| Introducing controls on the use of public lands in a subsistence economy requires grafting environmentally sound land use practices onto an already existing land use system. This necessitates a thorough understanding of the agro-ecosystem, and of the workings of the subsistence economy. This study describes the public and private lands of a Nepali village, their use, and their importance to the incomes of different size farms. The study then investigates the effects of present needs, distribution of benefits, and labor requirements on the cooperation of farmers with controls on the use of public lands.;Results from this study indicate that demands for food, fuel and livestock feed compete for public land resources. While the amount of tree fodder and firewood currently collected on public lands is sustainable, the number of grazing livestock is at least 3 times more than these lands can support. Small farmers, those with less than .9 ha, are dependent on public lands for 45% of their firewood and 43% of their tree fodder, whereas large farmers, those with more than 2.1 ha, receive less than 4% of their firewood and 7% of their tree fodder from these lands. The present needs of small farmers for forest products from public lands are great enough to prevent them from cooperating with controls on the use of public lands. Large and medium-size farmers, however, are interested in managing public lands for increased firewood and fodder production. Consequently, a potential exists for conflict among farm-size groups over the use of public lands.;In the last chapter, results from the study are used to propose an institutional framework for introducing land management in the village, to outline short and long term policies for managing the public lands of the village, to make suggestions about land management in Nepal, and to discuss future research on Nepal's public land management problem.;Quantitative and qualitative methodological approaches were developed to collect accurate information on land uses, and firewood and fodder collecting and consumption patterns. These included observing, interviewing, and surveying techniques. The researcher lived in the village from December, 1981 to December, 1982. |
