Re-reading Nepalese landscapes: labour, water, farming patches and trees

Figures & data

Table 1. Description of case study villages

	Altitude (range)	Climate	Natural vegetation	Nr of HH	CF size
Rampur village (Kaijal CFUG) Ramechhap municipality, ward no 5, Ramechhap	500 to 1300 masl.	Within the rain shadow of the Mahabharat mountain range and relatively dry, rainfall 800 m/year	Sparse chir pine (Pinus roxbughii) forests	185 HH Tamang and Newar HH with smaller groups of Magar and Dalit HH.	372.50 ha
Silame Sakhajor village (Sarashwoti CFUG*), Kamalamai municipality, ward no 5, Sindhuli	Below 300 masl.	In the Dune Valley part of the Chure area, semi-tropical climate. Rainfall 1800 mm/year.	Rich broad-leaf vegetation	201 HH Mainly Newar HH and few Tamang HH.	399.27 ha

CFUG – community forest user group, CF – community forest, HH – Household

Figure 1. Study area in Rampur, Ramechhap. Maps: Google Earth.com

Figure 2. Study area in Silame Sakhajor, Sindhuli. Maps: Google Earth.com

Table 2. Description of patches identified in Rampur and Silame Sakhajor. Categories in order of an assessed over all importance

		Patch	Description	Contribution to HH economy
		Private land
1		Khet Irrigated cultivated land	Irrigated crop land, paddy fields on relatively gentle slopes or flat lands	Food crops, fodder (crop residue)
2		Bari Non irrigated cultivated land	Rain fed crop land, terraced fields in slopes with different level gradients	Food crops, fodder, forest products
3		Kharbari/Kharpakho Land where you produce thatching material and fodder	Less productive slope areas or bari land managed for grass for thatching and fodder and fuel wood	Fodder, fuel-wood
4		Karesabari/ghuran Homestead	Intensively managed area around houses and stables	Food crops (vegetables), fruits, spices, medicinal plants, fodder
		Public land
5		Gas baan Slopy border land of community forests	Literally meaning fodder forest. Community forest edge areas, managed by individual households for fodder production, a combination kharbari and slopes with bamboo and trees (practiced in Sindhuli)	Fodder, forest products
6		Baan Forest	Community forest areas managed by community forest user group	Fodder, fuel-wood, timber and minor collection of food and medicinal plants

* Photo on line 1, 4 and 5 have been taken in Silame Sakhajor and photo and 2 and 6 in Rampur.

Figure 3. The estimated proportion of different food crops, feeds, fuel wood and timber harvested in different land use patches in Rampur. Other constr. mtrl. - Other construction material

Figure 4. The estimated proportion of different food crops, feeds, fuel wood and timber harvested in different land use patches in Silame Sakhajor. Other constr. mtrl. - Other construction material