Demand and Supply of Forest Products in Bandevi Buffer Zone Community Forest, Chitwan National Park, Nepal

A significant imbalance exists between the demand and supply of forest products in Bandevi Buffer Zone Community Forest (BZCF) within Chitwan National Park, Nepal. Despite improvements in forest conditions since community management began, the study estimates annual deficits of 26,173 cubic meters for timber, 3.21 million tonnes for fodder, and 0.12 million tonnes for fuelwood. These shortages are met through agricultural lands outside BZCF and illegal harvesting from nearby forests and national parks, highlighting unsustainable dependencies. The research used stratified random sampling and forest inventory methods to quantify these gaps. While the BZCF program has successfully enhanced forest conditions, its long-term viability depends on addressing livelihood needs and reducing reliance on forest resources through policy interventions and income-generating initiatives.

Pokharel, R., Poudel, J., Adhikari, R. K., & Sharma, A. R. (2018). Demand and Supply of Forest Products in Bandevi Buffer Zone Community Forest, Chitwan National Park, Nepal. Sustainability in Environment, 3(4), 305. https://doi.org/10.22158/se.v3n4p305