enrolled in this study (108 medical doctors, 150 nurses, and 78 pharmacists). The mean KASRP scores (% ± SD) obtained by doctors, pharmacists, and nurses were 58.48±8.98, 53.01±7.80, and 52.26±6.39, respectively. A significant difference was found between the KASRP score and sample characteristics (p<0.001). The pain assessment tool is used by 96 (29%) healthcare professionals every time they meet the patients. Doctors and nurses used it more frequently as compared to pharmacists. Many of the pharmacists, 40 (51%), reported that they counsel the patients on the prescribed medicine (analgesics, NSAIDs, and opioids) every time. As only few participants had already attended a training on pain management, most healthcare professionals, 110 (33%), agreed and 198 (59%) strongly agreed that training related to pain management is needed in NepalConclusionAdequate training and support are required to enhance the knowledge, attitude and ultimately better practice for healthcare professionals regarding pain management in Nepal.

A Strategy for involving community forest managers in effective forest fire management in Nepal

Each year forest fire causes enormous damage to Nepal's forest ecosystems and landscape. For an active community involvement at the landscape level, policymakers must take the interests of local forest managers into account to increase social acceptability. This research explores the perception of community forest managers, who are constantly managing forests at the grassroots level, to understand the relationship between their priorities, needs, and attitudes toward forest fire management. Eighty–eight key informants from six districts were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. The questionnaire was divided into three major sections, (i) forest fuel management and infrastructure, (ii) forest fire management strategies and actions, and (iii) public education and awareness on forest fire management. The data were analyzed using the Kruskal–Wallis test, where the respondents rated above 4.2 out of 5 for activities like increase of insurance mechanisms, providing training for firefighting volunteer groups, and provisioning firefighting equipment. The majority of the respondents agreed on the activities under the forest fire management strategies and actions section (Kendall's Tau = 0.8501), followed by forest fuel management and infrastructure (Kendall’s Tau= 0.6757). We anticipate that the results of this study will be helpful for the local decision–makers in involving different communities and identifying their priorities while implementing various forest fire management activities in diverse landscapes or provinces of the country.

Community-based management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Nepal-Designing and implementing a training program for Female Community Health Volunteers.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in Nepal. Female community health volunteers (FCHVs) have proven effective in the delivery of reproductive, maternal, and child health services in Nepal and recently in the prevention and management of hypertension and type 2 diabetes. Evidence on their roles in COPD management is not yet available. The aim of this study was to develop, implement, and evaluate a training program for FCHVs regarding COPD prevention and management. The training program was part of a cluster-randomized trial of a 12-month intervention to improve COPD outcomes in a semi-urban area of Western Nepal. A six-day workshop consisting of thirty hours of training was developed for FCHVs. Training materials incorporated introduction to COPD, risk factors and symptoms, COPD status assessment guide for FCHVs, guidance on breathing techniques, and exercises for people living with COPD. Pre- and post-test questionnaires were administered to assess the change in knowledge of FCHVs, post training skills assessment followed by semi-structured interviews assessed FCHVs' satisfaction with the training program. The findings of the pre- and post- test assessments showed a significant improvement in FCHVs' COPD-related knowledge from a median (interquartile range) score of 12 (3-16) before to 21 (21-22) (p<0.001) after the training program. The qualitative assessment revealed the feasibility of FCHVs' training on COPD and their acceptability to deliver the intervention package within the community. It also indicated that implementing future training with an extended period and a few days break in-between could enhance the effectiveness. Training of FCHVs in COPD management is feasible and leads to improvement in knowledge. The motivation shown by FCHVs to deliver the intervention could inform and guide community programs and policies for COPD prevention and management in Nepal and similar settings.

Community School Management Related Educational Policy Provisions in Nepal: Perception from Implementers

The purpose of the study was to explore the self-reflection and perception of the members of School Management Committee (SMC) of public schools on the policy provisions related to community school management in Nepal. The study explored the reflections of the education stakeholders who are at the level of community school management policy enactment. Therefore, the study reflects the perception of SMC Chairs, SMC members and Secretary of SMC. The study followed the phenomenological research design with an interpretive research paradigm. The high performing schools were sampled following the purposive sampling method based on the Secondary Education Examination (SEE) results of last three years. The study found that the SMCs of community schools are satisfied with the policy provision in terms of decentralization, planning, resource mobilization, community mobilization and improving transparency. They realized that there are enough provisions to strengthen and functionalize the community schools. However, the study identified that there are some reservations in the implementation. It was found that there was lack of consultation with the relevant stakeholders while developing the policy provision. On the other hand, it was identified that the government authorities do not consult with the SMCs while implementing the policies at the school level substituting the roles of SMCs of those clauses enlisted as the roles of SMC. Similarly, the study revealed, although the community schools are provided the significant responsibilities, but the schools are not able to implement all the provisions due to the inadequate budget allocated for school education.

