RECOFTC-Nepal

13/11/2025

🌿To strengthen inclusive, effective participation, transparency and accountability in conservation under the framework of equitable governance, a half yearly Progress Monitoring Meeting was held in Pokhara, Kaski in facilitation of the SEGA project. The event brought together representatives from the Panchase Forest Protection Area Council and sub-council, Gandaki Province Forest Directorate, Division Forest Office, Local Governments, Community Forest User Groups, Local Entrepreneurs and Local NGOs.

The workshop provided an important multistakeholder platform for actor groups to review the six-month SAGE action plans, exchange experiences, and collectively identify pathways to enhance effective and Conservation and management.

Key highlights:
🌱 Strong collaboration among Panchase Forest Protection Area Council and sub-council, Gandaki Province Forest Directorate, Division Forest Office, local governments, Community Forest User Groups, Local entrepreneurs and local NGOs reflected a shared commitment to adopt equitable conservation governance.
🌱 Action plans designed from the ground up fostered a strong sense of ownership among all stakeholders.
🌱 The monitoring process became a model for others, inspiring them to evaluate and track their own progress
🌱 The Council emphasized its dedication to ensuring and increasing women’s and IP's participation, promoting inclusion, and upholding key principles such as effective law enforcement, participation in decision-making and fair benefit sharing.

“Through the progress monitoring of our action plans based on different principles, we have been able to identify new opportunities for women and marginalized groups with respect to their recognition as well as leadership. This progress monitoring process has not only shown us where we currently stand but also guided us on how to better organize and implement future activities to strengthen our own action plan.”
-Rukum Datta Sharma, Chairperson, Sub-Council, Syangja

05/11/2025

In Kavrepalanchok, Nepal, four community forest user groups established a pioneering sawmill in 1996, marking one of the first community-managed forest enterprises in the country. The initiative created local jobs and increased household incomes, demonstrating the potential of community forestry to drive rural development.

However, a 2003 policy change on timber auctions disrupted its wood supply. Financial mismanagement and elite capture further undermined operations, eroding community trust and forcing the sawmill to close.

Recent forest policy reforms now offer new opportunities for revival. This case illustrates the complexities and lessons of managing community-led enterprises over time.

🔗 https://www.recoftc.org/stories/revisiting-exemplary-forests-two-decades

28/10/2025

𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧! 🤝

What began as an idea on paper has now become a valuable resource for REDD+ facilitators across Nepal! 🌿
Developed through a series of rigorous consultations with REDD Implementation Center, FECOFUN, NEFIN, and other experts, the Facilitator's REDD+ Training Manual reflects a shared commitment to strengthening local capacity for forest governance and REDD+ implementation. Building on the REDD+ Training manual developed in 2013, this updated facilitator's REDD+ ToT manual incorporates the latest concepts and approaches of REDD+ and Jurisdictional REDD+ including the LEAF ER programme and safeguards, IPs and LCs roles, ensuring its relevance to the current context of REDD+ implementation in Nepal.

The manual was piloted through Training of Trainers (ToT) sessions and refined with insightful feedback to make it more practical and inclusive .The process concluded with a successful validation workshop that brought together REDD IC, experts, and other concerned stakeholders to review and endorse the manual ensuring it serves as a comprehensive and user-friendly resource material and tool for facilitators working at the grassroots level on REDD+ processes across Nepal. 🌳✨

24/10/2025

We are seeking consultant/organizations to develop an integrated, inclusive, comprehensive Management Plan of Panchase Forest Protection Area addressing existing and emerging threats and proposing sustainable, inclusive, transparent and adaptive strategies.

In this role, you will:
✅ Evaluate the current status of forests, biodiversity, and socio-economic conditions, identifying key threats and conservation challenges
✅ Align management strategies with national and provincial forest laws to ensure inclusive participation and balance conservation with livelihoods
✅ Develop an adaptive plan with clear monitoring, evaluation, and revision mechanisms

📅 Apply by 31 October 2025

🔗 Learn more https://www.jobsnepal.com/terms-of-reference-139984

16/10/2025

Happy ! 🌎 Healthy forests are essential for food security.

🔗https://www.recoftc.org/publications/agroforestry-climate-resilient-landscapes

Happy ! 🌎 Healthy forests are essential for food security.

When local communities manage their forests, they protect vital sources of food, medicine and clean water. They also safeguard the very foundations of agriculture by improving soil fertility, controlling erosion and creating stable microclimates for crops.

Just look at the amazing results:

🌿In Thailand, the Ban Sa Si Mum community forest serves as a local hub for food, medicinal resources and forest education, ensuring food security and preserving traditional knowledge.

🌿In Indonesia, coffee farmers who integrate shade trees into their farms see higher yields and help protect vital watersheds.

🌿In Viet Nam, restoring mangrove forests on shrimp farms has increased local incomes and protects coastlines from climate impacts.

These community-led solutions show a powerful way forward, creating a world where both people and forests can thrive.

🔗https://www.recoftc.org/publications/agroforestry-climate-resilient-landscapes

13/10/2025

How do you measure and improve something as complex as governance and equity in a protected area? In Nepal’s Barandabhar Forest, we facilitated a Site-level Assessment of Governance and Equity (SAGE) to do just that.

