Abstract
Sal (Shorea robusta) is an economically and ecologically important tree species found in Nepal. Since 2003, Nepal's government has been managing the Sal forest under the Scientific Forest Management (SciFM) scheme. Due to newly implemented approaches, the information regarding the Sal forest condition under regeneration felling and thinning is low. This study aimed to understand the regeneration status after regeneration felling and compare crop stands between thinned and unthinned plots. We selected three years of harvested, thinned, and unthinned blocks in the Tilaurakot collaborative forest. Vegetation sampling was carried out in 63 concentric circular plots. The results show that the number of seedlings and saplings in the harvested blocks was 14,000 and 3368 per hectare, respectively. The growing stock and basal area per hectare in the thinned blocks were lower than in the unthinned blocks. The numbers of trees and poles per hectare were lower in the thinned block than in the unthinned block. Sal's importance valve index (IVI) was higher than other species in all three block types. The study suggests that the regeneration condition was better after the canopy's opening, and thinning promotes the growth of trees and undergrowth vegetation.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bampton JFR, Ebregt A, Banjade MR (2007) Collaborative forest management in Nepal’s Terai: policy, practice and contestation. J for Livelihood 6:30–43
Baniya B, Mandal RA, Adhikari S, Shrestha A (2019) Growing stock and regeneration status assessment in thinned and un-thinned stands of community managed pine plantation. Int J Environ Sci Nat Resour. https://doi.org/10.19080/ijesnr.2019.20.556030
DoF (2004) Community forestry inventory guideline. Department of Forests (DoF), Kathmandu, Nepal
DoFRS (2015) State of Nepal’s forests. Forest Resource Assessment (FRA) Nepal, Department of Forest Research and Survey (DFRS). Kathmandu, Nepal
ESRI 2011. ArcGIS Desktop: Version 10.2.1. Redlands, CA: Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. 2010
FRIB (1947) Experimental tapping of Sal and blue pine. Forest Resource India Burma 1945–61(9):88–90
Gadgil M, Guha R (1993) This fissured land: an ecological history of India. Oxford University Press, New Delhi, and University of California Press, Berkeley. ISBN 0-520-08296-6
Gautam KH, Devkota BP (1999) Sal (Shorea robusta) leaves can provide income to some community forestry user groups at Sindhupalchok district. Nepal J for 11:39–46
Gautam KH, Devoe NN (2006) Ecological and anthropogenic niches of Sal (Shorea robusta Gaertn. f.) forest and prospects for multiple-product forest management—a review. Forestry 79:81–101. https://doi.org/10.1093/forestry/cpi063
Gautam KH (1990) Regeneration status of Sal (Shorea robusta) forests in Nepal. Department of Forests, Kathmandu, Nepal
Gautam KH (2001) Lopping regimes in community-managed Sal (Shorea robusta) forests of Nepal: prospects for multiple-product silviculture for community forestry. School of Forestry, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, Australia
Gradel A, Ammer C, Ganbaatar B et al (2017) On the effect of thinning on tree growth and stand structure of white birch (betula platyphylla sukaczev) and siberian larch (larix sibirica ledeb.) in Mongolia. Forests 8:1–23. https://doi.org/10.3390/f8040105
Jayasawal D, Bishwokarma D (2016) Scientific forest management initiatives in Nepal: MSFP experiences and lessions learnt. Multistakeholder Forestry Programme, Kathmandu, Nepal
Jia X, Shimin F, Yaping H et al (2008) Regeneration characteristics of Pinus yunnanensis in gaps on the mountainous area in Southwestern Sichuan Province, China. Sci Silvae Sin 44:7–12. https://doi.org/10.11707/j.1001-7488.20080902
Khanal Y, Adhikari S (2018) Regeneration promotion and income generation through scientific forest management in community forestry: a case study from Rupandehi district. Nepal Banko Janakari. https://doi.org/10.3126/banko.v27i3.20541
Khanna L, Chaturvedi A (1994) Forest mensuration and biometry. Khanna Brothers, Dehradhun, India
Lewis T, Osborne D, Hogg B, et al (2010) Tree growth relationships and silvicultural tools to assist stand management in private native spotted gum dominant forests in Queensland and northern New South Wales
Magarath WB, Shrestha A, Subesi B, et al (2013) Nepal forest sector survey: policy priorities and recommendations. Washington, DC
Negi JD, Shah D, Kukreti P et al (2002) An ecological assessment of sal mortality in Uttaranchal. Ann for 10:193–2003
