‘Forest management to be enforced by province govt’

Kathmandu: The government has proposed the programmes on forest management to be enforced through province governments.

A national standard on sustainable forest management was endorsed as a forest promotion system. This information was shared by Minister for Forest and Environment Nawalkisor Sah Sudi while responding to the lawmakers’ queries in the ongoing deliberation on appropriation bill, 2081.

Minister Sudi was furnishing replies to the lawmakers’ queries in the headings under his ministry during the deliberation on Sunday. He reminded that the government was for reducing wood imports through sustainable forest management.

Community-based forest management has been prioritized by the government, he said, adding that wood and timbers could be produced with sustainable forest management and people-ensured employment.

According to him, the government has recently enforced the Forest Regulation (2nd amendment), 2081 to facilitate the production and sale of firewood and logs. The firewood and logs would be produced from the forests managed by the community.

He shared the information that while Nepal was producing some 35 million cubic feet of wood, some 200 thousand cubic feet of round log (less than a percent of the gross national product) was imported in a year.

A huge chunk of import is used for furniture, Sudi added. The budget was allocated for provinces to establish 105 green gardens in a bid to develop green and healthy cities. Minister Sudi further said crime relating to the forest is a criminal offence, but there are constitutional and legal intricacies in this regard.