Himalayan Degradation Project

Kjersti Bakkebø

An interdisciplinary Approach do Analyze the Dynamics of Forest and Soil Degradation and to Develop Sustainable Agro-Ecological Strategies For Fragile Himalayan Watersheds

Objectives and brief description:
The overall objective of the project is to analyze the dynamics of forest and soil degradation processes at the watershed level in the Himalayan region. The focus is on studying the systems behavior in its entirety and to develop sustainable management strategies, which are technically feasible, economically viable, and socially acceptable.

The study will provide a scientific basis for identifying sound policy options for the management of forests and soils of the Himalayan watersheds in an environmentally friendly and sustainable manner. Within the stipulated project period, a set of scientific papers, computer models of forest and soil degradation processes, reports, guidelines and recommendations for scientists, policy makers and local land users will be delivered.

The project was started November 2001 and was finished in 2006.

Project coordinator:
Professor Bal Ram Singh, Institutt for plante- og miljøvitenskap (IPM)

Researchers from INA:
- Professor Ole Hofstad
- Dr. Prem Lall Sankhayan

Cooperating institutions:
- Green world research, the Netherlands
- University of Wales Swansea (UWS), Great Britain
- Forest Research Institute (FRI), India
- Tribhuvan University (TU), Nepal
- Pakistan Forest Institute (PFI), Pakistan

Financed by:
EU under “5th frame work program: Confirming the International Role of Community, Research, INCO-DEV, Region Asia”

Publications

-	Singh, B.R., Sitaula, B.K., Sankhayan, P.L. & Balla, M.K. 2004. Soil and Forest Degradation in Marginalised Agriculture of Nepal- Retrospective and Output. - Forestry 12: 1-7.
-	Sitaula, B.K., Sankhayan, P.L., Bajracharya, R.M. & Singh, B.R. 2004. Analysis of Forest Degradation, Soil Erosion and Carbon Losses in a Mid-Hill Watershed of Nepal: A Bio-Economic Modelling Approach. - Forestry 12: 45-59.
-	Sankhayan, P.L., Gurung, N., Sitaula, B.K. & Hofstad, O. 2003. Bio economic modeling of land use and forest degradation at watershed level in Nepal. - Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 94: 105-116.
-	Sitaula, B.K., Sankhayan, P.L., Singh, B.R. & Hofstad, O. 2002. Forest and Soil Degradation in The Himalayan Region: State of the Art and Guidelines for Field Research. - Rapport, Norges Landbrukshøgskole, Institutt for jord og vannfag 4/2002, 147 pp.
-	Gurung, N., Sankhayan, P.L., Hofstad, O. & Sitaula, B.K. 2002. Factors affecting forest volume and biomass at watershed level: A study in Annapurna conservation area, Nepal. - Indian Forester 128(4): 379-390.

Published: 07.10.06
Updated: 07.10.09
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Fax: +47 64 96 58 01
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