Although the community-based forest management policy started
relatively recently in 2000 in Bhutan compared to other neighboring developing
countries such as India and Nepal, Bhutan occupies a unique
place in the world for its efforts to conserve a large portion of its forests
over a long period of time. It is estimated that a total of 26,826 km2
(which constitutes about 73% of the total geographical area of Bhutan)
is covered in forest (FAO, 2012). It should be noted that Bhutan's forests
forman important component of the country's fragile Himalayanmountain
ecosystem and the conservation of its forests is necessary to maintain
this sensitive ecosystemfor the overall development of society and
nature. On the other hand, Bhutan is largely an agrarian and subsistence
economy inwhich a large number of people critically depend on natural
resources such as forests, streams and meadows for their livelihoods.
About 69% of the total Bhutanese population lives in rural areas and
most of them are directly or indirectly dependent on natural resources
for their subsistence livelihood (Temphel and Beukeboom, 2007).
About one third of these people are living below the poverty line
(NSB, 2007).