Short description of the best practice
Borrow-Pit was the quarry site of earthen materials during hydro-power construction. A huge quantity of clay soils was borrowed from this site for the construction of core part of earthen dam. Later, the quarry sites of clay soil were converted to the degraded land, due to destruction of vegetation and haphazardly distribution of earthen material around the quarry sites until 1985.
The Department of Soil Conservation and Watershed Management designed the technology and implemented the degraded land rehabilitation activities and implemented since 1986. The implemented activities were;
• Series of gabion and dry-stone check dams in highly risky area
• Contour ditches and trenches all over the degraded area
• Conifer and broadleaf tree plantation based on site condition
• Fodder and grass plantation.
• Bamboo shaft wattling and plantation of its cuttings
• Construction of proper and safe drainage system
• Arrange the watch man for the take care of conservation works
After 10 years of rehabilitation works, the forest management plan was prepared and handed-over to the local community as community forest. Later the community forestry user group was conducting the income generating activities like Ginger and turmeric farming and utilizing the other forest products, regularly.
Location
Markhu VDC, Ward No-9, Makawanpur District, Nepal
Brief description of the natural environment within the specified location.
Middle mountain region, average slope 15-30 percent with out-ward slope in plain/tars in north - east aspect.
Loamy to Clay-loamy soils with very low humus contain in the plain/tar area and colluvial and alluvial soil deposition in the mountain slopes and river/stream banks
Warm temperate climate with annual mean precipitation 1725 mm and annual mean temperature 14o C, Average altitude 1650 meter ASL.
Prevailing socio-economic conditions of those living in the location and/or nearby
The household income of the community is this area is below national average mainly because of their dependency on rain fed agricultural practices and livestock farming.
The average land holding per household in the Borrow-pit community forest (CF) area is 0.4 hectare. Land tenure is private ownership.
Agriculture and livestock are the main sources of income for the local people. Except the agriculture, they are getting the income from cash crops i.e. vegetable and fruits. Occasionally they are getting a small income from the forest products and fish farming after establishment of the Community Forest and the Kulekhani hydropower reservoir, respectively.
On the basis of which criteria and/or indicator(s) (not related to The Strategy) the proposed practice and corresponding technology has been considered as 'best'?
Specially, the Borrow-pit Community Forest is the best practices for the quarry site rehabilitation because it rehabilitated and converted the area of loose and necked soils into the dense forest within the period of 10 years. At the same time, the demand of forest product is fulfilling by the same area for the local community and opportunity of income generation also created. Moreover, the confidence on technology and awareness level of people has been created in locality. Therefore the practices of borrow pit community forest is became a best practice for the degraded land rehabilitation especially for the quarry sites after borrowing the earthen material.
