The community forest in Umling Gewog under Sarpang dzongkhag is benefiting the people of the gewog. Of the eight villages, only one does not have a community forest.
The community forest programme was initiated in 1997 with an aim to encourage communities to conserve forest and at the same time generate income for themselves.
In Umling Gewog it was started in 2009. People of the gewog are yet to reap financial benefits from the sale of wood products. However, they are already seeing the environment and other benefits. “When we want to construct a house, the timber is easily available with permission from the secretary of the community forest,” said a resident of Dangling Village, Sonam Tshering. Earlier, he said they had to go to the Dungkhag which was a cumbersome process.
The secretary of Dangling Community Forest, Yeshi Wangdi, said when they joined as the member, they had collected a membership fee which they have loaned out to the needy people. “So far we have given Nu.35, 000 as loan.”
The community forest, according to the people, has enhanced environment conservation, prevented flood and protected drinking water from drying up.
It has also reduced instances of illegal felling of trees and poaching of wild animals according to the people. With the establishment of community forests, the process to obtain timber permit has also become simpler as the people do not have to travel all the way to Gelegphu for that. It can be done from the gewog itself.
