Evidence of User Participation in Community Forest Management in the Mid-hills of Nepal: A Case of Rule Making and Implementation

摘要

User participation in Community Forestry (CF) regarding forest-related activities from user group formation to implementation of an operational plan is crucial for evaluating the social and biophysical outcomes of a CF program. This study assesses factors responsible for the participation of member households in the planning and implementation process of a CF program in Nepal. Data were collected through a survey of 116 households from six community forest user groups, key informant interviews, and focus group discussions. Simple random sampling was used to collect both qualitative and quantitative information from 10 % of households participating in CF, utilizing a semi-structured questionnaire. Binary logistic regression was used to analyze the factors associated with participation in planning and implementations of CF activities. Six socio-demographic and biophysical explanatory variables were included in the analysis, of which Caste, Sex, Age, and Forest Condition were found statistically significant. The results indicate that if the condition of the community forest is perceived as satisfactory, User Committees receive higher user participation in regards to forest development activities and fund mobilization. The results also suggest activities involving physical work attract younger participants. The existing equal access to forest products does not promote equity. However, promoting women and disadvantaged user participation in CF activities may help achieve higher equitability of CF user groups.