In the late 1970s, Nepal launched a reforestation project to restore its massively deforested lands in the southeastern Terai landscape. However, the main tree of choice, eucalyptus, after showing initial signs of success has now proven detrimental to the region’s soil moisture and fertility, Mongabay contributor Mukesh Pokhrel reported in February. To prepare for the reforestation project, the Australian government aided Nepal by sending experts, who suggested planting a eucalyptus species called red river gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis), native to Australia, on Nepal’s lowland plains. At the time, there was a growing demand for fuelwood and timber among the local communities in the Terai region and its biggest employer, the Janakpur Cigarette Factory. Eucalyptus was chosen for its ability to grow fast and be harvested within eight to 10 years, Pokhrel writes. The Sagarnath Forest Development Project, launched formally in 1977, got its first eucalyptus harvest in 1989 and was deemed a success for meeting its objectives of increased tree cover and wood supply. By 2015, time for the fourth harvest, farmers from Sarlahi district took an interest in eucalyptus as they saw truckloads of fuelwood leaving the Sagarnath forests. They were enticed by the quick yields and the plant’s low maintenance, and began replacing their rice, mustard and wheat fields with eucalyptus trees, a trend that was copied in more than 20 neighboring districts in the region, Pokhrel writes. The district forest office supported this interest by distributing eucalyptus saplings on a large scale. Although various reports from within and…This article was originally published on Mongabay
Nepal farmers regret planting government-hyped eucalyptus
