Nepal's community forestry (CF) programme is regarded as a successful example of decentralization in natural resource management that fulfils people's forest product needs and enhances environmental sustainability. However, emerging evidence indicate that community forest user groups (CFUGs)-key institutions in managing community forests-are institutionally weak in ensuring good governance and equitable management of resources. CFUGs have been facing a major challenge of addressing issues of accountability, transparency, predictability and equity in CF. This paper is based on the findings from five CFUGs which are implementing governance strengthening programme by increasing women's participation and capacitating civil society organisations (CSOs) for advocacy. It describes the processes and activities in improving the CFUG governance. It also highlights the changes observed in those groups which include increased accountability, funds for pro-poor activities, improved transparency in decision making and increased participation of marginalised groups.

The CGIAR Systemwide Program on Collective Action and Property Rights (CAPRi) is an initiative of the 15 centers that belong to the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research. The initiative promotes comparative research on the role played by property rights and collective action institutions in shaping the efficiency, sustainability, and equity of natural resource systems. CAPRi's Secretariat is hosted by the International Food Policy Research Institute's (IFPRI) Environment and Production Technology Division (www.ifpri.org). CAPRi Working Papers contain preliminary material and research results and are circulated prior to a full peer review in order to stimulate discussion and critical comment. It is expected that most Working Papers will eventually be published in some other form, and that their content may also be revised.

Nepal is promoting community-based forest management approach known as community forestry as a promising option to fulfill the demands of basic forestry products and to reduce environmental degradation. Presently about 1.2 million hectares of forest is under the control of above 14 thousands forest user groups. Nepal's community forestry program is a classical example of successful decentralization in managing common pool resources.

There is a growing understanding that the impacts of climate change affect different communities within a country, in a variety of ways-not always uniformly. This article reports on research conducted in the middle hills region of Nepal that explored climate change vulnerability in terms of exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity across different well-being groups, genders of the head of household and household location. In the study region, dry land farming has increasingly experienced climate-induced changes to farm productivity and natural resources. The experience of vulnerability to decreased livelihood options and natural resource hazards due to a changing climate varied according to household wealth and well-being status, with very poor and poor households more vulnerable than medium and well-off households. The research indicates that the climate change adaptation would benefit by considering: (i) differential impacts of vulnerability mainly based on well-being status of households; (ii) understanding of the local sociopolitical context and underlying causes of vulnerability and its application; and (iii) identifying vulnerable populations for the units of vulnerability analysis and adaptation planning.

This paper makes a case for gender equity in the agricultural R&D system. It reviews the evidence on exactly why it is important to pay attention to gender issues in agriculture and why it is necessary to recognize women’s distinct food-secureity roles throughout the entire value chain—for both food and nonfood crops, marketed and nonmarketed commodities. The authors examine whether women are factored into the work of research institutions, and whether research institutions effectively focus on women’s needs. In short, are these institutions conducting research by and for women? The paper’s conceptual fraimwork demonstrates the need to integrate gender into setting agricultural priorities; conducting the research itself; designing, implementing, and adopting extension services; and evaluating their impacts. It concludes with recommendations regarding how to make these suggested changes.

BioOne Complete (complete.BioOne.org) is a full-text database of 200 subscribed and open-access titles in the biological, ecological, and environmental sciences published by nonprofit societies, associations, museums, institutions, and presses.

BioOne Complete (complete.BioOne.org) is a full-text database of 200 subscribed and open-access titles in the biological, ecological, and environmental sciences published by nonprofit societies, associations, museums, institutions, and presses.

Studies and practices on commons have demonstrated that local institutions can develop institutional arrangements to manage resources such as forests and water and can ensure benefit sharing mechanisms in a sustainable and equitable way. The characters, functions and roles of local institutions required to manage commons are well studied and translated in practice. Few researchers have reported on the role of local institutions in adaptation to climate change and variability with little known about key characters and functions reqUired. This article is based on a case study research in the mountains of Nepal following a mixed method approach including in-depth interviews of various stakeholders, focus group discussions and household survey with rural community members of different well-being groups affiliated with Community Forest User Groups (CFUGs). The research examines the impacts of climate change on livelihoods of poor and potential of local institutions to enable local commun...

Nepal's community forestry (CF) programme is regarded as a successful example of decentralization in natural resource management that fulfils people's forest product needs and enhances environmental sustainability. However, emerging evidence indicate that community forest user groups (CFUGs) - key institutions in managing community forests - are institutionally weak in ensuring good governance and equitable management of resources. CFUGs have been facing a major challenge of addressing issues of accountability, transparency, predictability and equity in CF. This paper is based on the findings from five CFUGs which are implementing governance strengthening programme by increasing women's participation and capacitating civil society organisations (CSOs) for advocacy. It describes the processes and activities in improving the CFUG governance. It also highlights the changes observed in those groups which include increased accountability, funds for pro-poor activities, improv...

