Basanta Corridor towards Extinction

Ek Raj Sigdel
Dhangadi

Basanta forest locally called "Badhkaban" is the largest chunk of Kailali district with 17,500 hectare. It serves as an important wildlife corridor connecting Churia hills in north and Dudhwa National Park of India in south. The area is endowed with rich biodiversity resources. It is a dispersal habitat of endangered wildlife species, like tiger, rhinoceros, and wild elephants. Besides, Ghodaghodi Lake, a Ramsar Site of Nepal is also situated adjacent to Basanta Corridor. Dolphins and 43 species of fish species are available in various river systems around the Corridor. The forest is a source of various products like firewood, timber and non timber resources for over 50,000 households of 14 Village Development Committees of Kailali District.

However, about 2,000 hectare of the forest is encroached mainly in the name of freed labour, flood victims, and landlessness for human settlement development and agriculture expansion. Analysis of Basanta forest reveals that 17,560 hectare forest was lost between 1958 and 2001 which was 408 hectare forest reduction per year. If the existing deforestation trend continues, then the Basanta forest which has been an icon of national and international conservationist for few years will be vanished forever by the next 40 years.

The encroachment issue has become a prime agenda of discussion for wide ranged people including policy makers to implementers for few years. To understand the ground reality, the area has already been visited by higher level officials including Minister, Parliamentarians, Director General, District Forest Coordination Committee and many conservation experts. Besides, local and national media have brought out the issues in lime light forcefully.

Programs
To address the issues, the Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation has implemented conservation activities through Terai Arc Landscape Program for over eight years. Conservation work has been initiated through community forestry program as an entry point since 2001. Thus far, a total of 38 community forests covering about 2,000 Hectare land have been handed over to local communities. To make the conservation efforts more effective, a Range Post level Community Forests Coordination Committee has been formed.

Contrary to this, deforestation trend has been on raise. The trend has aggravated even after peace building process in the country. With this encroachment the once intact wildlife habitats got fragmented. The land which was registered in the name of landless people in 2002 has already been purchased by elite people. It resulted in trapping the poor and landless people in a poverty vicious cycle. Besides, flood and siltation are other problems which have threatened the very life of local people in this area. Therefore, it seems that neither real poor and marginalised communities nor wildlife realised benefits from conservation and development work thus far.

Underlying causes
Policy is one of the major factors that have stimulated encroachment in Basanta Corridor. In the absence of clear role and responsibilities between Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation and Freed Labour Resettlement Council under the Ministry of Land Reform, about 6,000 Phyllenthus emblica in Radha Krishna Community Forest was removed to resettle freed labours without consultation and field verification in 2008. Kailashpuri Check Dam has posed great threats of over flowing of water in Dhansingpur, Narayanpur and other adjoining VDCs of Basanta Corridor during rainy season. It compels flood victim to refuge in Basanta Forest.

In the given resources, Kailali District Forest Office has not been able to discharge their responsibilities effectively and efficiently. For instance, the law enforcement mechanism has been badly hampered owing to the lack of adequate weapons and funding. In the program level, people participation in planning, implementing and benefit sharing mechanisms seems to be very poor. The local people are yet to be represented fairly in the decision making positions. Various NGO and INGOs in the name of humanitarian ground, has been flushing huge amount of money to supply onsite relief package including plastic roofs, water pump, among others. It resulted in increasing encroachment. Over and above, people opine that even the donors' money committed for conservation has not been reached to the real beneficiaries thus far.

Magnitude of Issue
The issue of encroachment is extended from local to national to international level. Therefore, the solution should be sought from these three tiers. From international level, the issues of flood are associated with ever degrading Chure Watershed and Kailashpuri Check Dam. Therefore it should be resolved through bilateral discussion between Nepal and India From national level, the government should formulate corridor policy and regulations that prohibit settlement in high conservation valued sites like corridor and connectivity areas. Even, policy of provisioning conditional land tenure to local people for promoting agro-forestry program could be an innovative option. The policy should emphasize on integrated land use planning that gives importance to partnership approach to conservation and development. In the changing socio-political scenario, the government should fix its knot and bolts so that it helps discharging its services effectively and efficiently. Likewise, principle of no free lunch should be strictly followed. A mechanism that requires performance based donor and government support to local communities should be designed.