Workers’ Participation in Management in Nepal

Worker’s participation in management is a system of collective formal or informal communication and joint consultation between employer and employee individually or collectively by which workers of an organization are kept informed about the activities and actions of an undertaking and through which they communicate their view and ideas as well as contribute for management decisions of the organization where they work. It refers to any arrangement which is designed to involve workers in the important decision making within the workplace. It comprises giving scope for workers to influence the managerial decision-making process at different levels by various forms in the organization. It allows for worker’s involvement in the initiation, formulation and implementation of decisions within the organization. Worker participation is important component to enhance human resource development in modern organizations. In the modern time worker’s participation in management became the foundation and pre-requisite for the successful operation of the organization. Participative management in the organization contributes decreasing the communication gap between the management and the workers, improve performance and productivity, lower costs, motivation, satisfaction of psychological, social, economic, self-fulfillment needs, reduction of organizational conflicts, industrial peace and stability, an ideal working environment in the organization and job satisfaction of the workers. It provides workers a sense of importance, pride, freedom, and opportunity for self-expression, a feeling of belongingness so as to create positive condition for organizational relation. The existing constitutional and legal provisions are insufficient for the protecting, safeguarding the workers right and ensuring as well as regulating the worker’s participation in management.

Diversity and Distribution of Forest Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Nepal: Implications for Sustainable Forest Management.

Simple SummaryThere is little information available about the species diversity and distribution patterns of Nepalese ants, as well as their importance in maintaining forest health. A survey of forest ants was conducted in Nepal to learn about their diversity, distribution, and role in forest management. Ants were collected using vegetation beating, sweeping, and hand collection methods in eastern, central, and western Nepal. Seventy ant species from thirty-six genera and six subfamilies were recorded in the study. The research also discovered five genera and nine species new for the country, as well as eight tramp species, four of which are major ecological, agricultural, and/or household pests. The study discovered that western Nepal and the Siwalik region have a relatively high ant diversity. Ant diversity was found to decrease with increasing elevation. The assessment of ant diversity using multiple sampling methods that cover all seasons and forest types may be useful in obtaining complete ant diversity data. Early intervention through sustainable forest management initiatives would aid in preventing invasive ant incursions in the forests of Nepal.The information available on the diversity of ant species and their distribution and interaction with forest health in Nepal remains limited. As part of a nationwide project on forest health, we conducted inventories to assess the diversity and distribution of forest ants and their role in forest management in Nepal. Ants were collected from 187 plots of 10 m × 10 m size along the north–south belt transects in eastern, central, and western Nepal. We used vegetation beating, sweeping, and hand collection methods in selected forest types. In each transect, we designed six plots in each major forest type (Sal, Schima–Castanopsis, and broadleaf mixed forests) and three plots each in deodar, Alnus, riverine, and Cryptomeria forests. We recorded 70 ant species from 36 genera and six subfamilies. This includes five genera and nine species new for the country, as well as eight tramp species, four of which are major ecological, agricultural, and/or household pests. Our study indicates that forest ant species richness is high in western Nepal and the Siwaliks, and it decreases as elevation increases. The high diversity of ant species in the forests of Nepal needs to be assessed with further exploration using multiple sampling methods covering all seasons and forest types. Ants can be useful indicators for ecosystem management and human impacts on forests. Reports of invasive ants in Nepalese forests indicate the relevance of urgent interventions through sustainable forest management initiatives to prevent future incursions.

Determinants of Gender Division in Agricultural Works and Agrobiodiversity Management in Nepal

This study was designed to assess the access of Nepalese farmers to the training and extension service, gender division on agricultural work, and factors affecting agrobiodiversity management activities. A total of 2,817 respondents were interviewed at different locations throughout Nepal. The information was collected using the mWater surveyor. Descriptive and inferential analyses were done. The respondents having received training in agriculture were significantly higher among elite, educated, and agricultural households. Access to extension facilities was significantly determined by the type of household, ethnicity, occupation, and education of respondents. Male domination in the choice of crops, land preparation, and seed selection were significantly higher in male-headed households, marginalized groups, and agricultural households. However, females were more likely to be involved in seed sowing. The male domination in male-headed households were significantly higher for applying fertilizers, weeding, irrigation, and pest control. Among elite ethnic groups, domination of males was significantly higher for fertilizer application. The role of the male in agricultural households was significantly higher in all aspects. One unit increase in the area increased the likelihood of male involvement in irrigation by 30%. The males are likely to be more involved in harvesting, sales of products, and control of income. Elite and educated respondents coupled with access to training practiced more crop rotation compared to the rest. The likelihood of practicing intercropping and mixed cropping was influenced by extension facilities and training facilities. Elite groups and farmers with extension facilities tended to practice more agroforestry. So, the types of households, education, and ethnicity have a key role in the gender differentiation in agriculture operation. Moreover, training and extension facilities help a lot in the conservation and practice of agrobiodiversity. There is an urgent need in improving the women's role and overall management of the agricultural landscape.

