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Are Forest Incomes Sustainable? Firewood and Timber Extraction and Productivity in Community Managed Forests in Nepal

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  • Meilby, Henrik
  • Smith-Hall, Carsten
  • Byg, Anja
  • Larsen, Helle Overgaard
  • Nielsen, Øystein Juul
  • Puri, Lila
  • Rayamajhi, Santosh

Abstract

Lack of combined forest productivity and income studies means there is scant evidence for the sustainability of rural household-level forest incomes in developing countries. This study examines levels and patterns of forest increment, wood product extraction, and household-level incomes in three community managed forests in Nepal, using data from 240 permanent sample plots and a structured household survey conducted in 2006 and 2009 (n=507 and 558, respectively). We find that analyses of sustainability need to recognize the complexity of forest stand utilization, and that there is considerable scope, by altering how existing local forest management rules are implemented, for increasing rural household forest incomes while keeping harvesting levels sustainable.

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  • Meilby, Henrik & Smith-Hall, Carsten & Byg, Anja & Larsen, Helle Overgaard & Nielsen, Øystein Juul & Puri, Lila & Rayamajhi, Santosh, 2014. "Are Forest Incomes Sustainable? Firewood and Timber Extraction and Productivity in Community Managed Forests in Nepal," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 64(S1), pages 113-124.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:wdevel:v:64:y:2014:i:s1:p:s113-s124
    DOI: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2014.03.011
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    16. Puspa K.C. Bhandari & Prabin Bhusal & Ganesh Paudel & Chiranjibi P. Upadhyaya & Bir Bahadur Khanal Chhetri, 2019. "Importance of Community Forestry Funds for Rural Development in Nepal," Resources, MDPI, vol. 8(2), pages 1-14, May.
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    18. Toft, Maja Nastasia Juul & Adeyeye, Yemi & Lund, Jens Friis, 2015. "The use and usefulness of inventory-based management planning to forest management: Evidence from community forestry in Nepal," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 35-49.
    19. Bocci, Corinne & Mishra, Khushbu, 2021. "Forest power: The impact of community forest management on female empowerment," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 187(C).
    20. Bocci, Corinne F. & Lupi, Frank & Sohngen, Brent, 2018. "Timber or Carbon? Evaluating forest conservation strategies through a discrete choice experiment conducted in northern Guatemala," 2018 Annual Meeting, August 5-7, Washington, D.C. 274011, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
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