The forest should be managed in multiple use concepts. Core area should be strictly protected while the fringe area should be managed scientifically so that both local communities and wildlife can be benefited. Alternative income and employment generation activities like non timber, timber and ecotourism management programs should be implemented effectively. Likewise, conservation communication strategy should focus on over all ecosystem benefits instead of existing strategy of focusing more on tiger and elephants. To address the issues of poverty, social mobilisation through saving and credit program should be implemented. Utmost efforts should be made to represent locals, Dalit and women in the decision making positions of user and coordination committees. If these efforts are made sincerely, then the issue of encroachment can be halted. It ultimately makes the corridor more functional.

Conclusion
Basanta Corridor encroachment issue has been in a lime light for few years. It is a prime concern of conservation as well as development workers. To maintain intrinsic value of Basanta Corridor, a package program that addresses conservation and poverty issues should be implemented at the earliest. Over and above a separate corridor conservation policy should be formulated timely. If government comes with the aforementioned policy and programs sooner, then there is a better chance for reviving Basanta Corridor.

Participatory Planning for Landscape Approach to Biodiversity Conservation

Ek Raj Sigdel
November, 2009

I have been involved in participatory planning process of Western Terai Landscape Complex Project (WTLCP) for four years. I have learned that the process, though it is very challenging in the present Nepalese context, when all the government institutions are not functioning properly is essential for landscape level biodiversity conservation. The participatory planning process helps developing common understanding amongst wider stakeholders. However, it takes relatively longer time framework to produce desired results compared to top down approach. To show early impact, it is essential to adopt course-filter-strategy while formulating activities and attaching budgets. Attention should be given for implementing package program in relatively higher conservation valued areas and general awareness program in other sites. I am confident that once the results are produced, then it gets higher chance for sustainability.

Landscape approach to biodiversity conservation considers local people as an integral part of an ecosystem. It gives emphasis on community based biodiversity conservation. It demands community initiatives to integrate biodiversity criteria in various inter woven land use system, that includes agriculture land, forest, grassland, wetland and watershed areas. To initiate the integration process, community should have higher level of conservation awareness. To enhance conservation awareness, it is essential to diversity livelihood opportunities of local communities. Contribution should be made on strengthening over all livelihood frameworks such as social capital development, institutional development, natural resources management, financial capital generation and human resources development. Linking livelihood with conservation is prerequisite to develop community stewardship towards biodiversity conservation. In this front forging partnership of various actors is necessary. Formation and strengthening of a stakeholder network at Village and District level is utmost important. Participatory planning process that brings all actors in a common platform could also act as a viable tool for supporting integrated conservation and development activities.

Participatory planning process can be viewed differently in the context of landscape approach to biodiversity conservation. It is widely acknowledged that participatory planning is one of the best methods for developing local community ownership towards conserving biodiversity resources. It supports holistic development approach. As landscape approach to conservation seeks biodiversity friendly activities in various matrices of land use systems and different jurisdictional framework, development and strengthening of network of concerned agencies is paramount. This helps to develop a common understanding of stakeholders on the goal of conserving biodiversity resources following landscape approach.

Realizing the fact that integrated development is essential to fulfill the community development to biodiversity conservation, WTLCP has adopted participatory planning approach from its inception phase. Every year the planning process starts from July and ends in December. The planning process begins with in-house reviewing of past activities and implementation experiences including relevancy, effectiveness, efficiency, and sustainability. Then, the planning process goes to settlement level, where forest / buffer zone user group prepare a list of activities to be implemented in the following year. Then the project supports two-day planning workshop in each working Village Development Committee (VDC). The VDC level workshop attends by village based stakeholders including VDC secretary, political parties, community based organizations, and field based line agencies and civil societies. Considering monitoring is an integral part of planning process, this year the project mobilized VDC level monitoring committees to observe WTLCP implemented field activities just before VDC level planning workshops. The monitoring feedback was also taken into account while promulgating activities for 2010. Each workshop comprises of more than 40 participants. After completing the VDC level planning, the plan comes to District Level Stakeholders Workshop. Then, the community plan finally gets endorsed from District Forest Coordination Committee, a mini parliament at district level. Finally, the plan goes to Project Executive Board (PEB) via Landscape Coordination Committee (LCC) and Project Coordination Committee (PCC) for final approval.

