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Distribution and availability of raw materials for production of Nepali handmade paper from Daphne species in Darchula district, Nepal D. K. Kharal1, B. N. Oli2 and I. Poudel3 The study, conducted in 2005 in Darchula district of the far western region of Nepal, aimed at assessing the distribution of Lokta plants (Daphne species) and the sustainable availability of their bark as a raw material for Nepali handmade paper. Stratifi ed random sampling design was adopted for collecting primary data from 340 circular shaped sample plots. The study revealed asymmetric distribution and production of Lokta in different Range post areas of Darchula district. While the tree diameter at 30 cm from base (D30) varied from 1 to 18 cm, the maximum tree height varied from 2.1 to 6 m. On the basis of diameter class, about 87 % of the bark weight was found to be of exploitable category. For the entire district of Darchula, the annual yield of Lokta bark for six years rotation amounted only to about two-third of the four years rotation. The study concludes that the stock of Lokta bark that prevails in the district can sustain promotion of Nepali paper production enterprises. Key words: Annual yield, Non Timber Forest Product, rotation, Range post, sustainable production on Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) have a for manufacturing handmade papers. Harvesting Npivotal role in the rural as well as national of Lokta bark and manufacturing of local paper economic development of Nepal (MPFS, 1989; both provide opportunities for creating local MoFSC, 2004; NPC, 2010). In the country, employment, thereby, providing potentials approximately 10.13 thousand tons of NTFPs for generating income to sustain livelihoods of was extracted contributing to revenue of NRs. the local people. Realizing these facts, both the 67.38 million in the Fiscal Year 2002/03 alone government and non-government sectors in (DoF, 2004). Lokta (Daphne bholua and D. papyracea) Nepal have long been pursuing to promote the constitute one of the principal species among the sustainable management of Lokta resources in limited NTFPs identifi ed and traded in Nepal. The the country. species has also been identifi ed by the Master Plan for the Forestry Sector (MPFS) as one of the seven Resource assessment is one of the important minor forest products available in the country components of all sustainable management (MPFS, 1989). endeavours (FAO, 2010). The assessment provides clues for careful management of natural resources The distribution of Daphne bholua extends from which is highly needed for preventing the Uttar Pradesh in India, through Nepal, southern resources being exhausted from over-exploitation. Tibet, northern Assam, Bengal, Sikkim and Bhutan Haphazard practices of using resources without to south-west China. It occurs between 1800 to carrying out proper resource inventory only lead 3600 m, and occasionally extends up to 4000 m. to exhaustion of such resources. This has happened Similarly, the distribution of D. papyracea which with the Lokta resources of Nepal, which have extends from Pakistan to central Nepal occurs been exploited heavily without carrying out any between 1600 m and 2500 m, and occasionally resource inventories in the past. Without assessing extends up to 3000 m (Jackson, 1987). In Nepal, the growing stock, growth and yield patterns, Lokta is mainly used on a cottage industry scale 1 Department of Forest Research and Survey, Kathmandu. Email: [email protected] 2 Mid-Western Regional Directorate of Forest, Surkhet, Nepal 3 District Forest Offi ce, Dang, Nepal 24 Lokta plants, were exploited heavily only to fi nd district headquarter is situated in North 290 51' latter that no more raw materials are available for latitude and East 800 34' longitude. The district sustainable operation of paper factories. In Nepal, enjoys subtropical climate in the south to alpine many paper factories had to be closed due to the and tundra in the northern belt. The topographic scarcity of Lokta barks which are primarily used conditions vary from Mid mountain in the south as raw materials for the paper factories (ANSAB, and middle part and to High Himalayas in the 2004). north. Of the total forest cover of 79,538 ha of the district, 20, 064 ha have already been handed over At present, only a few literatures on Lokta to 226 Community Forest User Groups (CFUGs) resource assessment and management are available (DFO Darchula, 2005). The district comprises (Pokharel, 1989; FRD, 1991; Jeanrenaud and eight Range posts. However the study area Thompson, 1986). Moreover, most of such encompasses only six of them: Dethala, Joljibi, literatures remain case specifi c, focusing only Khalanga, Khandeshwari, Khar and Rapla. on the matters of resource assessment and the methodologies. Sampling design Stratifi ed random sampling technique was used Lokta