ABSTRACT
Nepal's community forestry has undergone a remarkable transformation in institutional development over the past four decades. With a diversity of institutional practices across different local contexts, the Nepal's journey can offer important insights into the global initiatives on forest restoration and improving local livelihoods. This chapter synthesizes research and experiential insights from institutional practices and innovations, ecological and socio-economic outcomes, and new institutional challenges in the changing contexts. We first discuss diverse forms of community-level institutional arrangements that evolved in different contexts followed by a detailed account of institutional evolution and functioning. Based on this analysis, analytical and policy-relevant lessons were identified for achieving long-term positive ecological and social outcomes from community forestry. The chapter argues that the continued success of community forestry depends on its timely institutional adaptations informed by the changing biophysical and socio-economic contexts.
