Resource information
The author explores the socio-economic dimension of forest resource use and management in the Mahabharat hill track of Arghakhanchi district in west Nepal.Analysis focuses on:various attributes of forest resources use and variation between regions, socio-economic and demographic groupslocal forest management systems and practices forest resource use and its related managementeconomic status of households focusing on the poverty-environment nexus.Major findings and conclusions from the overall study include:the extent, depth and severity of poverty is high - the incidence of poverty is found to be negatively correlated with forest and pasture land holdingpoverty alleviation programmes should focus on targeted illiterate, marginalised and landless groupsno evidence was found of conversion of forest land to farmland over the past decadebetter-off households are found to use higher quantities of resources such fuel wood, fodder/litter and timberforests under government control are more vulnerable in terms of forest degradation and misuse of resources.Based on these conclusions, the author argues that poverty and forest degradation are not directly related, despite the fact that the poor tend to depend more on public forests.
