forestry

Indigenous Knowledge (I K) is the knowledge gained by the HIT AND TRAIL
methods with the Passing time by serial ‘hit and trail’ methods. It refers, also to the long standing trading and practices of certain regional, indigenous or local communities. It is thus, the outcome of wisdom and knowledge of the communities that has been handed over from generation or from person to person.

IK varies from place to place as it developed initiated and produced in a particular region or with in the local community. It should also be considered that IK may not always be come as a result of the age old traditions but may sometimes also as a result of the age old traditions but may sometimes also result as the solution to the problems, people faced in their day to day livelihoods.

Ours being a traditional society, we are very rich in I K, that has been as mentioned above, handed over to us, from our fore-fathers. Some of our practice based on I K has solid scientific base while several others do not really have scientific base, rather which need to be discarded in modern. For instance, ‘untouchability’ prevailing in the society.

Forest and its associated resources (grasslands, rivers streams, etc) have always hold special value in the lives of people and that also especially for rural people. People are largely dependent on forest for their daily livelihoods get fodder, fuel wood, forage
NTFPs etc from of the forest. Owing to the over dependency of the people, in forest and its resources and increasing population, people themselves created innovative idea for still being followed as and in the from of I K.

Community Forestry though is comparatively a newer terminology, but the relation between the forest and the people living around is rather an old concept and because of this, I K has largely been in practice for forest management.

Forest User Groups (FUGs) have been practicing various silvicultural operations, harvesting practices, rotation system, etc on the basis of the IK.

Some of the aspects of Community Forestry where IK has been used are.

1. The system of appointing watchers to protect the forest is based on IK.
In the past people practiced a rotation LAURO SYSTEM for appointing such watchers. In same areas, they even collected, paddy and other items for daily living, and appointed hired a person from poor group to watch forest this system is still prevalent in same of the Community Forest User Groups(CFUGs).

2. Rural villagers are traditional and have great faith on God. They respect water resources, different plants and other natural resources as different Gods and Goddesses. People do not fell/ cut Ficus religiosa (Peepal) and Ficus bengalensis ( Bar) considering then incarnation of Lord Bishnu and scientifically also, it has been proved that Ficus religiosa gives out more oxygen than others.

3. It’s a tradition that people do not fell the tree of ‘Swami’ plant near water resources. And we know scientifically that trees help in conserving water.

4. People do not burn wood having latex for they believe tat the smoke emitted from such woods damage their eyes. For example: Khirro

5. People have developed their own way of harvesting practices. They do not have any scientific knowledge about how to fell the trees, in which direction to fell the trees using what tools. But, through their IK they harvest in such a way that the least damage is caused to the felled tree and also to adjoining trees.

6. Stone string up/Tharo Bandhne system is also one of the traditional practices which is being practiced in community forestry of Nepal.

7. Sometimes they do not fell event the old trees exceeding the harvestable age. It is maintain granary, for feeding their cattle and for mulching purposes.

8. They do not fell the trees that are habitat of large number of birds. This is indirect and unknown effort for biodiversity conservation.