Health system gaps in cardiovascular disease prevention and management in Nepal

BackgroundCardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of deaths and disability in Nepal. Health systems can improve CVD health outcomes even in resource-limited settings by directing efforts to meet critical system gaps. This study aimed to identify Nepal’s health systems gaps to prevent and manage CVDs.MethodsWe formed a task force composed of the government and non-government representatives and assessed health system performance across six building blocks: governance, service delivery, human resources, medical products, information system, and financing in terms of equity, access, coverage, efficiency, quality, safety and sustainability. We reviewed 125 national health policies, plans, strategies, guidelines, reports and websites and conducted 52 key informant interviews. We grouped notes from desk review and transcripts’ codes into equity, access, coverage, efficiency, quality, safety and sustainability of the health system.ResultsNational health insurance covers less than 10% of the population; and more than 50% of the health spending is out of pocket. The efficiency of CVDs prevention and management programs in Nepal is affected by the shortage of human resources, weak monitoring and supervision, and inadequate engagement of stakeholders. There are policies and strategies in place to ensure quality of care, however their implementation and supervision is weak. The total budget on health has been increasing over the past five years. However, the funding on CVDs is negligible.ConclusionGovernments at the federal, provincial and local levels should prioritize CVDs care and partner with non-government organizations to improve preventive and curative CVDs services.

SOIL CONSERVATION PRACTICES IN FOREST OF NEPAL

Forests play a vital role in Nepalese rural communities, which rely on them for firewood, employment, additional meals, and good health to sustain and improve their lifestyles. It has contributed to the Nepalese farming system. Soil helps in regulating ecological processes like nutrient uptake, decomposition, and water availability in the forest. Nepal’s annual soil loss ranges from 2-105 t ha-1 with 34% water-induced erosion, 60% mass wasting (geological erosion), and 3 % by wind erosion. Forest soil requires various management and conservation practices to minimize the exploitation of forest lands. Hence, this article explains the ongoing soil conservation approaches like Afforestation, Agroforestry, and community forest management in Nepal. This article can also be the roadmap for the formulation of appropriate policies in soil conservation, and indirectly in maintaining sustainability in the ecology.

Formation trend analysis and gender inclusion in community forests of Nepal

The community forests of Nepal are a showcase of participatory forest management models to the global communities. However, the scenario of formation trend and their future formation potential is unknown. This paper presents 40 years of community forests (CF) formation trend in Nepal and discusses its potential formation scenario. The researchers have used updated data (mid-July, 2020) for trend analysis using Mann-Kendall and Sen's slope coefficient test. The policy provision of women participation and their actual involvement in the executive committee (EC) of community forests users' group (CFUG) has also been compared. The analysis showed 22,519 CF with an area of 2,312,545 hectares of national forests being managed by 3,088,259 households (HH). This constitutes 15.67% of the total land area, 34.98% of total forested area, 56.90% of total HH, and 62.68% of the total population of Nepal being involved in CF. Though the formation trend of CF and their respective area, HH involvement, EC members, and participation of women in EC was in increasing trend in the late 1990s to early 2000s, these variables are now decreasing. Although not statistically significant (p>0.05), the overall annual growth shows a negative trend, indicating the CF formation near the saturation point. Result reveals efforts and time to be invested in the management of CF rather than investing in a new formation. Moreover, results evident that CF ensures and obtains more than 50% women involvement both in policy and practice in the decision-making process for participatory common resource management in Nepal. Results would be a reference to policy guidance related to sustainable CF management and gender-inclusive participatory common resource management. This, again, would be a good example of a gender-inclusive natural resource management model to the other sectors in Nepal and to the global community.

Developing taper equations for planted teak (Tectona grandis L.f.) trees of central lowland Nepal

Foresters rely on taper models to estimate total and merchantable volume for commercial species. While there is an abundance of literature in taper modeling for many softwood and hardwood species, little is known of teak tree stem form. Taper modeling is in early stage for the forestry sector in Nepal. Currently, no publicly available taper equations exist for teak trees in Nepal. Therefore, the main goal of this study was to develop a taper equation for valuable teak trees of lowland Nepal. Destructive sampling was carried out in teak plantations in the Sagarnath Forestry Development Project. Five common taper equations (simple, segmented, and variable exponent types) from the literature as well as one dynamic taper equation were considered as candidate models. Our results showed that the nonlinear dynamic taper equation performed best in terms of fit and cross-validation statistics with least error and bias. This new taper model can be considered as a step forward for hardwood forest management in Nepal. It is expected that this equation will assist forest managers to predict stem volume and diameters to any merchantable limit for teak growing in similar site conditions.

Determining the costs and benefits of Scientific Forest Management in Nepal

Scientific Forest Management (ScFM) is gaining scholarly and policy attention in Nepal. This interest validates the need for evidence on the costs and benefits for users in scientifically-managed community forests. This paper analyzes the costs incurred and the benefits that accrue to users under ScFM. Data was generated through a survey of 200 household representatives in the Nawalparasi Bardaghat-Susta East District of Nepal. This was complemented by two focus group discussions with forestry officials and forest users, and document reviews. Multiple linear regression analyses and student t-tests were used for data analyses. The results indicate a decrease in the costs incurred by users after the implementation of ScFM, and a threefold increase in the derived benefits. Overall, forest products account for 80% of the benefits derived by users under ScFM, with high class users contributing more than middle and low class ones. While this study provides useful insights on users' costs and benefits under ScFM, it underscores the need for further studies to analyze changes in users' costs, in the face of potential changes in their roles.