Improved governance for effective timber
monitoring & traceability of Shorea robusta in
Nepal

Rupantaran Nepal in collaboration with Government of Nepal and support from Food and Agriculture
Organization (FAO) implemented “Improved governance for effective timber monitoring and traceability of
Shorea robusta in Nepal” under the Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade programme of
European Union (EU FLEGT). The project was implemented in Nawalparasi and Rupandehi districts from
July, 2014 to September, 2016. The aim of the project was to promote good governance and increase
transparency of production and trade of Shorea robusta by developing a control system covering timber
supply, Chain of Custody and independent monitoring and building necessary capacities of different
stakeholders. In this project, Rupantaran Nepal worked closely with Department of Forest (DoF) by
formulating project advisory committee (PAC) led by the Director General (DG) and by forming technical
working group in the chairmanship of Deputy Director General along with Civil Society Organizations
(CSOs) and identified key stakeholders of timber sector. The output based progress of this project is
presented as follows:

Output 1: Control system for improved transparency in Shorea robusta production and trade
developed;

Reviewed of existing legal and regulatory framework and identified the existing elements and gaps
together with 7 critical control point
 Technical working group (TWG) consulted with local stakeholders and visited existing Shorea robusta
harvest and trade process sites in Pre-selected CFUGs and CFM in Kapilvastu and Rupandehi.
 Drafted the control system covering transparent timber supply, Chain of Custody and independent
monitoring for timber produced by CFUGs and CFM based on desk and field level reviews
 Developed Independent Monitoring Guideline by technical working group to track the transparent
monitoring of timber trade especially Shorea robusta.
 Organized National Consultation workshop on control system for transparent production and trade of
Shorea robusta and received feedback and updated the control system
 Undertook the peer review of Final review consolidation of control system assuring Shorea robusta
supply chain, Chain of Custody and monitoring guidelines.

Output 2: Control system for improved transparency in Shorea robusta production and trade
piloted and consolidated and stakeholder capacity strengthened
:

 Identified 4- CFUGs and 2 CFMs in project district for the piloting of control system and piloting
conducted on control system. In the process of piloting; local media, government stakeholders- DFO
staff, CSO representatives FECOFUN and ACOFUN and adjoining CFUs and CFM were invited so
that they could replicate piloting initiative in other CFUGs as well.
 Conducted 6 events of awareness raising training to 281 CFUGs and CFMs users and executive
committee. The events were of grand successful to raise awareness on chain of custody of timber,
traceability of legal timbers and advantage of implementation of the control system within CFUGs and
CFUGs. Likewise, 2-awareness raising events were organized and representative of neighboring
CFUGs within the VDCs were invited and ensure their participation.
 Updated the drafted timber supply and CoC systems based on experiences gained during the piloting
phase and desk review was shared among the technical working group.

Output 3: Project results disseminated though the development of extension and training
materials and study tours;

 Produced various extension/training materials which included project leaflet, poster of chain of
custody and control system and traffic lights of control system.
 Produced a documentary with covering the FLEGT concept and learning of piloting of transparent
timber supply and chain of custody, legal timber and training manuals of control system

Output 4: Monitoring, evaluation and visibility framework developed:

 Organized a project inception workshop with the European Union Delegation and Food and
Agriculture Organization representatives responsible for FLEGT activities as well as with relevant
stakeholders. Total 28 forest sector stakeholders were attended.
 Organized National dissemination workshop in Kathmandu at the end of the project in 30 September,

  1. A pen drive with all manuals, documentary, posters, and leaflet has been distributed to all
    participants.

The project took more than expected due delayed in the endorsement process and PAC formulation. The
SHs participants who were attended in the final workshop has highly appreciated the implementation of
this project though there was limited knowledge and readiness of the forest sector stakeholders within the
country. The lesson of the project was the readiness of local stakeholders in transparency in supply
chain of Shorea robusta was a pertinent issue and its governance process was found always critical.

FLEGT – Workshop on ‘Awareness raising on FLEGT, control system and share field review findings’

18 September 2016: A one-day workshop onphoto ‘Awareness Raising on FLEGT, Control system and Share Field Review Findings’ was organized in association with Nepal Foresters’ Association (NFA) at NFA Conference Hall in Kathmandu. Deputy Director General of Department of Forests, Mr. Ganesh Jha was the chief guest of the event which was chaired by General Secretary of NFA, Mr. Bishnu Prasad Acharya. The event was attended by a total of 46 participants from different institutes/organizations – CSOs, Academia, Foresters, Government officials, Timber entrepreneurs and representatives of Piloting CFUGs and CFM from relevant project districts. Shankar Paudel from Rupantaran Nepal presented about the FLEGT concept and up-to-date progresses whereas the consultant Arun Poudyal presented the findings of field review study of FLEGT project.