Silviculture and productivity of five economically important timber species of central terai of Nepal

Silviculture and productivity of five economically important timber species of central terai of Nepal

[Foreword]:
People of Nepal are heavily dependent on forests for the supply of fuel wood, fodder and timber. The annual estimated consumption of traditional fuel is 11.3 million m3 of which dung and farm residues supply 28% in the terai and 18% in the hills. Of the total fuel-wood supply, 14 % in the terai and 33% in the hills is obtained from private wood lots.

Overall, in Nepal 80% of domestic and industrial energy consumption is supplied through fuel-wood, largely from natural forest, which is being depleted at an increasing and unsustainable manner. The deforestation rate in the terai is higher than in the mountain due to increased population and fast growing timber market. The high demand of fuel-wood and timber including non-timber forest products has accelerated rate of deforestation in Nepal, which resulted in severe forest degradation in the country. The Churia hills and Bhawar region of the central terai are considered fragile ecosystems and are at the verge of land degradation. Some initiatives have been taken in the past by some development program to combat land degradation. These initiatives include distribution of improved cooking stove, bio-gas plant establishment, briquette production, use of solar energy and agroforestry-based private forestry.

In the recent past private forestry has become a recognized practice in the central terai, especially in Dhanusha district when Nepal Agroforestry Foundation (NAF) intervened an agroforestry based private forestry in its project area supported by the Danish Forestry Extension (DFE). NAF has promoted five timber species namely Dalbergia sissoo, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Gmelina arborea, Anthocephalus chinensis and Tectona grandis in the area. However, the technical-know -how and other required skills of tree growers on these species is still limited and confined to only seedling plantation, weeding and final harvesting without considering the economic return. Private forestry is not just these few activities but covers a large array of activities from seed collection to final harvesting. This is the reason why the private tree growers in the terai are bereft of getting a reasonable return from their investment. No doubt, private forestry has been a successful intervention because agriculture and even vegetable farming is no more a profitable business in the area but still there exists a bigger gap in knowledge of local private tree growers on silviculture of these species. Besides, local change agents including District Forest Office (DFO) and various Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) are not updated on recent silvicultural technologies to teach local farmers. It can be said that these knowledge gaps have somehow hindered the sustainable management of private forestry.

In this back drop, this book entitled 'Silviculture and productivity of five economically important timber species of central terai of Nepal' will be useful for the farmers of Nepal, particularly the terai region and for the forestry professionals to promote private forestry programs both in terai and hills of Nepal. So far as I know, this is the first ever published book that deals with required knowledge and skill of silvicultural practices of the selected species, which would be a valuable resource for people of Nepal who are seeking to develop private forestry on their farmlands.

Author holds copyright. Copyright: 2008 by Arun Dhakal.
All rights reserved.