Status of Forest and Rangeland Resources
- Nepal has around 5.5 million hectares of forest (representing about 37% of total land area of 15 million hectares), 0.7 million hectares of shrub land, and 1.7 million hectares of grasslands/ pastures and 1.0 million hectares of non- cultivated inclusions.
- Up to now, reforestation programmes have been done in a small area. Only about 99,000 hectares including government, private, community and leasehold plantation are planted between 1985 and 1992.
- Nearly all the deforestation programmes is taking place in the Terai; forests continue to be converted for agriculture use.
- The process of degradation is far more widespread throughout Nepal due to increasing human population and demand for fuel wood, timber, leaf, litter and demand for a large number of livestock pasture and rangeland.