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An assessment of the policies and practices of selective logging and timber utilisation: A case study from natural forests of Tarai Nepal and Queensland Australia

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  • Poudyal, Bishnu Hari
  • Maraseni, Tek
  • Cockfield, Geoff

Abstract

Selective logging (SL) contributes nearly 15 percent of the global timber needs. Considering its role in sustainable timber production, biodiversity conservation and forest carbon enhancement, assessment of SL policies and practices is crucial. This paper assesses the policies and practices of SL in natural production forests of the Tarai region of Nepal and Queensland Australia to explore the key differences in such policies and practices and their possible implications in achieving sustainable forest management objectives. The primary methods applied in the study were review and synthesis of key policy documents and qualitative analysis of the information gathered from key informant interviews and stakeholders’ workshop. Altogether, 53 respondents from a wide range of stakeholder groups (government organizations-15, non-government organizations/networks-15, private sector including the individual landowners-13, local political leaders-3 and independent forest experts/scientists-7) were consulted. Findings suggest that: (1) frequent and inconsistent changes in policy provisions, lengthy administrative procedures and heavy engagement of state forest agencies in forest product harvesting and sales processes play key roles in sub-optimal forest production in Nepal, whereas lower dependency on forest-products, higher labour costs, lack of species-wise royalty rate and flexibility in selecting optional logs are the key factors for increased wastages of forest products in Queensland; (2) recovery and utilisation of the harvested forest product is better in Nepal but policy and practical considerations on biodiversity and environment are better in Queensland; and (3) Forest harvesting specific codes of practice, occupational health and safety standards, and their compliance mechanism of Queensland could be beneficial for Nepal to minimise operational harvesting risks and to attract professional harvesters that support promoting sustainable use and management of natural forests, as we found this aspect almost neglected in Nepal.

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  • Poudyal, Bishnu Hari & Maraseni, Tek & Cockfield, Geoff, 2020. "An assessment of the policies and practices of selective logging and timber utilisation: A case study from natural forests of Tarai Nepal and Queensland Australia," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:lauspo:v:91:y:2020:i:c:s0264837719306210
    DOI: 10.1016/j.landusepol.2019.104422
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Fisher, Brendan & Edwards, David P. & Wilcove, David S., 2014. "Logging and conservation: Economic impacts of the stocking rates and prices of commercial timber species," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 65-71.
    2. Maraseni, Tek Narayan & Bhattarai, Nabin & Karky, Bhaskar Singh & Cadman, Timothy & Timalsina, Niroj & Bhandari, Trishna Singh & Apan, Armando & Ma, Hwan Ok & Rawat, R.S. & Verma, Nemit & San, Su Mon , 2019. "An assessment of governance quality for community-based forest management systems in Asia: Prioritisation of governance indicators at various scales," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 750-761.
    3. Julie Guthman, 1997. "Representing Crisis: The Theory of Himalayan Environmental Degradation and the Project of Development in Post‐Rana Nepal," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 28(1), pages 45-69, January.
    4. Damette, Olivier & Delacote, Philippe, 2011. "Unsustainable timber harvesting, deforestation and the role of certification," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(6), pages 1211-1219, April.
    5. Tim Cadman & Tek Maraseni, 2012. "The governance of REDD+: an institutional analysis in the Asia Pacific region and beyond," Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 55(5), pages 617-635, August.
    6. Musselwhite, Gary & Herath, Gamini, 2005. "Australia's regional forest agreement process: analysis of the potential and problems," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 7(4), pages 579-588, May.
    7. Cadman, Timothy & Maraseni, Tek & Ma, Hwan Ok & Lopez-Casero, Federico, 2017. "Five years of REDD+ governance: The use of market mechanisms as a response to anthropogenic climate change," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 8-16.
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    Cited by:

    1. Ram Prasad Acharya & Tek Narayan Maraseni & Geoff Cockfield, 2020. "An Ecosystem Services Valuation Research Framework for Policy Integration in Developing Countries: A Case Study from Nepal," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(19), pages 1-15, October.
    2. Paudel, Ganesh & Bhusal, Prabin & Kimengsi, Jude Ndzifon, 2021. "Determining the costs and benefits of Scientific Forest Management in Nepal," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    3. Condé, Tiago Monteiro & Tonini, Helio & Higuchi, Niro & Higuchi, Francisco Gasparetto & Lima, Adriano José Nogueira & Barbosa, Reinaldo Imbrozio & dos Santos Pereira, Taiguara & Haas, Manuel Alexander, 2022. "Effects of sustainable forest management on tree diversity, timber volumes, and carbon stocks in an ecotone forest in the northern Brazilian Amazon," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).

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