Oli BN, Subedi MR (2015) Effects of management activities on vegetation diversity, dispersion pattern and stand structure of community-managed forest (Shorea robusta) in Nepal. Int J Biodivers Sci Ecosyst Serv Manag 11:96–105. https://doi.org/10.1080/21513732.2014.984334
CFM OP (2009) Tilaurakot Collaborative Forest Management operational plan. Government of Nepal. Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Paudel P, Mandal R (2019) Comparing growing stock using circular, square and rectangular plots shape in inventory (A study from Community Forests in Chitwan District, Nepal). Can J Soil Sci 4:448–454. https://doi.org/10.32474/OAJESS.2019.04.000177
Paudyal BK (2016) Regeneration, growth of hill sal and plant diversity in community forest: a case study from pragatisil community forest in Kaski District, Western Nepal. Banko Janakari 23:37–43. https://doi.org/10.3126/banko.v23i2.15479
Poudyal BH, Maraseni T, Cockfield G (2020) Scientific forest management practice in Nepal: critical reflections from stakeholders’ perspectives. Forests. https://doi.org/10.3390/f11010027
Rai RK, Dhakal A, Khadayat MS, Ranabhat S (2017) Is collaborative forest management in Nepal able to provide benefits to distantly located users? For Policy Econ 83:156–161. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forpol.2017.08.004
Rai SN, Dutta IC, Haque S, et al (1999) Ecology and growth of S. robusta in central Neapl. In: Institute of Forestry. Institue of Forestry, Pokhara
Rautiainen O, Suoheimo J (1997) Natural regeneration potential and early development of Shorea robusta Gaertn.f. forest after regeneration felling in the Bhabar-Terai zone in Nepal. For Ecol Manage 92:243–251. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0378-1127(96)03911-4
Ritter E, Dalsgaard L, Einhorn KS (2005) Light, temperature and soil moisture regimes following gap formation in a semi-natural beech-dominated forest in Denmark. For Ecol Manage 206:15–33. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2004.08.011
Sapkota IP (2009) Species diversity, regeneration and early growth of Sal forests in Nepal: Response to inherent disturbance regimes. Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Shakya CM, Bhattarai D (1995) 1995 Market survey of non-wood forest products in Bara and Rautahat districts for operational forest management plans. Nepal, Kathmandu
Sharma B (1981) Further studies on seed production in Sal ( Shorea robusta Gaertn.) crops in Dehra Dun district (U. P). Indian for 107:505–509
Tewari D (1995) A monoraph on Sal (Shorea robusta Gaertn F.). International Book Distributors, Dehra Dun
Timilsina N, Ross MS, Heinen JT (2007) A community analysis of Sal (Shorea robusta) forests in the western Terai of Nepal. For Ecol Manage 241:223–234. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2007.01.012
Troup R. (1986) The silviculture of Indian trees. International Book Distributors, Dehra Dun
Upadhyay LR (1992) Use of tree fodder in Jhapa and Sunsari districts in the Eastern Terari. Banko Janakari 3:17–18
Wiersum KF (1995) 200 years of sustainability in forestry: Lessons from history. Environ Manage 19:321–329. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02471975
Wiley J (1992) Vegetation description and analysis. A practical approach. Wiley, New York
Zhou D, Zhao SQ, Liu S, Oeding J (2013) A meta-analysis on the impacts of partial cutting on forest structure and carbon storage. Biogeosciences 10:3691–3703. https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-10-3691-2013
Zhu JJ, Matsuzaki T, Lee FQ, Gonda Y (2003) Effect of gap size created by thinning on seedling emergency, survival and establishment in a coastal pine forest. For Ecol Manage 182:339–354. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0378-1127(03)00094-X
Acknowledgements
The authors are thankful to Madan Mohan Sandilya, Division Forest Office, Kapilbastu, for his support in data collection. Also, the authors would like to express sincere thanks to two independent reviewers for providing valuable comments and suggestions to improve the manuscript's quality.
Funding
The study is financially supported by Tilaurakot Collaborative Forest Management, Kapilvastu, Nepal.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflicts of interest
The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Supplementary Information
Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Belbase, K., Chhetri, S.G., Upadhaya, S. et al. Understanding the Impacts of Forest Management in Sal (Shorea robusta) Dominant Forest Stands in the Western Lowlands of Nepal. Small-scale Forestry 22, 401–413 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11842-022-09534-8
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11842-022-09534-8