| Author | Niraula, Durga Raj |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no.NR-03-03 |
| Subject(s) | Community forests--Economic aspects--Nepal
|
| Note | A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science, School of Environment, Resources and Development |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Series Statement | Thesis ; no. NR-03-03 |
| Abstract | A study was carried out to determine the economic values of forest resources in the community forests (CFs) of mid hills of Nepal. The market price method (MPM) was used to determine the economic value of the tradable forest products and the contingent valuation method (CVM) for placing the values on both tradable and non-tradable forest products and services. Forest growing stock was calculated using forest inventory data. Personal and household (HH) characteristics were collected from the corresponding Forest User Groups (FUGs) through HH survey and these were used in regression analysis to identify the linear relationships between the variables. The HH survey was also used to elicit the willingness to pay (WTP) values of total and segregated CF benefits for the purpose of contingent valuation and regression analysis. P. roxburghii is the dominant species, followed by Schima-Castanopsis in the sampled CF. The average plant densities are recorded as 2818 seedling/ha and 472 trees/ha. The timber volume was calculated as 4.76 m3/ha/year by using the general volume equation. Using biomass table/equation, the biomass was estimated as 1.84 t/ha/yr of stem and 0.12 t/ha/yr of branch and foliage each. The value of timber and fuelwood using the MB stumpage price was found to be NRs 11,936 /ha/yr and NRs 493 /ha/yr respectively. The CV analysis shows the segregated value of NRs 731/ha/yr for timber, NRs 631/ha/yr for fuelwood, NRs250/ha/yr for grass/fodder, NRs 157/ha/yr for bedding material, NRs279/ha/yr for income generating product, NRs 376 /ha/yr for soil/water conservation, NRs 293/ha/yr for greenery and NRs218/ha/yr for species conservation with the total value of NRs 2539/ha/yr. The market price value is higher but the royalty rate value is closer to the contingent value. The analysis shows that majority of the respondents considered their budget constraints in deciding WTP value and is willing to pay money instead of labor and food grain for the improvement of the CF. The relationship between education and age, gender and occupation reveal that the young people and men are educated than women with the educated people (more men) involved in the direct earning jobs. The regression analysis shows the linear relationship between total WTP and HH income of the respondent with beta coefficient of 0.0058 at 0.001 significance level. The regression model for segregated benefits in different study areas indicates a linear relationship between the WTP value and the personnel characteristics of the respondents. The result revealed that the WTP of male, young people and the educated respondents is higher for indirect services of the forests like greenery and species conservation. The WTP of the respondents with agricultural occupation is higher for forest products where as it is higher for the forest service in case of the service holders. Based on the study, it can be concluded that CVM is a useful economic tool for assessing the direct consumptive use and indirect I non-use value of the CF resource in the context of Nepal. It helps to assign the monitory values to the different environmental services of the forest. The result of the study can serve as a basis for designing socially acceptable forest management strategy. |
| Year | 2003 |
| Corresponding Series Added Entry | Asian Institute of Technology. Thesis ; no. NR-03-03 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development (SERD) |
| Department | Department of Development and Sustainability (DDS) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Natural Resources Management (NRM) |
| Chairperson(s) | Shivakoti, Ganesh Prasad; |
| Examination Committee(s) | Shrestha, Ram Manohar;Schmidt - Vogt, Dietrich; |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | Natural Resources Management Sector Assistant Program (NARMSAP), Nepal; |
| Degree | Thesis (M.Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2003 |