Forestry work in villages: a guide for field workers

This manual on community based forestry work from the Nepal Australia Community Forest Project has been written with the problems of the hill regions in Nepal in mind, but it may also be relevant to the forestry challenges in other countries. It is a revised edition of that brings up to date changes brought about by the Nepal Forestry Act of 1993. The aim of the manual is to provide field workers and facilitators ideas of how to go about establishing rapport and working with villagers in forestry management projects. In concise words, it goes through some of the mains issues and gives practical tips and instructions on how to work with the community. The first part of the manual gives a background to the community approach to forestry examining the role of the community forestry worker. Part two looks at the practicalities of working in a village: how to start up a project; the integration of community forestry work with routine forestry work; and how to reach women. Part three examines ways of understanding the village and their relation to the forest: getting information on what villagers need; describing and mapping users; defining interest groups; and conducting surveys. Part four considers approaches for meetings and the practicalities of villager involvement, looking at the need to work together; small groups meetings and interests groups; and committees. Finally part five examines decision making with the organisation of decision making meetings; setting up operational plans; and follow up. The authors emphasise that the guide should be interpreted flexibly. Two appendices list the categories of forest in Nepal (private, community, leasehold), providing a management framework and basic legal information; and a bibliography of references for further reading on community based forestry management.