Through the process, communities and stakeholders participated in:

✅ identifying key stakeholders and understanding the local context

✅assessing fairness on key issues like benefit-sharing and local rights

✅developing a practical and shared action plan for improvement

This process has produced a clear implementation plan to address everything from resource rights to local government involvement.

Learn more https://www.recoftc.org/stories/strengthening-governance-people-and-forests-sage-assessment-barandabhar-forest-protection

10/10/2025

We are excited to join colleagues and partners at the IUCN World Conservation Congress.

On 10 October, RECOFTC-Nepal, together with International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) and Kenya Wildlife Conservancies Association, will co-host a session at the Nature Positive Pavilion to share recent experiences from the Barandabhar Forest Protection Area in Nepal.

Our team will highlight the Site-level Assessment of Governance and Equity (SAGE) tool, a participatory approach empowering stakeholders and rights holders to evaluate and improve local governance and equity, based on internationally recognized good governance principles. SAGE assessments help identify pathways to more effective, inclusive and fair forest management by strengthening participation, accountability and stewardship at the site level.

📅 10 October 2025

🕒 15:00–15:45 GST

📍 Nature Positive Pavilion

🔗 Learn more about our ongoing work in Nepal https://www.recoftc.org/stories/strengthening-governance-people-and-forests-sage-assessment-barandabhar-forest-protection

08/10/2025

What happens when farmers stop competing and start collaborating? In Bantaeng, Indonesia, coffee farmers formed a collective to negotiate better prices, access bigger markets, and invest in higher quality beans. They stopped being just suppliers and became business partners.

Our free e-course, "Partnering for progress: Inclusive land investments for smallholder success," shows you how to build the successful land investments like this. You'll learn the practical steps to build business models that empower small-scale farmers and create stronger, more sustainable supply chains.

Ready to help create more success stories like this? Enrollment is free. Learn more and sign up today:
https://www.recoftc.org/learning/partnering-progress-inclusive-land-investments-smallholder-success?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=inclusive_land_investment

25/09/2025

RECOFTC, in collaboration with Federation of Community Forestry Users, Nepal (FECOFUN) and नेफिन संघीय परिषद सचिवालय , concluded the Facilitators’ Training of Trainers on Jurisdictional REDD+, enhancing the capacity of local facilitators across Bagmati, Gandaki, and Lumbini provinces.

Local facilitators, members of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLC) networks, are now equipped with knowledge on Jurisdictional REDD+, the LEAF program, forest carbon markets, safeguards, and Benefit Sharing. With these skills, they can cascade the learning and raise awareness among municipal-level Indigenous Peoples and local communities.

This initiative not only strengthens local leadership but also empowers IPLC facilitators and institutions in advancing their rights in jurisdictional carbon projects. The training also piloted the Jurisdictional REDD+ Facilitators' 😭 Manual developed by RECOFTC, ensuring practical, context-driven learning. 🌿💚

👉🏾 Learn more about the project: https://www.recoftc.org/projects/strengthening-indigenous-peoples-and-local-community-engagement-jurisdictional-redd

22/09/2025

📢 Call for Research Proposals, B.Sc. Forestry (Batch 2078–2082) 🌳

The Institute of Forestry (IOF) invites final-year (8th Semester) B.Sc. Forestry students to apply for research grants.

This research opportunity is part of RECOFTC and IOF’s commitment to advancing forestry and academic research and is made possible through the Darwin Initiative-funded Scaling-up Equitable Governance in Area-based Conservation (SEGA) project and is offered under the framework of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Institute of Forestry and RECOFTC Nepal.

Eligible students are encouraged to submit their research proposals in the prescribed format, focusing on the designated thematic areas.

For more information: https://iof.edu.np/news/call-for-research-grant--b.sc.-forestry.-595

19/08/2025

🌿 From 6–12 August 2025, stakeholders gathered in the Jalthal Forest, Jhapa, to conduct the Site-level Assessment for Governance and Equity (SAGE) under the SEGA Project.

Centered on the Community Forest User Groups (CFUGs), the assessment engaged a wide range of actors, including representatives from Local Government, Division Forest Office, women’s groups, indigenous people's group, Community Forest Users Groups (CFUGs) and Federation of Community Forestry Users Nepal (FECOFUN). Each group carried out an assessment of governance and equity of the Jalthal Forest management. The findings were compiled and later discussed in a synthesis workshop that brought all groups together to share results, compare perspectives, and agree on collective ideas for actions.

The final stage focused on planning for action, where outcomes from the assessment were linked to the existing planning processes of key actors and consolidated into an equitable governance action plan for the CFUGs.

By engaging local actors at every step, from preparation to assessment and planning, SAGE is helping strengthen inclusive governance and equity in conservation, ensuring positive outcomes for both communities and biodiversity.

👉🏾 Learn more about the project: https://www.recoftc.org/projects/scaling-equitable-governance-area-based-conservation-sega

12/08/2025

Happy !

Young people across our region are finding new ways to care for forests, act on climate and support their communities. But they often face real challenges like limited opportunities, recognition and ongoing support.

We work alongside youth in forest communities, cities and universities to strengthen their skills, build their knowledge and amplify their voices. We provide training, support youth-led awareness campaigns and create safe spaces where they can share ideas and participate in decision-making.

Lasting progress means investing in youth and creating strong connections between generations. Swipe to see five practical ways we can all help strengthen youth leadership in community forestry.