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Overview
Deforestation in Nepal is the established issue of the significant loss of tree cover in the South Asian country of Nepal. Forest degradation in Nepal has been an issue dating back to 1960. From the year 1950 through to the year 1975, Nepal’s deforestation rate was among the highest sitting at 4.1% with the biggest impact on the Terai and Hill regions. As of 2009, Nepal’s annual deforestation rate rests at a staggering 1.7% ; a rate higher than the global average of 1.3%. In 2012, WorldBank reported that 25.5% of land in Nepal (36,360 square kilometres) remained forested. Comparable to that of 1990 whereby forest area occupied 48,170. square kilometers.

Timber/Logging/Firewood
Historically, logging and forest clearing has been present in Nepal. In the 18th century, land was cleared in order to provide agriculture areas to feed soldiers. In addition to the still apparent need for agricultural land clearing, one of the main contributions to the necessity for logging is the rural requirement of fuelwood. In Nepal, 80 % of energy is provided by the use of wood as fuel. Fuelwood provides heat for homes and a resource for cooking for subsistence agriculture families. These residential homes attribute for 99% of fuelwood consumption. Although this great demand for wood is unsustainable, energy substitutions are not feasible given Nepal’s current economic state. Due to the price of sustainable alternatives, Nepal must use wood as their primary source of energy. For example, Nepal has the capacity to implement hydroelectric power but due to the economic instability and high levels of poverty in the region, this energy cannot be harnessed. Although fuelwood attributes for much of the deforestation in the Nepal region; the idea that it is the largest factor is a gross misconception.

As of 2013 the population of Nepal stood at 27,797,457. Much of the population depend on the land and forest as a source of income and a source of food. To meet these growing food demands, forests need to be cleared enabling more land for agricultural use. Land is also cleared for the production of fodder for cattle in this agriculturally dominated society.

Environmental
Deforestation wields great power over the quality of the soil and its ability to sustain other agricultural growth. The intense forest clearing in the Terai and Hill regions has a direct negative effect on the soil fertility. As trees are removed, roots no longer exist to keep soil in place. This results in the loss of valuable nutrients needed to sustain the fertility of the soil for agriculture production.

Fodder and Fuelwood
The decrease in forestry and agriculture within these regions greatly impacts the local farmers. Fodder and fuelwood become scarce resulting in longer collections times. This in turn increases the price for fuelwood when bought at local markets. As fodder levels drop and become harder to find, only smaller livestock populations are sustained as a result. This drives farming families ,who depend on livestock products as their primary source of income, to poverty. A decrease in productivity among farmers and a majority of the agricultural society develops into a reality.

Women and the Home
The primary job of women in these agriculturally dominated societies is to bring water and wood home for use in their households. As deforestation occurs, women’s lives change drastically as they now need to walk farther to obtain fuelwood. In some instances this can be a full day trip. As a consequence, women and mothers of the households come to be undernourished affecting children and future generations as well. This can mean negative impacts on the population demographics of the Nepalese regions if the issue of deforestation remains unchecked. Families are also impacted with the threat of monsoons; a threat that is heightened with the influence that deforestation has had on the soil. Nepal faces annual floods and monsoons, attributing to natural erosion among the steep hills. The instability of the soil due to the lack of tree roots holding it in place, greatens the impact of soil erosion. During these monsoon seasons, entire homes are destroyed and farms uprooted, attributing further to the loss in productivity for agricultural and cattle farmers.

What is Being Done
In 1957 the Private Forests Nationalization Act was brought into play in order to maintain the quality of forests and protect the vast woodlands from degradation. Deforestation remained a problem and a new policy was introduced known as Community Forestry. Forest User Groups (FUGs) have the ability to control the amount of grazing and wood extraction that occurs in order to improve the forest resource. In many cases users must reduce their use in order for long term sustainability to be a possibility. Locals are most likely to benefit more from the new regenerated forests after this transition period.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deforestation_in_Nepal