It’s a rigorous process. As it demands wider stakeholders' participation all project staff members are to be mobilized very tactfully to make the planning process as participatory as possible in the given time framework. The field level planning process alone needs at least one month. As the planning process demands contribution in terms of time and knowledge from each and every participant, it helps generating their ownership over the project activities. Further, as VDC and DDC are directly involved in the planning process, they suggest the local communities to bring their development agenda through VDC and DDC councils which ultimately become a matching development programs for the project supported conservation activities. Because of the joint planning exercises, some sort of informal linkage establishes between line agencies and local community based organizations too.

With this relationship, some community based organizations in the project sites have already enjoyed a few development benefits from the concerned line agencies in 2009. Birendra Adarsha community forest user group of Kanchanpur got improved grasses seed from District Livestock Service Office (DLSO). Similarly, Kailali DLSO supported pig farming to 50 households of Gyan Jyoti Community Forest in Kailali. Shankarpur Community Forest Coordination Committee of Kanchanpur accessed four water engines and a tractor from Kanchanpur District Agriculture Office. Likewise, Amargokul Community Forest User Group (CFUG), Kanchanpur accessed various infrastructure development activities like gravel, bridge maintenance, and school renovation from VDC and DDC budgets.

There are some drawbacks which we need to be cautious while undergoing participatory planning process. It is known fact that every participant of the planning process seeks inclusion of his/her voices in terms of activities for his/her area of interest – sectoral or geographical. Therefore, matching stakeholders' interest without compromising the project goal is really a very difficult task of the planning process. Otherwise, their grievance can be burst out any time during project implementation stage. Likewise, sometimes unmanageable numbers of activities are to be handled as stakeholders ranging from field to central level want to reflect their voice in the annual work plan.

On the whole, we should not expect encouraging result from the participatory planning process in a short run, but as it creates an enabling environment for establishing linkage of local communities with the development partners there remains higher chance of getting support from them even after completion of the project period. Investing resources following course-filter approach would be a best option for landscape level planning. Formulation and implementation of package programs focusing strategic location and general conservation awareness program in less conservation values area would be a viable strategy to create win-win situation of local communities and biodiversity resources. In the mean time project should be prepared for coordinating various developmental partners to fulfill community demands of developmental activities.

In a nut shell, participatory planning process could not be a panacea for addressing the need of landscape approach to biodiversity conservation. However, there is no alternative approach too to address the issues of biodiversity resources and livelihood improvement of local communities.

HOW FAR WE CAN GO FOR CLOSE MONITORING?

November 21, 2009
"Today was one of the happiest moments in my professional life when I knew that the project benefit realised by poorest of the poor sections of a society in Baisebichuwa, Kanchanpur and I also got disappointment today when I knew that the project money was not fully spent for the benefit of the target communities"

Two years back, Western Terai Landscape Complex Project (WTLCP) extended partial financial support for boring engine to 25 dalit households of Santitole settlement of Baisebichuwa, Kanchanpur. The support was provided in a cost sharing basis between local people and the project itself in 2:3 proportions. But, the community committed fund could not be generated in time. It resulted in incomplete work. Consequently, they were not able to irrigate their agricultural land in 2008.

The local community came up with a proposal that if project extends additional support of only Rs. 15,000 then they could manage the rest of engine establishment process, including construction of a shed by themselves which could costs a total of Rs. 30,000. Accordingly WTLCP extended the required support through a local NGO called Dalit Right Forum in April 2009. With this boring machine, this year alone some nine hectare land of 100 household, of which 90% were Dalit family got timely irrigation facility. The water user group provided the irrigation facilities to other neighbouring families in rent too. According to the local communities, rice productivity increased by six folds this year compared to previous times. Until 2008, firewood was one of the major sources of income to about 90% households. However this year only about 65% people relied on firewood for incremental income. In addition, many of the households have planted tree species in home yards. It made me happy.

