Measuring impacts of community forestry program through repeat photography and satellite remote sensing in the Dolakha district of Nepal

Published source details Niraula R., Gilani H., Pokharel B. & Qamer F. M. (2013) Measuring impacts of community forestry program through repeat photography and satellite remote sensing in the Dolakha district of Nepal. Journal of Environmental Management, 126, 20-29.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Adopt community-based management to protect forests Action Link

Adopt community-based management to protect forests

A site comparison study in 1990–2010 in three sites in temperate forest in Dolakha, Nepal (Niraula et al. 2013) found that the increase in forest cover was higher in community-managed areas than in nearby areas not managed by local communities. Over a 20-year period, 95% of the non-forested area was converted to forest in community-managed areas. In nearby forests that were not managed by local communities 71% of non-forest area was converted to forest over the same time period. Furthermore, the change from sparse forest (canopy cover 10–40%) to dense forest (canopy cover > 40%) was significantly higher in community-managed forests (62%) than in forests not managed by local communities (60%). At each of the three sites, the community-managed areas and non-community-managed areas were compared. Community-managed forests were managed and monitored by the local communities, according to a management plan they had designed. Tree planting was part of the management plans. Changes in forest cover were monitored using satellite images (Landsat, resolution 30 m) taken in 1990 and 2010.