Forest Resource Management and Livelihood of Local People in Panchase Area of Western Hilly Region, Nepal

Abstract

This paper attempts to explore the local people’s perception of forest resources management and identify the contribution of forest resources for the livelihood of local people of Panchase area of western Nepal. Panchase area is very rich in biodiversity and natural beauty. A large part of the Panchase area is covered by forests and pasture land. The settlement of this area is situated in the middle of lower part of the Panchase hill. The study for the paper is based on both qualitative and quantitative methods. Both primary and secondary sources of information were used for this paper. Field observation, focus group discussion, key informant interview and informal discussion were conducted for exploring the local people’s perception of resource management. A checklist was developed for key informant interview and informal discussion with local people in the study area. The relevant published and unpublished documents, books and journal were also reviewed as a secondary source of information for this paper. The paper is descriptive and qualitative in nature.The Third Pole: Journal of GeographyVol. 17: 37-50, 2017