The proposed project is located in Rautahat District of Madhesh Province, Nepal, a climate-vulnerable landscape in the eastern Terai region characterized by fragmented forests, agricultural pressure, rising temperatures, floods, riverbank erosion, and biodiversity decline. Community forests in this area play a critical role in protecting ecosystems, supporting livelihoods, and maintaining ecological connectivity between forests, farmlands, and wetlands. However, increasing rural migration, declining traditional forest dependency, illegal extraction, forest fires, and climate change are weakening long-term community stewardship of forests.

To address these challenges, FECOFUN and local Community Forest User Groups (CFUGs) propose the “Climate-Resilient Community Forestry and Green Livelihood Initiative” in Rautahat. The project will restore degraded community forest landscapes through plantation of climate-resilient and multipurpose native species such as bamboo, fruit trees, medicinal plants, fodder species, and non-timber forest products that improve biodiversity while generating local income opportunities.

The project combines ecosystem restoration with sustainable livelihoods and community-led technology innovation. Women and youth groups will be supported to develop forest-based enterprises including herbal products, bamboo crafts, nurseries, ecotourism services, and sustainable agroforestry systems. To strengthen forest protection, the initiative will introduce drone-based community forest monitoring and surveillance to track illegal logging, forest encroachment, wildfire risks, and ecosystem changes.

The ecosystem we work in includes tropical sal forests, riverine forests, wetlands, and agricultural buffer landscapes that support important biodiversity, groundwater recharge, carbon sequestration, and climate resilience for local communities. The project also strengthens habitat conservation for birds, pollinators, and native wildlife species while reducing land degradation and improving watershed health.

At the heart of the project is FECOFUN’s community-led approach. Local CFUGs, especially women, Indigenous Peoples, Dalits, and marginalized households, will lead planning, implementation, and decision-making processes. By integrating restoration, biodiversity conservation, climate adaptation, green livelihoods, and local governance, the project aims to create resilient forests and resilient communities in one of Nepal’s most climate-sensitive landscapes.