Archives: Our Team
Madan Bashyal
Manish Shrestha
Netra Prasad Timsina, PhD
Manita Chaudhary
Mani Ram Banjade, PhD
Manita Khanal
She is a dedicated forestry professional from Lumbini, Nepal, with a Master’s degree in forestry from the Institute of Forestry, Pokhara Campus. She has significant research experience, including research on treeline dynamics at Dolpa, contribution to studies of gymnosperm diversity and the distribution pattern of threatened plant species. Her professional experience includes Cluster Project Coordinator at Tenure Facility, Green Foundational Nepal, where she worked on establishing forest rights for IPLCs; Disaster Risk Reduction Fellow at Youth Innovation Lab, where she strengthened municipal capacities for disaster risk management and Communication and Documentation officer at EOC Nepal. This academic and professional experience has equipped her with knowledge of research tools, reporting and communication, advocacy, planning, coordination and execution. Currently she is contributing to the Project “Promoting Ecologically Sound and Socially Just Forest Landscape Restoration Through Co-Production of Knowledge and Local Capacity Building” supported by REDAA with a Particular focus on Landscape Ecology. Manita is passionate about being ecologically sound and contributing to sustainable forest management and conservation benefiting the environment and local community.
Peer-reviewed Publications
Harisharan Luintel, PhD
Harisharan Luintel has PhD from the School of Environment, Portland State University, USA. He has over 15 years of experience in research, policy and institutional analyses, project review and assessment, teaching, and capacity building in the field of environmental sustainability and justice, community-based forestry, climate change and REDD+ and poverty reduction. While taking critical analytical perspective, he uses both quantitative and qualitative methods in his researches.
Mr. Luintel’s research interest includes understanding dynamic relations of human actions and nature in general and ecological and socio-economic implications of international/national environmental policies and plans in the local ecosystems and communities in particular. He is currently engaged in a research on REDD+ and community forestry.
PUBLICATIONS:
Being Edited
Luintel, H. 2007-2015. Editor: Journal of Forest and Livelihood, Vol 13(1), Vol 11(2), Vol 10(1), Vol. 8 (2), Vol. 7(1) and Vol. 6 (2). Special Issue on different themes such as REDD+, Forest Policy Process, Forest Tenure Livelihoods and Forestry Programme’s Experience, Nepal’s Community-based Forestry Programmes.
Reviewed Articles
Bluffstone, R., Somanathan, E., Jha, P., Luintel, H., Bista, R., Toman, M., Paudel, N. and Adhikari, B. 2015. Collective Action and Carbon Sequestration in Nepal. Journal of Forest and Livelihood, 13(1). Pp 1-7.
Dissanayake, S.T M, Jha, P., Adhikari, B., Bista, R., Bluffstone, R., Luintel, H., Martinsson, P., Paudel, N., Somanathan, E. and Toman, M. 2015. Community Managed Forest Groups and Preferences for REDD+ Contract Attributes: A Choice Experiment Survey of Communities in Nepal. Journal of Forest and Livelihood, 13(1): 8-19.
Luintel, H., Silori, C.S., Frick, S. and Poudyal, B.H. 2013. Grassroots Capacity Building for REDD+: Lessons from Nepal. Journal of Forest and Livelihood, 11(2). Pp 1-13.
Poudyal, B.H., Paudel, G. and Luintel, H. 2013. Enhancing REDD+ Outcomes through Improved Governance of Community Forestry User Groups. Journal of Forest and Livelihood, 11(2). Pp 14-26.
Silori, C.S., Frick, S., Luintel, H. and Poudyal, B.H. 2013. Social Safeguards in REDD+: A Review of Existing Initiatives and Challenges. Journal of Forest and Livelihood, 11(2). Pp 27-36.
Patel, T., Dhiaulhaq, A., Gritten, D., Yasmi, Y., Bruyn, T. D., Paudel, N. S., Luintel, H., Khatri, D. B., Silori, C. and Suzuki, R. 2013. Predicting Future Conflict under REDD+ Implementation. Forests, 4, 343-363; doi:10.3390/f4020343
Luintel, H. and Lawrence, A. 2009. Sustainable Harvest of Non-Timber Forest Products: A Methodological Innovation through Participatory Experiment in Nepal. The Nepal Journal of Forestry, 13(1). Pp: 22-33.
Luintel, H. and Chhetri, R.B. 2008. Understanding Tenure Security in Community Forestry. Journal of Forest and Livelihood, 7(1). Pp: 1-5.
