The Ministry of Forests and Environment has issued the 'National Standards for Sustainable Forest Management, 2081' to sustain and manage forests.

Deepak Kumar Kharal, Secretary of the Ministry, said that the standard was issued to increase good governance, forest production and productivity in the concept of sustainable development.

'District Forest Office, Division and Subdivision Office, Community Forest and Consumer Group Forest Managers who have taken any responsibility,' he said, 'The standards and indicators and standards have been brought by them to determine whether the forests managed by them are sustainable.'

For the certificate of sustainable forest, the forest managers have to apply to the Department of Forestry and Land Conservation . After receiving the application, the department will survey the forest. Based on the survey, if the indicators set by the standards are met, the forest manager will receive a certificate of sustainable forest . But in case of not fulfilling the criteria in the survey, there is a provision that it will be given only after completion. 

'After the certificate is approved in the field, the forest manager will be recognized at the international level,' he said while informing about the benefits of sustainable forest certification, 'that forest can take initiative in the international world to claim the benefits, the prices of the wood produced, and concessions. He said that at the national level, forest managers with sustainable forest certification will receive it after other related standards are established. What's in the

criteria? In the

standard, it is mentioned that the forest manager must systematically protect forest products from theft, encroachment and other illegal activities and keep records. 

It is stated in the standard that 'Forest products must be collected, distributed, transported and traded according to the prevailing laws and international conventions to which Nepal is a party.' The standard stipulates that the forest manager should be accountable for the implementation of the plan.

In addition, the forest manager must follow the principles of gender equality, social inclusion and cultural values. The standard stipulates that forest management activities should be avoided and local people's access and rights to forest use should be respected. Similarly, there is a provision to record transparently through gender participation and participatory process when forming forest user groups. 

'According to the principles of production, productivity growth and economic prosperity, forest resources should be surveyed and analyzed and goals should be set based on the short-term, medium-term and long-term demand for services and the production capacity of the forest.' The rare, endangered and threatened species and habitats of the forest area must be guaranteed. They are indicators of standards to ensure the protection of endangered and threatened species and their habitats. The forest manager must perform actions to protect or restore sensitive areas such as natural water flow areas, water recharge areas, wetland areas, identify possible risks and risk reduction and protection measures that may occur during the implementation of the forest management plan, and include them in the management plan and implement them.