resources exist in 24 of the total 41 Village to collect information on distribution of Lokta Development Committees (VDCs) of Darchula plant as well as on availability of bark materials district. The Lokta containing 24 VDCs (including for Nepali handmade paper in the district. community forests) lie in the northern and eastern Qualitative categories of Lokta plants were parts of the district. Despite their great potential considered as strata for the resources survey. for generating income and employment, no Based on area proportion, the total numbers of resource assessment work has yet been carried sample plots were distributed in each stratum of out for Lokta resources in Darchula district. A the Lokta forest. Using participatory process, high study on distribution and availability of Lokta density, medium density and low density strata plant (Daphne spp.) in the district has thus become of Lokta distribution areas were traced out in the an imperative. topographic map of the district. The study primarily aimed at assessing the Like in Baglung Lokta Inventory (Mathema, distribution of Daphne species in Darchula 1990), circular plots of 25 m2 of 2.82 m radius district and sustainable availability of their bark were taken as sample plots for the measurement as a raw material for Nepali handmade paper. purposes. The fi rst plot was laid out where the Since the Range posts are the basic unit of forest Lokta plant fi rst appeared. The subsequent plots management and administration, the study was were established at 1800 south at an interval of 100 focused in assessing the resources existed within m in each stratum. Isolated patches and blocks the Range post boundaries. It is anticipated that of Lokta plant were considered while allocating the study will provide meaningful guidance for the sample plots. Altogether, 340 sample plots sustainable and wise use of Lokta resources for were laid out in all study area and allocated them production of Nepali handmade paper enterprises in different strata based on proportion to area in the district. This will help enhance local as principle. well as the national economy of the country through creation of increasing income generation Plot measurement opportunities for the local population. The measurement was carried out in 2005. Lokta plants smaller than 30 cm in height were Materials and methods considered as seedlings and as such, were only Study site counted, without measuring. However, Lokta plants greater than 1 m in height were measured Darchula district is located in the far western at diameter: 30 cm from the base (d ); for bark development region of Nepal. It covers an area of 30 biomass estimation The height of the plants and 2329.6 km2 with wide range of altitudinal variation . D were measured to precisions of ± 0.1 m and ranging from 357 to 7132 masl (MPRC, 2011). The 30 to ± 0.1 cm respectively. Randomly selected 20 25 plots were measured for bark biomass estimation. Stem density of Lokta by Range post was found to Out of 6 Range posts; 2 plots from Dethala, be signifi cantly different at 5 % signifi cance level 1 from Joljibi, 6 from Khalanga, 3 from Khar (p = 2.13-06; df = 5). The total number of stems in and 8 from Rapla were taken for bark biomass the studied areas was more than 12 million. assessment. The number of stems and bark weight per plot were estimated at fi rst, and later, average Stem distribution by diameter classes in Range fi gures were derived at per hectare level. Lokta post In the study area, the diameter of the Lokta plants greater than 3 cm D30 were included for the harvestable Lokta biomass estimation. Green plants ranged from 1 cm to 18 cm with about 5.1 weight of the bark was used to estimate the Lokta cm mean value. Distribution of Lokta plant was biomass. divided into four diameter classes: < 2 cm, 2 - 4 cm, 4 - 6 cm and > 6 cm. Stem densities greatly varied in different diameter classes. Stem density Data analysis of < 2 cm diameter was found as less as only about At fi rst, the compiled data were analyzed at plot 10 % of the total stems density. Whereas, stem level using the MS Excel software. Later on, per density of diameter classes between 2 - 4 and 4 - 6 hectare fi gures were estimated using appropriate cm were found almost equal representing about 31 conversion. % of the total density by each one. Table 2 depicts the stem density distribution by Range post and Results and discussion different diameter classes in the study area. Stem distribution and density of Lokta plant Table 2 clearly indicates that the Lokta distribution Although, the participatory resource mapping was highly dominated by bigger size diameter phase had identifi ed 7 Range posts and 24 VDCs plants. There is a signifi cant difference in the as Lokta distribution areas, the sample survey average density of Lokta by diameter classes (α= during the fi eld work could cover the data from 6 0.05, p = 2.6 -11).