Evaluating collaborative management of forest from Rangapur CFM, Rautahat

Collaborative Forest Management (CFM) is the youngest forestry program implemented so far in Nepal focusing on sustainable management of the Nepal's productive Terai forest. It has been defined as working partnership between the key stakeholders in the management of the given forest. CFM aims to manage the Terai forest through involvement of the local people in decision making, implementation, benefit sharing and monitoring along with local government bodies (DDC, VDC) and national forest authority (DFO). Rangapur is one of the three pilot CFM sites comprising 1472 ha forest with 22 VDCs and a Municipality as command-area in Rautahat district of Nepal. Despite several promising impacts, some weaknesses and threats of CFM have also been realised within its two years of implementation in Rangapur. This paper assesses and evaluates major achievements, strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities of CFM hoping useful towards sustainability.