Forests Minister expects support from all quarters in conservation efforts

Minister for Forest and Environment Ram Sahaya Prasad Yadav has urged the province and local governments to incorporate climate change and environment conservation-related programmes in their policies and programmes and implement them.

Inaugurating the seventh national seminar of Federation of the Community Forest Users Nepal here today, the Minister directed the subordinate bodies to gear up for effective implementation of forest and environment-related programmes announced by the government through its new budget.

He hoped for getting collective support and cooperation to meet goals of 15th plan and realise Nepal’s commitments in COP-26.

He assessed that the practice of community forests in Nepal had contributed to the forest conservation and enhancement of biological diversities.

On the occasion, President of Agriculture, Cooperative and Natural Resources, House of Representatives, Purna Kumari Subedi was of the view of focusing on the utilization of forest products along with the conservation efforts.

National Assembly (NA) member Dr Bimala Poudyal Rai acknowledged the role of community forest in forest conservation, underlining the need of connecting its use to people’s needs and economic prosperity while lawmaker Parbat Gurung sought a discourse on utilizing green forest as a means of income generation.

ICIMOD director general Pema Gyamtsho, Bagmati Province forest and environment minister Bishal Khadka, Nation Natural Resources and Fiscal Commission’s chair Balananda Poudel, FECOFUN chair Bharati Pathak, National Trust for Nature Conservation chair Dr Krishna Prasad Oli suggested a new course of action in the forest conservation efforts, applauding the contribution of community forests to greenery promotion.

The three-day event kicked off with the theme of “five decades of community forests: opportunities in changing context” has been attended by community forest activists, forest experts, and related government and non-government organisations. The gathering is expected to analyze the five-decades of community forests in the changing contexts, assessing opportunities and challenges.