Strategic Pathways to Scale up Forest and Landscape Restoration: Insights from Nepal’s Tarai

Sushma Bhattarai, Basant Pant, Hari Krishna Laudari, Rajesh Rai () and Sharif A. Mukul
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Sushma Bhattarai: Institute of Forestry, Tribhuvan University, Pokhara 33700, Nepal
Basant Pant: International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, Kathmandu 44700, Nepal
Hari Krishna Laudari: Ministry of Forests and Environment, Kathmandu 44600, Nepal
Sharif A. Mukul: Tropical Forests and People Research Centre, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore DC, QLD 4556, Australia

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 9, 1-16

Abstract: Deforestation and forest degradation mostly caused by human interventions affect the capacity of the forest ecosystem to provide ecosystem services and livelihood benefits. Forest and landscape restoration (FLR) is an emerging concept that focuses on the improvement of the ecosystem as well as the livelihood of the people at the landscape level. Nepal has successfully recovered degraded forest land mainly from the hilly region through forest restoration initiatives, especially community-based forestry. However, the Tarai region is still experiencing deforestation and forest degradation. This study navigated the gaps related to forest restoration in the existing policies and practices and revealed that the persistence of deforestation and forest degradation in Tarai is a result of a complex socioeconomic structure, the limitations of the government in implementing appropriate management modality, unplanned infrastructure, and urban development. We suggest that forest restoration should focus on ecological and social wellbeing pathways at the landscape level to reverse the trend of deforestation and forest degradation in the Tarai regions of Nepal. The study provides critical insight to the policymakers and practitioners of Nepal and other countries (with similar context) who are engaged in forest/ecosystem restoration enterprise.

Keywords: deforestation; forest degradation; forest restoration; livelihood; Bonn challenge (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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