Deforestation in Nepal

Guruprasad Gautam
Abstract
Nepal is rich for natural resources, flora and fauna. Many
natural resources are found, but they have not been properly
used due to lack of the technology. Forest is the only resource,
which is used from the ancient period. The relationship
between human life and forest exists from the starting of
human civilization. Forest is used to manure the fertility of
soil, to control soil erosion and eradicate poverty. Conservation
of forest means providing shelter for bird, animal and to
maintain the environmental balance. In this article, the
deforestation and forest degradation ratio of Nepal has
presented of different Periods. The importance of forest has
also showed by this analysis.
Key Words: Birta, Guthi, Environmental balance, Desertification,
Forest Degradation, Land use system.
Introduction:
Among many natural resources, forest is the main important
resources of Nepal. Some years ago, Nepal was called "the
country of greenery wealth". But this true proverb has become
the legend. The inhabitants of Nepal have highly deforested
this wealth.
Traditionally, forest products are the main source of income in
our country. In Rana regime (1903-2007 B.S.), the people were
migrated to Terai for the export of the forest products, mainly
to India.
The forest invasion in Nepal is in process for many years. In
Rana regime, the forest area of our country, i.e. Terai was
governmentally deforested for the purpose of creating farming
lands and export of forest goods to India. Before 2035 B.S. the
Terai area was considered as the "area of malaria diseases".
Even the forest land was distributed to government officials,
for their salary, to Brahamans for Birta and Guthi to many
organizations like temples. After Rana regime and after the
restoration of democracy (1990), the forest area of Neal was
highly distributed by the government under the programs of
landless-management commission and for "political victims"
etc.
After the eradication of malaria, the deforestation process took
it pace as a race. Many political periods helped this process to
continue with greater speed.
Objectives:
The objective of this study is to explain about the deforestation
of Nepal. The specific objectives of the study are as follows:
to compare the forest situation in different years (1964/65 to
2011)
to show the deforestation ratio and changing trends of forest
degradation in different periods.
Methodology:
This study is based on secondary information, which are
collected from the official documents and various reports. In
this article, descriptive method is basically used and analysis
is made on the available facts. The map, graph, diagrams and
charts are used for the analysis of data. The proportion of
distribution pattern has been given in percentage. It is a re-
analysis and re-tabulation of secondary information.
Deforestation in Nepal:
The deforestation problem is increasing in Nepal. This problem
started from the Rana period, but it was not taken seriously in
Rana period and after it in democratic period and till now.
After the forest survey conducted in 1952/54, it was taken
seriously. In 2020 B.S. about 45% of land was covered by forest
which decreased to the level of 33% in the year 2035 B.S. In
this 15 years about 15 of the forest was lost in mountain and
78% was lost in Terai.
During the period 2021- 2031 (B.S.) about 137,600 ha. forest
was invaded. In the year 2031 B.S., the forest area was about
34.19% (48,23,000 ha.). At this time the total area of Nepal
was about 14,105,900 ha. In the year 2036 B.S., the boundary
of Nepal was remarked and its exact area became 14,718,100
ha. According to the report published in the year1985/86,
among the area 14,855,042 ha. the forest area was about 5,
618,052 ha. (37.8%). Among the total area 14,718,900 ha., the
forest area was about 35% (5127031 ha.) which shows that the
deforestation is yet in greater speed ( Forest Research and
Survey Division 1990/91).
The above explained data shows the greater speed of
deforestation in our country among the last thirty years. Due
to rapid population growth in the country the cultivated land,
grassland, shrub and are increasing but forest land is
decreasing.
In the year 1964/65 to 1978/79 the deforestation rate was only
0.4% per year. Among this in Terai, the rate was 2% and in
Siwalik it was only 1.1%. According to the master plan, the
forest decrease rate was shown about 3%. In 1990/91 among
the twenty Terai districts the decreasing rate was 1.3% and in
the year 1956 to 1989 it was 3.9%.
In Nepal, about 84000 ha. forest land is invaded per year. This
invasion process is in practice from many years but it took its
highest level after the peoples movement 2046 B.S. and
general election 2048. At this period about 33000 bigha forest
land was invaded. In this period, about 60000 family cut down
about 0.2 million trees illegally. For the supply of fuel wood
only, about 1.2 million ha. land is destroyed within the span 15
years. The only one Janakpur_Jayanagar railway was
constructed for the purpose of supplying of fire wood
(Shrestha,1991:pp.234) According to the Master plan for the
forestry sector, within last two decades about 5 million ha.
forest has been destroyed and the remaining forest is also not
in good condition.
The forest of Nepal is one of the important political issue.
When the treaty between Nepal and India was invaded in 2045
B.S. then about 240 ha. land was invaded per day. During in
the 5 months period about 3600 ha. forest was invaded.

Changing Pattern of Land Use System:
The first scientific survey of forest in Nepal was held in
1964/65. This was done by the method of vertical aerial
photographs. According to this survey the total land is covered
by the forests area was about 6466900 ha. In which covered by
tree crowns 59%, not covered by tree crowns 35% and shrubs
land 6%. At that time about 56.21% of the total area of our
country was covered by trees.

