The rate with which the world is losing its forests is alarming. Nepal has lost over two thirds of its forest cover in the last few decades.
After the eradication of malaria in the lowlands in the 1960s and the clearance of forests for agriculture and infrastructure development, the country lost its prime wildlife habitats.
The fragmentation of wildlife habitat and wildlife populations has made the protected areas the last refuge for several endangered wildlife species.
Community mobilization for community forestry
Ever since WWF started working in Nepal, one of its priorities has been forest conservation.
To address the problems and issues of habitat loss, WWF Nepal Program has been working with local communities for the restoration and natural regeneration of forests and biological corridors through community forestry.
Restored and regenerated biological corridors facilitate wildlife movement
Majority of the poor people living in the fringe areas depend on subsistence agriculture and forest products for their livelihoods. The WWF Nepal initiated community forestry programs are aimed at enhancing community ownership of their forests while meeting their subsistence needs of forests products.
This, in turn, is aimed at winning their stewardship and support in biodiversity conservation. The restoration and regeneration programs have succeeded in reviving the once degraded biological corridors.
The success of the program could be seen from the increased wildlife movement in the critical biological corridors such as the Khata Corridor that links Bardia National Park with India's Katarnia Ghat Wildlife Sanctuary.
Income generation from community forestry
Community forest program in the mountain areas is very important as the growth rate of vegetation is rather slow owing to harsh environmental conditions.
Apart from fulfilling the needs of forest products of local people, new community forestry programs in the mountain protected areas are aimed at facilitating livestock grazing in a regulated way and helping them to produce non-timber forest products and medicinal plants for income generation.
