Impact assessment of development policies on forest resource management practices and bio-diversity conservation : a GIS aided study of Jhim watershed of Sarlahi district in Terai region of Nepal | |
| Author | Sah, Ram Nandan |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no.RD-00-10 |
| Subject(s) | Forest conservation--Nepal Geographic information systems |
| Note | A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Abstract | The future of Nepal largely depends upon the sustainable management of the ecology and economy of its Terai region. However, the combination of growing demand and shrinking resources is posing a great threat to the forest resource of this region. Over- exploitation and flawed development policies have threatened the status of biodiversity and reduced productivity of forest resources in this region. Government has appropriated the management role for the Terai forests. There have been very few attempts to promote a private sector or participatory culture of forest management in the Terai. None of the forest management plans prepared so far for the development of Terai forest were implemented successfully. Therefore it was necessary to assess the impacts of previous policies and programs to design an appropriate framework for sustainable management of Terai forest. This study was conducted in Jhim watershed lying in Terai region of Nepal where the government has introduced commercial plantation of eucalyptus species. Forest area of this watershed was also converted to agriculture in the past for resettling migrants from the hills. A highway was constructed through the middle of the forest. The research concentrated on finding out the .impacts of all these so-called development activities on the local forest resources. Spatial, socio-economic and biological analyses were carried out using both primary and secondary sources of data. GIS facilities were used for spatial analysis and the BASIC program SPDIVER.BAS was used for biodiversity analysis. Empirical evidence of the study shows that population increase, along forest fringes, was the consequence of defective government policies like resettlement by clearing forest and construction of the road, which reduced the extent of forest resources. Population increase in itself was not related to conversion of forestland to other land uses, whereas development of population centers and roads, were directly related to decrease in forest area. Commercial plantation of Eucalyptus or any other exotic species is not necessary as it reduces the biodiversity of local multipurpose tree species. The present study provides sufficient evidence that Sal species can regenerate in both natural as well as artificially created habitat. It has high management potential in Terai forest, as it is socially acceptable, economically feasible as well as ecologically viable. People are positive towards their role in forest management and its protection. A framework with three criteria for sustainable forest management of Terai based on a participatory approach had been developed and forest of the study area had been classified accordingly. |
| Year | 2000 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development (SERD) |
| Department | Department of Development and Sustainability (DDS) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Rural Development, Gender and Resources (RD) |
| Chairperson(s) | Apisit Eiumnoh; |
| Examination Committee(s) | Routray, Jayant Kumar ;Webb, Edward L. ;Shrestha, Rajendra P.; |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | Danish International Development Assistance (DANIDA); |
| Degree | Thesis (M.Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2000 |