Forest and Soil Restoration and Land Use Change Impacts on Carbon Pools and Fluxes in the Himalaya: Research and capacity building in Nepal

The PhD research work is progressing satisfactorily. - All course work was completed early in 2013. - The field sampling of soil and biomass at all sites have been completed, and soil samples analyzed for the baseline properties. - Another round of sampling is planned for the first quarter of 2014. - The leasehold forest demonstration plots have been monitored and are due to be sampled again in early 2014. - The agro-forestry demonstration plots are established and functional. Groups of studen ts from Kathmandu Forestry College, Kathmandu University and Institute of Forestry will receive practical training there. - The local and national dissemination workshops are being planned for the last quarter of 2013 and 3rd quarter of 2014. - Similarl y, the international seminar (conference) is planned for the 3rd quarter of 2014. - The project will need no cost extention to be concluded as in the final quarter of 2015 at which time the PhD candidate will complete his degree work and all anticipate d paper is published.

Ecosystems of the Himalayan region are fragile and highly sensitive to the impacts of climate change. The forests and soils of these ecosystems have come under severe stress from the ever-escalating human and livestock population pressures, which have le d to serious degradation of natural resources (forests, land/soil and water). The degradation of forests and soil has major implications for climate change and for the food/livelihood security of local rural communities in the region. Effective short-te rm measures and long-term strategies for enhancing carbon sequestration in forests and soils of the Himalaya would not only help mitigate global climate change by reducing carbon emissions, but could also lead to enhanced livelihoods and reduction of pove rty. The proposed programme aims to build upon past and on-going research to establish relationships among land use change, forest and soil degradation and potential carbon sequestration in forests and agroforestry systems in hill and plains agroecosyste ms of the Himalaya. Furthermore, demonstration plots will be established, along with training and capacity-building conducted to enable the participating institutions to lead and initiate lasting reforms at both the policy (REDD/REALU strategies) and fie ld-implementation levels.