Since its establishment in 1995, the Federation of Community Forestry Users, Nepal (FECOFUN) has dedicated itself to promoting community management of the country’s forest land. Through its tireless efforts, FECOFUN has succeeded in increasing the number of Community Forest User Groups (CFUGs) in Nepal from 638 to 22,519, which account for 55% of the population as of 2021. CFUGs are autonomous local community institutions comprising numerous households that oversee forest governance.

At present, CFUGs manage 40% of Nepal’s forest area, which has been critical to the widespread success of community forestry in the country. The positive impact of community forestry can be seen in the expansion of forest cover by over 5% since 1988, increasing from 39% to 44.74% in 2020. Such outcomes signify FECOFUN’s unwavering commitment to sustainable forest management and their efforts to empower local communities.

Moreover, in a deeply patriarchal society, FECOFUN has made significant strides in promoting gender equity in forestry governance. As a result, at least 22,000 women are now serving as either chairperson or secretary in forestry governance structures of Nepal, a testament to FECOFUN’s commitment to promoting inclusive and equitable community forest management.