community forest management in Bhutan are as follows. A community
forest (CF) is managed by local people who are the traditional users of
the forest, called the Community Forest Management Group (CFMG).4
On approval of a community forest management plan, the government
provides CFMG members with the right to utilize forest products from
their designated community forest in return for taking responsibility
for its management and protection. The management plans, which are
formulated by the CFMG with the help of District Forestry Sector staff
and approved by the Department of Forest Park Services, form the
basis for execution. The management plans act as an agreement between
the CFMG and the Royal Government of Bhutan. The community
forests supply the basic forest-products such as firewood, fodder/grass
and timber to local people on a regular basis (Dhakal and Masuda,
2008). As the members of the community forest management groups
started receiving tangible benefits from the program more fringe villages
joined the program. As a result, over the past few years, there
has been a tremendous increase in the number of community forests
throughout Bhutan. There are over 200 community forests in existence
today and more are likely to be established in the years to come