Revitalising Nepal’s community forestry

Rather than focusing solely on subsistence, CF must tap into its economic potential.

Nepal's community forestry (CF) initiative, once celebrated globally as a model for sustainable forest management, is now at a critical turning point. Launched in the early 1990s, CF aimed to conserve forests and improve local livelihoods. For many rural families, forests provided fuel, fodder and timber. Over the past 30 years, CF has evolved from small-scale, subsistence-focused practices into more diverse management approaches, reflecting changing local needs and broader policy agendas. Yet, increasing dissatisfaction among local politicians, forestry authorities and community members has emerged due to the programme's declining effectiveness. While CF was successful in the past, its impact on livelihoods has not reached its full potential, and once-active forest user groups have become passive with the changes in socioeconomic conditions.