Community Forest Management Group
Type: Approaches
Creation: 2023-07-19 09:54 Updated: 2024-05-30 13:05
Compilers: Tshering Yangzom
Reviewers: William Critchley, Rima Mekdaschi Studer, Joana Eichenberger
Country/ region/ locations where the Approach has been applied
- Country: Bhutan
- Region/ State/ Province: Jangbi Chiwog, Langthel Gewog, Trongsa Dzongkhag
- Map: View Map
Description of the SLM Approach
Short description of the Approach
The Community Forest Management Group (CFMG) functions with an aim to sustainably manage and utilize potential Non-Wood Forest Products (NWFP) such as cane and bamboo to diversify income sources. The Jangbi CFMG comprises three Monpa (indigenous) communities viz. Jangbi, Wangling and Phrumzur. The group's main mandates are to maintain raw material (bamboo and cane) germplasm, uphold the ancestral arts and crafts skills, and ensure the sustainable harvest of natural raw materials.
Detailed description of the Approach
Tsharzo (bamboo craft) is popular in the eastern and southern parts of Bhutan where raw materials such as bamboo and cane are abundant. Tsharzo makes use of cane and bamboo to weave products such as orongbhazib (backpack), lapchu (hand basket), chungchu (basket), bechab (winnow), tsew (basket to carry fodder, fruits, shoots etc.) and pari (mats), among others. The Community Forest Management Group (CFMG) under Jangbi chiwog, Trongsa Dzongkhag is called Monpa Selwai Yoezer Tshogpa. The Jangbi CFMG is one of the successful groups that promote bamboo and cane products in the country. The group consists of 59 households (HH) from three villages, Jangbi (23 HH), Wangling (22 HH), and Phrumzur (14 HH). The group was formed under the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on 14 April 2000, and officially came into play in 2007, upon drafting the bylaws. The bylaws were revised upon the need for further improvement in the year 2018. The group was formed to promote and enhance bamboo and cane products, thereby sustaining the existing trend and culture of the community. The group's main mandates are to maintain raw material germplasm (namely bamboo and cane), uphold ancestral arts and crafts skills, and ensure the sustainable harvest of natural raw materials.
The group received initial fund support of Nu. 1,400,000 from UNDP and Nu. 800,000 from Bhutan Orchids, a non-governmental organization (NGO). The government has given a total of 45 acres of land to the land users of Jangbi CFMG to plant bamboo and cane. Out of the 45 acres, 15 acres of land are collectively managed by all the land users of Jangbi CFMG for nursery raising. And 10 acres each is managed by each village under Jangbi chiwog for plantation activities. The land users plant different varieties of bamboo on the land. Some major activities carried out by the group involve documentation of the existing stock of cane and bamboo and new plantations. Cane and bamboo plantations are fenced to protect against wild and domestic animals.
Initially, Tsharzo in Jangbi CFMG was taken up on a contract basis. However, the proposal to establish a community Tsharzo group named Monpa Selwai Yoezer Tshogpa was approved by the Dzongkhag administration and was funded by the UNDP. Upon approval of the proposal, the Dzongkhag Forestry Department assisted the land users in land development (nursery development) for the cultivation of bamboo and cane in the allocated areas on 45 acres of state-owned land. The stakeholders involved in the formation of CFMG were the community members of Jangbi, Wangling, and Phumzur villages, of Jangbi chiwog, an NGO (Bhutan Orchids), the gewog administration, the forestry department, and UNDP. The community members’ roles included carrying out fieldwork (plantation of bamboo and cane, their maintenance) and engaging in decision-making processes under CFMG. The gewog administration supported the group with technical, financial, and advisory services. The NGO provided fund support of Nu. 800,000 and UNDP provided initial fund support of Nu. 1,400,000. The forestry department sourced the initial funds from UNDP, formulated bylaws, and facilitated hands-on training on bamboo and cane plantations.
The benefits of the approach include the establishment of dedicated germplasm, sustainable harvest of natural raw materials, conservation and promotion of ancestral arts and crafts skills, social cohesion through group formation, and employment opportunities. Bamboo and cane plantations play a great role in preventing soil degradation. Bamboo and cane have extensive root systems that help prevent erosion, stabilize soil, and reduce landslide risks. They are excellent for revegetation as they quickly establish themselves. Bamboo is also an efficient carbon sink, absorbing significant amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. This helps mitigate climate change by reducing greenhouse gas concentrations. Bamboo and cane provide habitats for some organisms thereby increasing biodiversity. Products made from bamboo and cane are biodegradable, reducing the environmental impact.
Photos of the Approach
- 📍 Jangbi, Trongsa
- 📷 Kuenzang Nima