Forest and shrub together cover about 5.83 million ha, which makes 39.6% of the total land area of the country. More than 19,000 community based forest user groups are managing about 25% of the total national forest area. Nepal is dominated by an agrarian society. Forestry is an integral part of agriculture and rural livelihoods and fuel wood is the principal source of rural energy. Non-wood forest products (NWFPs) have become the source of income for the rural poor, medicine for primary health care and revenue for the government.

Nepal is a member of both the UN-REDD Programme (since 2010) and FCPF.  While FCPF supports the country's overall REDD+ Readiness capacity development process, UN-REDD, based on a request by the Govnemnet of Nepal,  has been providing targeted support in identifying options for the design of an effective, efficient and equitable fund management system for REDD+ finance, and in assessing key policies and measures for addressing drivers of deforestation and forest degradation and linkages to the overall national REDD Readiness process. 

Addressing Corruption Risks in REDD+ in Asia-Pacific
November 2011
The UN-REDD Programme recently co-organized two regional workshops in Nepal and Thailand to identify practical recommendations in tackling corruption risks for REDD+. Read full article

Nepal Joins the UN-REDD Programme
October 2009
Argentina, Cambodia, Ecuador, Nepal and Sri Lanka join the UN-REDD Programme. Read full article