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Lhuntse Dzongkhag Handed over the 9th Community Forest

CF signboard stands proudly as sign of participatory Forest Management
The Dzongkhag Administration, Lhuntse handed over 130 acres/52.70 hectares of government reserved forest as Community Forest to 36 households of Nabi village under Menbi Geog. 


The Country’s vision of maintaining forest coverage of atleast 60% for all time to come has been enshrined in the Constitution of Kingdom of Bhutan. This can be realized through effective participation of local communities in natural resource management. This is about handing over the rights of ownership, management and utilization of the forest in proximity to the Communities. This tunes perfectly also with the 10th FYP of reducing poverty in the Country.



It is especially in the rural areas that the high incidence of poverty is encountered. So, if it is about fighting the poverty battle, the perfect battleground is in the rural villages. Hence, the policies and decisions taken in favour of reducing the poverty must be concentrated to these vulnerable areas. The better mileage towards final destination of reducing poverty can be gained if the journey is taken through the rural communities or villages.
 The one policy of Forestry sub-sector in combating poverty through inception of Community Forest fits well in context to this vision and goal. This is because it is the rural farmers who are the main beneficiaries of the forest. The handing over of ownership, sustainable management and utilization rights to set of user group helps generate income through sale of timbers by sustainable harvesting of excess timbers and other forest products.
Contributing towards realization of this vision and goal and guided by the sense of immense benefits to the grassroots, the Lhuntse Dzongkhag handed over Tabung Yargay Community Forest to the Community Forest Management Group.  The forest consists of pure broadleaved forest with protection the first priority since the condition of forest is poor. The forest has an area of 130 acres/52.70 hectares.
The 36 households of Nabi village felt the gradual depletion of forest in their village. “If we don’t come forwards to protect it, the forest will within few years go blank”, said Ap Tshewang Rinzin, the oldest of CFMG. He added that it is not about making money for income generation only but about handing over the safe village to their children.  Am Dorjimo thanked the government for suitable policy through which she could rescue their forest.  
The handing over ceremony was done on Thursday, 23rd of April 2009 graced by Dasho Dzongrab in presence of sector and regional heads. This is the 9th Community Forest inception in Lhuntse Dzongkhag and the second Community Forest in Menbi Geog after Tshogpelthang Community Forest. According to Kinley Wangchuk, the Geog Forest Exntension, one more Community Forest is still on pipeline. He said that the management plan writing for the Zhungkhar Yongchab Community forest is at final stage.  
With the first Community Forest incepted in 2003, the number of Community Forests in the Dzongkhag currently stands at 9 numbers, involving the total areas of 901.70 acres of forest and 257 households of beneficiaries. However, Mr. Pema Tshewang, Dzongkhag Forest Officer said that in the 10th FYP, it will increase manifold. He said that Dzongkhag has received many application and proposals from farmers expressing their interests. 
The Tabung Yargay Community Forest was initiated by the Dzongkhag Forestry sector, in collaboration with Social Forestry Division with financial assistance of the Participatory Forest Management Project.

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