Luintel, H. and Bhattarai, B. 2006. Exploring Priority Problems of the Forest Dependant Poor in Nepal. Journal of Forest and Livelihood Vol 5 (1). Pp: 1-13.
Book Chapters (Being Edited)
Constance, L., McDermott, H. van Asselt, Streck, C. and Mvondo, S. A., Duchelle, A.E., Constanze, H., Humphreys, D., Mulyani, M., Silori, C.S., Suzuki, R., Fariborz, Z., Simone F., Lentini, M. Luintel, H. and Salimon, C. 2012. Governance for REDD+, forest management and biodiversity: Existing approaches and future options In John A. Parrotta, Christoph Wildburger, Stephanie Mansourian (Eds), Understanding Relationships between Biodiversity, Carbon, Forests and People: The Key to Achieving REDD+ Objectives (A Global Assessment Report in Prepared by the Global Forest Expert Panel on Biodiversity, Forest Management and REDD+). Pp 115- 138. IUFRO World Series Vol 31. IUFRO.
Luintel, H. 2006. Do Civil Society Organizations Promote Equity in Community Forestry? A reflection from Nepal’s experiences. In S. Mahanth, J., Fox, M. Nurse and L. Mclees (Eds), Hanging on the Balance: Equity in Community-Based Natural Resource Management in Asia, Pp 122-142. East-West Centre and RECOFTC, Bangkok.
Banjade, M. R.; Luintel, H. and Neupane, H. R. 2004. Action Research Experience on Democratizing Knowledge in Community Forestry in Nepal. In H. Ojha, N. Timsina, R. Chhetri and K Paudel (Eds), Knowledge Systems and Natural Resources: Management, Policy and Institutions in Nepal, Pp 110-134. Cambridge University Press India Pvt. Ltd. New Delhi.
Research and Study Reports
Sharma, N., Luintel, H., Khatri, D.B., Karanjit, S. and Bhandari, K. 2012. Conflict and REDD+. RECOFTC and ForestAction Nepal.
Sharma, N. S., Luintel, H., Khatri, D.B. and Bhandari, K. 2012. Enabling forest users to exercise their rights: Rethinking regulatory barriers to communities and smallholders earning their living from timber. RECOFTC and ForestAction Nepal.
Upreti, D., Luintel, H. and Bhandari, K. 2011. Conflict in the Context of Emerging REDD+ Scheme: An Analysis of Nepal’s Community Forestry and REDD+ Pilot Project. RECOFTC and ForetAction Nepal.
Luintel, H., Ojha, H., Rana, B., Subedi, R. and Dhungana, H. 2009. Community Forestry in Nepal: Promoting Livelihoods, Community Development and the Environment. ForestAction and Livelihoods and Forestry Programme.
Timsina, N.P., Luintel, H., Kattel, S., Chapagain, A. and Ghimire, K. 2008. Review Report of Livelihood and Forestry Programme’s Mid-West Partnership Programme. ERI and LFP/DFID Kathmandu, Nepal.
Chhetri, R.B., Timsina, N.P., Luintel, H., Regmi, R., Bhattarai, B., and Magar, R.A. 2008. Decentralization and Promotion of Women’s Rights in Nepal: Exploring Constraints, Opportunities and Intervention Avenues. ForestAction Nepal/International Development and Research Centre.
Chhetry, R.B., Luintel, H. and Regmi, R. 2006. Pre Mid-Term Review of Animation and Social Mobilisation Programme implemented by Livelihood and Forestry Programme. ERI and DFID Nepal.
Meena Bohara, PhD
Meena received her PhD in Ecology from the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, China, in 2020, as a recipient of the CAS-TWAS President’s Fellowship. Her doctoral research explored plant and soil nutrient dynamics through litter decomposition. She has authored several research articles and policy briefs and is currently a Coordinating Lead Author for the Solution Pathways chapter of the Global Environment Outlook-7, representing the Asia-Pacific region. With over four years of experience, she has led projects on environmental protection, disaster risk reduction, and climate change adaptation, focusing on ecosystem-based and nature-based solutions. Her research interests encompass interdisciplinary approaches to forest ecology and nature conservation.
Publications:
Monika Jha
Naya Sharma Paudel, PhD
Naya Sharma Paudel has over two decades of experiences on policy and practice of nature conservation, protected area governance, community based natural resources management, climate justice and poverty. His major research in the past focused around forest tenure in Nepal.