I got disappointment when I knew that actually 53% of the total project contributed money was spent for fixing the boring engine. Still the engine shed was not constructed completely. Moreover, I came to know that the unspent money was being tried to be pocketed by the chair person of the NGO itself. When the Chairperson had come with an activity completion report with local communities' signature, I released the final instalment a few months back. Further, at the outset of the activity implementation stage, I had attended a village meeting and informed them about terms and conditions of the agreement. It made me basis for releasing the final instalment even without field verification.

Today I along with the NGO Chairperson and a WTLCP Community Motivator reached to the village to monitor performance of the boring engine. The local communities applauded the economic benefit of the engine. Also, they shared their happiness over the easiness brought in their life by the irrigation. In the mean time, a villager raised an issue of incomplete work and unavailability of all the agreed money. When, I made clear that no money should go to the pocket of any person involved in this activity, then the NGO chairperson admitted that he still had unspent Rs. 7,000. Then he vowed to provide the left out money to the local communities for completing the engine shed soon. Also, with this money the community promised to complete the entire work within November, 2009. If we were not there today it seemed that the NGO Chairperson could have misused the poor and dalit community targeted money.

From this case it can be learned that even a small activity should be monitored closely so as to ensure the wise use of project money. It associates with project image too.

Biodiversity

Biodiversity conservation

Biodiversity

New Hope for Encroachment Minimization

Ek Raj Sigdel
Kailali District is endowed with rich biodiversity resources. However, the valuable properties are facing unprecedented challenges for their survival. The ever increasing population pressure followed by unplanned settlement has aggravated the problem of deforestation and degradation in Kailali. Because of this the prime habitat of globally endangered wildlife species including tiger, elephants and rhinoceros are disturbed heavily. On the other hand, in the absence of easy access of food, and security situations the lifestyles of the real poor who infringe the forests resources for settlement and cultivation are leading towards more miserable livelihood. Therefore, finding an amicable solution that contributes to biodiversity conservation and supports to uplift the socio-economic condition of the real poor is the need of the hour.

Kailali district located between Bardia National Park in the east, Laljhadi and Suklaphanta Wildlife Reserve in the west, and Dudhuwa National Park of India in the south is considered as a store house of biodiversity resources. The big chunks of Kailali forests like Basanta, Bhadtal and Baraban provides dispersal habitat for the globally endangered wildlife species. Likewise, Ghodaghodi Lake, a Ramsar Site in Kailali houses many migratory bird, tortoise and fish species. In addition, the fragile Chure that covers more than 40% of the total of 200,000 hectare forest land of Kailali deserves high watershed value which supports livelihood of the entire Kailali communities.

Forest encroachment for cultivation and settlement expansion is common in Kailali District. To date, some 30,000 households encroaches 19,443 hectare forests land of Kailali. Many of the encroachment are being done in the name of landless people, freed bonded labors, and flood victimized communities. Many of these infringe lands are located in the high biodiversity value areas, like Basanta Corridor, Bhadtal Jungle, Chure foothills, and around Ghodaghiodi Lake. Because of the growing human pressure the prime habitats of the wildlife species are fragmented and it resulted in disintegration of the wildlife populations. If the encroachment issues are not addressed timely then the very resources will be loss for forever from the Kailali Forests. On the other hand, the condition of poor will be further deteriorated.

A solution that contributes to biodiversity conservation and diversifies the livelihood opportunities of local community is necessary. Two pronged strategies should be adopted timely. Firstly, the corridor and connectivity settlements are to be evacuated as soon as possible. In the mean time, the genuine poor should be identified and compensated fairly. Secondly, the government in consultation with central to field level stakeholders should promulgate land use policies that discourage settlement, at least in high biodiversity conservation value areas.

The District Forest Office staff members should be made more resourceful in terms of knowledge, skills and equipment. Community forest user groups and their federations should be oriented to discourage encroachers in high biodiversity values forests. It is interesting to note that the district level political parties of Kailali are reiterating their commitment for discouraging encroachment in the high conservation value areas through making frequent appeal and joint field monitoring visits. They are equally concerned about the well being of the poor people, specially freed bonded labors who have attachment with forest resources since immemorial times.

