Community Management and Wellbeing Increase the Resilience of Nepali Forests to Climate Change
Abstract
Community-based
conservation
initiatives
are
essential
for
mitigating
climate
change
and
biodiversity
loss.
Yet,
the
communities
leading
these
efforts
themselves
disproportionately
impacted
by
change.
Despite
this,
there
is
little
insight
about
how
resilient
community-based
institutions
to
extreme
weather
contextual
factors,
such
as
material
wellbeing,
further
affect
their
durability.
We
examined
this
dynamic
across
nearly
20,000
community-managed
forests
in
Nepal
using
high-resolution
mapping
of
forest
from
2018–2023.
Our
analysis
revealed
that,
without
community
management,
tree
clearing
doubled
response
anomalous
precipitation
patterns.
In
contrast,
showed
no
loss,
with
resilience
similarly
bolstered
wellbeing.
Unlike
formal
protected
areas,
also
maintain
local
access
resources,
likely
limiting
harvesting
encouraging
cultivation
non-timber
products.
These
findings
underscore
vulnerability
instability
protective
potential
management.
Published: April 11, 2025
Language: Английский