Policy Hurdles and Bureaucratic Fear Stifle Nepal's Timber Potential

Nepal's forest sector, particularly in Bagmati Province, is rich in natural resources. Ironically, timber is rotting in our own forests while consumers are forced to pay high prices for foreign alternatives or synthetic materials.

The root of this problem is not a 'lack of abundance' but 'policy weaknesses and a control-oriented mindset.' Our forests have sufficient timber, but government policies and bureaucratic fear prevent consumers from accessing its benefits.

• Existing Problems and Challenges

1. Policy Ambiguity and Federal Conflict:

Although the provincial government introduced its own Forest Act, conflicts with federal law have hindered implementation. Despite Bagmati Province enacting its law in 2075, the introduction of the federal act in 2076 created a challenge requiring the amendment of provincial legislation.

2. Legal Fear and Anxious Psychology:

Both forest officials and consumers live in constant fear of legal action and imprisonment for harvesting or even touching timber. Consequently, fallen and dead trees are left to rot in the forest.

3. Exorbitant Prices:

The market price of domestic timber has reached 7,000 to 8,000 rupees per cubic foot. This is driving consumers toward alternatives like UPVC, aluminum, and pre-fab materials.

4. Cumbersome Administrative Processes:

The procedures for creating community forest work plans and supplying timber are extremely complex. Supply committees have failed to be effective or transparent.

5. Lack of Localization:

Consumers at the grassroots level are unaware of existing laws. Implementation remains weak because consumers are uninformed about their legal rights and facilities.

6. Neglect of Private Forests:

Practical hurdles remain regarding the transportation and harvesting of timber (such as Sal trees) from private and family-owned forests.

7. Problems in Extraction and Transportation:

People are terrified by the tendency of authorities to stop and harass them even when transporting timber within the same district or municipality.

• Challenges of Connecting Forests to Prosperity and the Way Forward

A psychology of fear persists in the forest sector. It seems as though touching forest products carries a heavier penalty than committing a crime. Everyone is afraid. There is a fear that even if one tree is cut, causing minor damage to another, it will lead to legal action.

This fear is not limited to consumers; it affects forest officials as well. Because of this, fallen and dead wood cannot be extracted in time. While the province can decide to extract such wood, federal law exerts significant control. Without clear decisions at the federal level, work remains stalled due to the fear that provincial action alone could lead to trouble.

As timber prices skyrocket, the public is forced to seek alternatives. The timber we grow in our own forests is incredibly expensive, reaching 7,000 to 8,000 rupees per cubic foot by the time it reaches the market. Who can afford that? Consequently, people turn to UPVC and aluminum.

People do not use aluminum in their homes by choice, nor is it because there is no wood. It is because the process of obtaining timber is cumbersome and the price is too high. Only by creating an environment where consumers can easily access timber after covering the costs of forest conservation will the use of wood in homes and furniture increase.

Although the province introduced a Forest Act before the federal government, it has not been successfully implemented. The Bagmati Province Forest Act was introduced in 2075, while the federal act was only created in 2076. Ironically, the provincial act has not been effectively implemented since 2075. We have only recently taken the initiative to amend it.

'White papers' issued by government agencies remain limited to paper. The provincial government issued a white paper stating it would use its own timber, but that is not enough. Government buildings should lead by example, but that is not seen in practice. A regressive mindset that favors control-oriented laws still dominates the bureaucracy and policymakers.

Another major challenge is that even when laws are made, the information does not reach the lower levels. We make laws but do not localize them. We have failed to explain the law to the people. The Federal Forest Act of 2076 mandates that 50 percent of community forest income be spent on the poor, women, and entrepreneurship, but village consumers are still only aware of the old 35 percent guideline.

When consumers are unaware of their rights, state structures tend to create hurdles rather than facilitate them. It is the state's job to inform consumers. If they knew their rights, they would raise their voices. There is currently significant negligence at the implementation level.

Private and family forests play a crucial role in making Nepal self-reliant in timber, but policy knots remain to be untied there as well. While it is said that Sal trees from private forests can be cut, many are unaware of this. People are naturally terrified when they are stopped and harassed while trying to transport trees from their own fields.

Forests should not be viewed merely as 'timber.' Forests also represent ecotourism and medicinal herbs. While districts like Makwanpur, Chitwan, and Sindhuli in Bagmati have Sal timber, other districts have potential for herbs and tourism. We must advance an integrated concept of development.

The provincial government must move forward confidently in forest management and the consumption of forest products. It often hesitates, fearing either the federal or local government. This fear must end. We must utilize our own resources to create jobs and replace imports. Forest management should be linked to 'green enterprise' and made consumer-friendly. The process of timber extraction must be made transparent and simple, and the work of supply committees must be made effective. If the government removes these policy and practical hurdles, prosperity through our own forests is possible, ending the reliance on foreign timber and synthetic materials.

We are sitting on resources but are poor because we are bound by the chains of bureaucracy. Implementing this at the policy-making level is the need of the hour.

(The author is a member of the Bagmati Provincial Assembly and former president of the Federation of Community Forestry Users, Bagmati Province.)