The recent decision of Kailali District Forest Coordination Committee (DFCC) meeting to form a special task force to evacuate encroached settlement of Kailali is an upper level commitment of political parties and stakeholders towards conserving biodiversity resources of this district. The committee represents District Forest Office, Police Office, Chief District Office and local stakeholders. The committee is also planning to work with District Freed Bonded Labor (Kamaiya) Management Commission (DFBLMC) mainly to address the issue of freed bonded labors, poor and marginalized communities.

Now, it can be hoped that if the political commitment is really translated into action and community forest and their association supports whole heartedly to the mission of encroachment evacuation, and DFO staff are fully equipped for effective law enforcement then it can be hoped that in a near future the large part of the encroached forest areas will be recovered. Similarly, only a close coordination between DFCC and DFBLMC will help finding a viable option to ensure the sustainable livelihood of poor and marginalized communities including freed bonded labors.

Community-based Tourism for Conservation and Development in Shankarpur Village: Concept note for feedback

Ek Raj Sigdel

Shankarpur Village Development Committee (VDC) of Kanchanpur district is situated in between two ecotourism destinations of Nepal; Bardia National Park in the East and Suklaphanta Wildlife Reserve in the West. The safe and secure village can be reached by driving eight kilometer gravel road towards West from Dhangadi, Kailali and 30 Kilometer gravel road towards South-East from Mahendra Nagar, Kanchanpur.

Over 95% of 761 household are Rana Tharu, local inhabitant of this area as against the only 23% Tharu in the entire district. Rain fed agriculture is the main source of income to over 85% people of this area. Out of the four categories, the VDC falls under third rank in human development index, and first in human poverty index (DDC Kanchanpur, 2005). According to local people, each year two to three Suklaphanta Wildlife Reserve destined tourist group pay visit to the area to experience Rana Tharu Culture.

Rana Tharu, who are confined only in Kailali and Kanchapur wear a distinctive short embroidered skirt along with blouses covered with silver coins. They complete their dress-ups with the heavy silver jeweler around their neck and ankles. Similarly, they have unique style of house construction, religion and historic background. The unparallel cultural integrity including dress, food habit and style of celebrating festivals are gradually modernized. Moreover, very little is known about the lifestyle of Ran Tharu (Gurung, 1992*).

In the absence of viable alternative resources, people’s dependency for firewood, fodder and settlement on Laljhadi Corridor has increased rapidly over the years. It resulted in the loss of wildlife habitat of wild elephant and tigers. To safeguard the higher conservation value of this jungle, the government of Nepal has implemented Western Terai Landscape Complex Project (WTLCP) for a few years. The village experienced an intense rainfall followed by an unprecedented amount of flood after 42 years in September, 2008. The flood displaced over 60% people to the fringe area of the Laljhadi Jungle.

On the whole, the village is endowed with rich cultural and biodiversity resources. However these resources are gradually being deteriorated. Now, the village needs programs that address issues of livelihood, culture, climate change and biodiversity simultaneously. In this backdrop, community based tourism would be a viable option. Kanchanpur District Periodic Plan and Landscape Level Ecotourism Plan of the WTLCP recognize this village as a potential tourism site. Besides, recent interaction meeting with local communities including teachers, village leader “Bhalmansa”, youth and conservation activist expressed strong desire to promote village tourism in Shankarpur.

Based on the community consultation and suggestions from various quarters, some activities are to be implemented in Shankarpur in the near future. First, villagers are to be exposed with village tourism sites like Sirubari, Sauraha and Shaktikhor. Second, an interaction meeting is to be held to share study tour experiences with stakeholders including DDC, Journalists, Tourism Board, Kanchanpur District Chamber of Commerce and Industries (DCCI), and private sectors. Third, a feasible study on community based tourism is to be carried out jointly by local community, Nepal Tourism Board and Kanchanpur DCCI. Then, once the report is prepared, it needs to be duly shared with various stakeholders, including Nepal Tourism Board, local and national private sectors, villages and other donors for funding. Finally, the area is to be included in Nepal Tourism Year Program 2011. To put the concept into effect, it needs supports from various quarters.

Acknowledgement
Thanks due to Ex-TRPAP staff members including Mingma Sherpa, Chet Nath Kanel, Ram Hari Devkota and Ramchandra Sedai; Basan Shrestha and Shree Kumar Maharjan for their kind feedback while conceptualizing this report.