Scale, Socio-ecological Networks, Corruption and Patronage: Factors Affecting the Sustainability of Plant Resources in Nepal

Objectives

To analyse the perception of the people at different levels on plant resources in Nepal

What is the role of the socio-ecological factors, for example, kin, friends and political networks, monetary flows and patronage, all work together and affect the sustainability of plant resources

To find out who is doing what

Orchids

Sunakhari is an orchid, which is a plant of genera Dedrobium

Sunakhari is not in local medical use but was in trade

Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna (CITES) and Orchids

Sunakhari from Nepal has been exported in China. It is one of the top 50 herbs used in Traditional Chinese Medicine

Why this ethnobotanical research?

• An ethnobotanical research has not yet been

conducted in this area, or indeed in Nepal as a

whole

• Ethnographic field work, participants observation,

interviews

Village level Dandabas, local people,

Orchid

Top levelKathmandu (Capital), policy, planning

Middle levelHetauda, DFO, Traders

Orchid journey through different levels

Dandabas, a Tamang village in the Makawanpur district

Dandabas 2010 – Village level

A school girl selling her orchids in village tea shop

A local collector collected up to 25 kilogrammes in one morning

A local trader described three different types of Sunakhari based on its price

A social worker said that his village was hell in the past...

Sunakhari (three species of Dendrobium)

Class one Sunakhari (Dendrobium eriaeflorum) on sale in the village tea shop

Hetauda – Middle level

District Forest Office (DFO)

Traders and local industries

We are just doing our job

We do what it is written on our work plan

Traders persuade collectors

DFO should provide trainings to the collectors

Legal money

Illegal money

Kathmandu – Top level

Department of Forest Ministry of Forest

Policy is not clear

We only look at trees

We have legal authority but do not have manpower to identify plants...

Frequent government changes lead changes in policy from govt to govt

Formed high level commission of 6 members,

10 points procedures

Impose complete ban on Sunakhari collection

A study team and its report

School girls carrying leaf debris from the forest

People carrying fodder in a local bus

Assumed three levels (bottom, middle and top)

DANIDA, DFID, DABUR, AUS AID may not even identify plant species, and are unaware of local ecosystems

Political leaders

NGO’s and CBO’s

District forest offices / officers

Media, Journalists

Village chieftains

Business representatives

Community Forestry User Groups

Local people have knowledge on slow growing nature of Taxus but they are unaware of the commercial use of Taxus leaves

Government of Nepal may not even know a plant’s local uses.

Top level

Middle level

Bottom level

Thank you very much

Queries, comments and feedbacks!!!

This research is supported by the Rufford Small Grant Foundation for Nature Conservation; and partially supported by University Small Grants, University of

Aberdeen and the Hardy Plant Society, UK.