Knowing Buffer Zone, Park and People

Buffer zone was established to serve the dual goals of meeting the natural resource needs of local communities as well as minimizing human impacts in protected areas. In the case of Kumarworti Buffer Zone VDC in Chitwan, Buffer Zone Management has addressed several problems in the past. However, wildlife depredation, compensation for the loss of property and crops, harvest and sell of forest products are outstanding issues. Majority of population are totally dependent on forest resources for enhancing their livelihood. There is only one Buffer zone Community Forest that is not handed over to community and is not sufficient enough to fulfill the resource demand (728.87ton/yr of fuel wood and 2224.68 ton/yr of fodder). Thus locals have to use the Park and the adjoining forests. Not only wildlife but annual floods cause additional pressure on livelihood of people. Regarding BZ management committee, there is a need to bring cooperation between rich and poor, educated and uneducated so that livelihood of poor and uneducated could be promoted and pressure on the National park could be minimized. Thus a broad, comprehensive management system is needed to usher changes in policy and institutions.