Conservation is the management of genetic resources so that they can provide the greatest sustainable yield to benefit the present generations while preserving their potential to meet the needs and aspirations of future generations (IUCN 1980). More than 70% of the people of Nepal still depend largely on forests for medicines and other products. Thus, conservation and sustainable utilization of forest genetic resources (FGR) is very important for Nepal, for the present as well as for the future. Nepal is a land-locked, mountainous country, located along the southern slope of the Himalayas between India and China, situated at the junction of the Indo-Malayan and Palaearctic Biogeographic Realms. Within a distance of less than 150 km, the land rises dramatically from less than 100 m asl. in the tropical Terai in the south to the highest point in the world (8848 m), on the edge of the Tibetan plateau. Nepal has an area of 147 181 km2, of which the forest area covers 55 180 km2, approximately 37% of the total area. According to the 1991 census, the total population of the country was 18.5 million, with an annual growth rate of 2.17%. The economy is still largely rural and agrarian. Based on aerial photographs taken during 1992-1996, forest cover of Nepal was estimated to be 29%. In addition, 10.6% of the area was found to be degraded shrubland; thus 39.6 % of the country’s land is under forests (DFRS 1999).
Nepal is a small country but rich in biological diversity. It has 5400 vascular plants, including over 254 species of endemic plants and 700 species of medicinal plants. In addition, over 175 species of mammals, 850 species of birds, 600 species of butterflies, 50 species of moths, 180 species of dragonflies, 170 species of fish, and other animals inhabit this country. With only 0.15% of the world’s forest, Nepal has 2.2% of all known plants and 9.4% of all known bird species. Many valuable genetic resources are conserved in the protected areas for their potential use in the future. Nepal has 16% of its area protected to conserve wildlife, FGR and ecosystems. However, research and management activities mostly concentrate to conserve wildlife alone. Many
valuable tree species are growing inside conservation areas, but scientific studies on their identification, validation, conservation and management are yet to be initiated.
#ForestGeneticResources Conservation #ForestsForLivelihoodSustainability #ImportanceOfForestsResources #EffectsOfForest degradation
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Publisher:
GoN, FAO
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(2003
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Type / Script:
Progress Report
in English
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Keywords:
FOREST RESOURCES, LAND, FOREST CONSERVATION, FOREST MANAGEMENT, NATIONAL PARKS, WILDLIFE CONSERVATION, VEGETATION, FOREST RESOURCE ASSESSMENT, NATURAL RESOURCES
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Thematic Group:
FAO
:
Food and Agriculture Organization
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Thesaurus:
04.05.00
- Forestry
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Reference Link:
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