Land Use Pattern of Nepal (1964/65)
Types Area (in percent)
Forested land 56.21
Cultivated land 31.31
Grass land 6.89
Other land 5.59
Source: Forest Statistics for Hill Region 1973, Forest Statistics of Terai and
adjoining Region 1967.
But according to the survey conducted in 1978/79, the total
area covered by the forest was 6084900 ha. Among which the
area of forested land covered by tree crowns 47%, areas of
forested land not covered by tree crowns- 43%, and shrubs land
10%.
From above two surveys, we see that about 382000 ha. forest
land was lost at the period 1964/65 to 1978/79. This loss is
about 5.9% of the total forest area.
The formal forest statistics of Nepal was published by LRMP
in the year 1985/86. These data can be considered as the true
indicators. This survey was completed by the method of
satellite imagery. According to this survey the total forest area
of Nepal was about 5616800 ha., which was less than 7.69% of
the data published in 1978/79
Land Use Pattern of Nepal (1985/86)
Types Area (in Percent)
Forested land 42.0
Agricultural land 26.5
Grass land 11.8
Other land 19.1
Source: LRMP, Land Utilization Report 1986.






Land Use System of Nepal (1964/65)
Forest
Cultivated
Grass
Other
Land Use System of Nepal (1985/86)
Forest
Agricultural
Grass
Other
Land Use System of Nepal (2001)
Forest
Cultivated
Grass
Non-cultivated
Shrub
Water/ Lake


Like wise1990/91 AD the twenty districts of Terai region were
surveyed and combining these data with those of the Mountain
region the total forests area of our country was about 5127031
ha. i.e. 35% of the total area of the country. This information is
less than 8.72% ( 489769 ha.) published by LRMP.
Land Use Pattern of Nepal (2001)
Types Area (in Percent)
Forest land 29.0
Cultivated land 21.0
Grass land 12.0
Non- Cultivated (Barren) land 7.0
Shrub land 10.6
Water / Lake 2.6
Other 17.8
Source: Environment Statistics of Nepal, 2011, CBS Kathmandu.

Central Bureau of Statistics, Nepal has published the land use
pattern of Nepal in 2011. In this report, the Forest land has
covered only 29% in total area of Nepal. The difference
between1990/91 to 2001 is 858831 ha. (16.75% less than
1990/91). According to above information in different date the
forest is going to decreased in greater speed. About 50% forest
area has deforested during the last half an century. The
following Line graph present the Slope gradient of forest
degradation ratio of Nepal
.





0
10
20
30
40
50
60
1964/65 1985/86 1990/91 2001
F
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Year
Deforestation Trend of Nepal (1964-2001)
Causes of Deforestation:
Deforestation is one of the major problem at present. The
deforestation which is effect from the very beginning is mainly
due to following two reasons:
i) Natural reason,
ii) Man-made reason.
The reason is called natural, if it is deforested due to natural
disaster, likewise if the reason is due to human-beings then, it
is called man-made reason. Many natural disasters are also
due to human nature e.g. the forest is largely invaded by men
and the land becomes barren and then natural reasons like
flood, landslide, soil erosion etc. destroy the forest land.
Following are the main reasons which cause deforestation,
(i) Agriculture, (ii) Forest Trade, (iii) Population Pressure,
(iv) Un-controlled use of Forest, (v) Scarcity of forest
conservation, (vi) Scarcity of alternative energy sources,
(vii) Increase in unemployment, (viii) Increase of personal
selfishness in peoples.

Factors leading for Deforestation in Nepal









Land Scarcity
Policy Failure
Deforestation
Population Growth
High Demand of Forest Product



Effects of Deforestation:
Deforestation being one of the major problems of human
beings affects their life. The effects can also be categorized in
to the following two heads:
a. Direct effect, b. Indirect effect.
a. Direct effect:
If deforestation continues then there will be scarcity of fuel
like firewood, construction materials for the forest, raw
materials for the forest industries, food and fodders for
domestic animals etc.
b. Indirect effect:
The indirect effects are like natural imbalance, loss in natural
beauty, soil erosion, landslide, unbalanced rainfall,
desertification, destruction of wild animals and birds, loss of
soil fertility etc.
Due to deforestation, another natural effect is that about 24
crore cubic meter soil goes to India and Bangladesh through
rivers. The rate is supposed to be 30-100 m.ton per hectare.
For the construction of one finger soil about 100-400 years is
necessary ( Nepal, 2049: p 95 )
In our country, due to deforestation about 1.7 mm. fertile soil
is destroying per year, 47% erosion and landslide are due to
natural causes. About 81% of fuel is supplied from the forest in
the form of fuel wood. About five crore ton green plants are
consumed per year.

Conclusion:
The forest resources among many other natural resources,
Which is in use for many years, is in poor condition naw. The
proverb " Haryo Ban Nepalko Dhan" ( Greenary forest is the
wealth of Nepal) which was very famous few years ago, now
seems odd. Due to increasing deforestation, the wealth of
nation i.e. green forests are decreasing per year. If we exclude
the protected area, then we will get only 15% of land covered
by forests. Forests has become the main source of economic
activity from lower class people to reach people. The
uncontrolled use of forests is in practice.
The forest land which was about 56.21% of the total land in
the year 1964/65 is decreasing in a fast rate. Forest area was
42% in 1985/86, 35% in 1990/91 and only 29% in 2001. This
increasing rate of deforestation has become the great challenge
for our country.
There seems a high imbalance between forest situation and
environment. To balance environment more than 43% land
should be covered by forest. But unfortunately Nepal has only
29% of forest land. For environmental balance it is necessary
to increase the forest land by 14%.
The migration rate from hills and mountains is very high,
which is the main reason for invasion of forests. Terai, which is
the favourable land for forest is being forest less due to man-
made causes. The desertification rate is also increasing in our
country. The Terai where we had dense forest a few years ago
is now becoming forestless.
Among the many fuels, forest resource is the main source.
About 81% or above of the total consumed fuel is available in
the form of fuel wood. This process also increases the
deforestation rate. This shows that it has become necessary to
manage alternative source of energy or other sources of
renewable and perpetual energy (solar, biogas, wind energy
etc).

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