Mr. Paudel has several publications on protected area governance and local livelihoods. He takes a political ecology perspective in understanding and interpreting issues on environmental governance and natural resources management.
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS:
Paudel, N.S., Editor: Journal of Forest and Livelihood Vol 8(1), Special Issue on Climate Change
Paudel, N.S., Editor: Journal of Forest and Livelihood Vol 7(1), Special Issue on Forest Tenure
Paudel, N.S., Banjade, M. R. Dahal, G.R. 2008. Inadequate devolution in Nepal’s community forestry has limited its potential to benefit from emerging market opportunities by forest dependent communities. Policy Brief. Kathmandu, ForestAction.
Paudel, N.S., Banjade, M. R. Dahal, G.R. 2009. Community Forestry in Changing Context: Emerging Market Opportunities and Tenure Rights. ForestAction and CIFOR. Kathmandu.
Paudel, N. S., Sharma U. R. and Budhathoki, P. 2008. Buffer zones: New Frontiers for Participatory Conservation? In H.R. Ojha, N.P. Timsina, C. Kumar, M.R. Banjade and B. Belcher (Eds.) Communities, Forests and Governance: Policy and Institutional Innovations from Nepal. Delhi. Adroit. Pp: 132-160.
Paudel, N. S., Bhatta, S. R. 2008. Impacts of Decentralisation on Biodiversity: Lessons from Participatory Governance in Chitwan National Park, Nepal. Policy Brief, ForestAction, Kathmandu.
Paudel, N. S., Sharma U. R. and Budhathoki, P. 2007. Buffer zones: New Frontiers for Participatory Conservation? Journal of Forest and Livelihood 6(2): 44-53.
Paudel, N. S., Ghimire, S. and Ojha, H. R. 2006. Human rights: A guiding principle or a challenge for transforming conservation? Policy Matters 15.
Paudel, N. S., Editor of the Journal of Forest and Livelihood (Vol 6:1), published by ForestAction, in Nepal.
Paudel, N. S., Banjade, M. R., Ojha, H., McDougall, C., Prabhu, R. 2006. Contextualizing Common Property Systems: Action Research Insights on Forging Effective Links between Forest Commons and ‘Meso’ Layer Governance. Proceeding of the Eleventh Biennial Global Conference of The International Association for the Study of Common Property (IASCP), entitled: Survival of the Commons: Mounting Challenges & New Realities, June 19 – June 23, 2006, Bali, Indonesia.
Paudel N. S. 2005. Protected Areas and Reproduction of Social Inequality. Policy Matters 14:155-168.
Paudel, N. S. 2004. Buffer Zone Management in Royal Chitwan National Park, Understanding the Micro-Politics. Proceeding of the IVth Conference of Science and Management of Protected Area Association, 11-16 May, 2003, Victoria, Canada.
Timsina, N. and Paudel, N.S. 2003. State Versus Community: A Confusing Policy Discourse in Nepal’s Forest Management.” Journal of Forest and Livelihood 2(2): 8-16.
Paudel, N. S. 2002. Integrating People and Nature: A Perspective for Environmental Conservation and Livelihoods in the Context of Nepal” Journal of Forest and Livelihood 2(1): 62-67.
Kanchan Lama
Fighting for enhanced role of women in mainstream development.
A researcher, activist, technical adviser, and policy advocate.
Kanchan Lama, a Master in Political Science, BA hons (Pol Sc), along with special courses in Gender and Development, program development, impact evaluation, participatory research and training, possesses strong theoretical and practical experience in gender analysis, research, mainstreaming, training, review and evaluation. She has worked for more than twenty-nine years with the major INGOs, bi lateral and multilateral agencies, both in national and international fields. She represents Women Major Group at global policy debates, mainly on women’s rights in benefit sharing systems in natural resource management, in several UN global forums, e.g., UNFF, CSD, UNFCCC, SDG, and so on. Currently she provides advisory services to strengthening gender and inclusion in public policy and strategy development for effective results of the SDGs. Besides associated to Forest Action as a research fellow, she holds position of BoD executive member in Women Organizing for Change in Agriculture and Natural Resource Management (WOCAN) based in USA and Chairperson for Women Leading for Change in NRM–Nepal, including BoD positions in several institutions, to name a few, Community of Evaluators (COE) and South Asian Institute of Advanced Studies (SIAS).