How Nepal Grew Back Its Forests - NYTimes

A study led by LCLUC PI Dr. Jefferson Fox (East West Center) and his team was featured in the New York Times. Nepal is showing results after decades of effort, a rare success story in a world of climate disasters and despair. Community-managed forests now account for more than a third of Nepal’s forest cover, which has grown by about 22 percent since 1988, according to government data. Independent studies also confirm that greenery in Nepal has sprung back, with forests now covering 45 percent of the country’s land. But the increase in wildlife has also been accompanied by a sharp increase in human-animal conflict as animals cross the boundaries of the poorly fenced parks. Members of Nepal’s marginalized groups who live around the heavily patrolled national parks say the government is trying to move them away from their lands so as to restrict their access to grass, fish and herbs. While the growth of the forests is primarily a result of community forestry, experts say, migration and decreasing dependence on agriculture have also contributed to it.

Read More