Hill forest is a key resource in the Nepali economy, providing doffer, timber and fuelwood. Its degradation has long been a concern and DFID has supported forestry activities in Nepal since 1979. Over the last fifteen years community forestry has become recognised by HMGN as the major means of achieving sustainable forest management. In this they have been supported by a number of bilateral donors (Australia, Switzerland, US) and multilateral agencies (World Bank and ADB). The multilateral donors have concentrated on budgetary support while the bilateral donors have provided substantial technical support from which much of the development of community forestry thinking has flowed. DFID has also contributed to community forestry over a period of thirteen years in the four districts of the Koshi Hills in the East. In the past four years DFID’s support has concentrated upon placing the management of existing forest in the hands of the user groups. An independent evaluation of the Koshi Hills forestry project has shown that, despite some weaknesses in implementation, the approach to community forestry in the Koshi Hills was fundamentally sound. Nearly two years ago HMGN asked DFID to expand its activities to the Western Region, thus offering the opportunity to assist the development of community forestry in two distinct field areas, and achieve a more significant input to Government thinking.

1.)Hill communities meet their needs for tree products on a sustained yield basis. 2.)Popular participation in decision making and the sharing of benefits (with special reference to full involvement of poor and women). 3.)Both to be achieved through the transfer of forest usufruct from the state to community user groups. 4.)To enhance the capacity of the Department of Forests (DOF) to undertake community forestry. 5.)To enhance the capacity of communities (user groups) in seven districts to manage selected areas of forest on an equitable and sustainable basis. 6.)To support HMGN in the further development and implementation of its national community forestry policy. 7.)To reduce forest degradation in seven districts in Eastern and Western Regions of Nepal.

• DoF staff reoriented from role as protectors of state forest to role as mobilisers and supporters of user groups: Community Forestry Teams are built, led by the District Forestry Officer. Ranger and Forest Guards are reoriented through workshops District Forestry Officers are trained in management.
• DoF management and information systems adapted to support community forestry.
• Up to 600 forest user groups established through a process of forest area and user group identification, forest management plan formulation, formalisation of user group. Forest users trained in: concepts of community forestry (rights, procedures) user group networking technical skills for community forestry (e.g. watching) forest management technical skills.
• Forest users trained in nursery naike and home nursery skills HMGN field operations and nursery support in seven districts.
• Project planning monitoring and review system in place, yielding required data at start-up workshops milestone reviews to validate techniques for effective community forest management.
• Results of baseline and case studies, and special studies are published.