Activities

The Preparation and Revision of User Group Constitutions and Operational Plans Community forestry depends largely on consensus-building and inclusive processes in the preparation and implementation of user group constitutions and operational plans. Constitutions outline user group and committee formation, as well as rights, responsibilities, and sanctions. Operational plans prescribe management and use procedures. These documents establish agreement between the government (District Forest Office) and community forestry user groups for the conservation, management, and sustainable use of community forests. Empowerment of Women and Disadvantaged Groups The human resource potential of women and disadvantaged groups has not been realized in Nepal. Patriarchal traditions, caste hierarchy, discriminatory laws, social exclusion of ethnic groups, and poverty combine to limit voices and choices. The effective hand over of a community forest to local users requires an informed understanding about rights and responsibilities. User groups consist of mutually-recognized collectors of forest products, but not all forest users are equal in terms of their access to private resources or degree of dependence on the community forest. Given the traditional divisions, hierarchies, and other forms of exclusion prevalent in Nepalese society, it is essential that different kinds of users – especially, women, as well as the very poor, landless, low caste, and ethnic groups – are empowered to participate in deliberations and establish procedures for equitable access and distribution of forest resources. NTFP Development and Income Generation Non-timber forest products (NTFPs), especially medicinal plants, constitute a range of forest-based resources could enhance the livelihoods of rural people. Many areas of Nepal, in particular the high mountains and middle hill region, are endowed with valuable NTFPs. Some NTFPs are commercially profitable, with an established collector-trader-producer marketing and commodity chain. However, the potential returns from most NTFPs are unrealized, because of the lack of value-added technology or capital, excessive taxes or royalties, and unfair terms of trade for local collectors. This undermines local incentives to protect and sustainably harvest NTFP resources. Advocacy Advocacy is central to FECOFUN’s effectiveness as a representative of forest-users concerns, nationally and locally. FECOFUN advocates for forest users’ resource management and use rights by engaging deliberations on forestry-related policies, lobbying members of Parliament and local government officials, educating the media, policy-makers, and politicians about community forestry, and promoting more effective policies and implementation in the districts. It also works to raise awareness about the legal provisions of community forestry legislation, and governance and equity concerns within user groups. Radio and TV Program Radio and TV are some of the most effective medias for reaching people in different areas. Information on community forestry, current activities and campaigns are being conveyed by radio and TV programs. These provide platform for sharing forest users' concerns, experiences and ideas. And these make the discussions among policy makers, users, journalists, human rights activists, government officials, politicians and members of parliaments. The radio program, samudayik ban pairavi abhiyan or community forestry advocacy campaign is being broadcasted since September, 2005. This Radio Program has jointly produced by FECOFUN and Media Development Center (MDC). It is aired on every first and third Wednesday of each month from different FM stations throughout the country. Similarly the community forestry radio program is being broadcasted from Nepal FM, Kathmandu.  Radio programs are being broadcasted from the following radio stations: Image FM, Kathmandu 6:30 PM Kalika FM, Chitawan 6:30 PM Butawal FM, Butawal 6:30 PM Radio Tulsipur, Dang 6:30 PM Bageswori FM Nepaljung 6:30 PM Radio Birjung, Birjung 7:00 PM Napal FM, Kathmandu , Saturday morning 8 AM Listen Radio The TV program samudayik ban pairavi abhiyan or community forestry advocacy campaign is being broadcasted since September, 2005. This TV Program has jointly produced by FECOFUN and Nepalese Federation for Environmental Journalists (NEFEJ). It is broadcasted from CHANNEL NEPAL, Nepal Television and KANTIPUR Television as followings: CHANNEL NEPAL: Tuesday 7 PM KANTIPUR: Monday 9:30 PM, Thusday 2 PM, Friday 7:30 AM Watch TV Resource Center The Resource Center was established in 2002 to cater needs of FECOFUN members as well as national and international researchers, scholars and students. The Center publishes materials on community forestry and collects books, periodicals, articles and gray literature. It keeps two copies of each publication, and distributes extra copies to district branches of FECOFUN. Audio-visual material are also collected, and available for various training activities. The Center maintains a bibliographic database on CDS/ISIS software, and monographs are classified in accord with the Dewey Decimal system