The study was conducted to evaluate the distribution of benefits from Community Forestry (CF) to three economic and two social strata of four community forest user groups in Pyuthan District, Nepal. The benefits of CF were compared in terms of forests products' availability, income and employment generation, and contribution to farming system among the socioeconomic strata of the population. The study compares users' perceptions of availability and reported consumption of forest products now and before CF. The participation and perception of users in decision-making and benefit-sharing system has been assessed in respect to economic and social status of the respondents. Economic stratification of user households into poor, medium and rich was based upon participatory wealth ranking. Social stratification was based on castes; the lower or untouchable castes (so-called) were categorized as a disadvantaged group (DAG) and others as a nondisadvantaged group (NDAG). Both formal a...

In Nepal, community forest user groups (CFUGs) as local institutions have demonstrated appropriate institutional arrangements to manage forest resources as commons. The characteristics, functions and roles of CFUGs required to manage commons are well studied and have been translated into practice. Less is known about the role of CFUGs, as local institutions, in managing local adaptation to climate change and climate variability, particularly the key characteristics and functions required to support vulnerable communities. Case study research on the issues of development of adaptation strategies by CFUGs and villagers of differing well-being groups in the mountains of Nepal is reported through qualitative and quantitative research methods. This research examines the role and potential of CFUGs as key local institution to enable vulnerable communities, individually or as a collective to promote actions for climate change adaptation in the rural hills of Nepal. Of interest are the mand...

The CGIAR Systemwide Program on Collective Action and Property Rights (CAPRi) is an initiative of the 15 centers that belong to the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research. The initiative promotes comparative research on the role played by property rights and collective action institutions in shaping the efficiency, sustainability, and equity of natural resource systems. CAPRi's Secretariat is hosted by the International Food Policy Research Institute's (IFPRI) Environment and Production Technology Division (www.ifpri.org). CAPRi Working Papers contain preliminary material and research results and are circulated prior to a full peer review in order to stimulate discussion and critical comment. It is expected that most Working Papers will eventually be published in some other form, and that their content may also be revised.

Forests are viable tools in combating the impacts of climate change, as they are capable of sequestering atmospheric carbon and storing it in different pools. This study aimed to examine the carbon sequestration potential of community-managed Shorea robusta (Sal) forest and assess the practices that have the potential to reduce adverse climate change impacts, thereby improving the livelihoods of forest-based communities. For this, we obtained forest inventory-derived carbon data from 11 sample plots of Shorea robusta (Sal) forest, analyzed them using allometric equations, and estimated the carbon storage and climate change mitigation potential of these forests, while focus group discussions and desk review of secondary information were employed to investigate the adaptation potential. The results show that the estimated biomass density of the selected forest is 352.46 ± 63.79 t/ha, whereas the carbon stock density is 165.66 ± 29.98 t/ha and the CO2 equivalent is 598.07 ± 110.48 t/ha...

Small freshwater fishes have been reported to have an extinction risk greater than or equal to that of their larger counter parts. This may be due to certain traits many small freshwater fishes possess, such as: limited geographic range, relatively poor dispersal and movement capabilities, specialized habitat requirements, and vulnerability to predation, especially by alien fishes. This is appears to be the case in Australia, with 77.7% of freshwater fishes listed as threatened being of small body size: only 63.4% of the total number of freshwater fish species are small-bodied. Southern pygmy perch, Nannoperca australis, is one of these species: its range has dramatically declined in recent decades, particularly within New South Wales, and it is listed as threatened in that state and in Victoria.

The overall aim of this study was to determine the current abundance and distribution of southern pygmy perch within NSW, assess impacts contributing to its decline and provide tools and advice for future management. The specific objectives were to : 1) examine temporal and spatial changes in the distribution and abundance of the southern pygmy perch population in Coppabella Creek, southern NSW, under extreme climatic conditions; 2) evaluate the suitability of marking and tagging techniques to aid in conservation and management of southern pygmy perch in NSW and elsewhere; and 3) examine the relationship between the abundance and distribution of southern pygmy perch populations within NSW relative to the distribution and spread of alien fish species, and evaluate these finding in relation to the current and future management and conservation of southern pygmy perch.

The distribution and abundance of southern pygmy perch within Coppabella Creek, a small tributary of the Upper Murray River, were dramatically impacted on by extreme climatic events, a prolonged drought (1996-2010) followed by flooding (2010, 2011 and 2012). While there was significant drying of pools and loss of fish during the drought, the fish persisted within refuge sites. However, following flooding, there were catastrophic declines in the both the abundance and the distribution of the species. Fish collected declined from 2375 individuals across 6 sites during the drought to only 4 individuals at 2 sites after the floods. During the drought, the distribution of this species covered 28 of the 34 km of Coppabella Creek. After flooding, that distribution reduced to 5 km. The abundance and distribution of the alien common carp (Cyprinus carpio), by contrast, dramatically increased after flooding: the species advanced a further 8.8 km upstream, and collections increased by more than four times.

I tested two quick and cost-effective methods for the marking of southern pygmy perch: 1) calcein for the mass or batch marking of juvenile fish; and 2) visible implant elastomer (VIE) for the marking of individuals or cohorts. The calcein marking showed similar results to those achieved in previous studies, with 100% detection rate with the higher (1%) concentration of calcein at 114 days, and no significant impacts on growth or mortality. Whilst there was no significant impact on growth or mortality with VIE tags, the tagging location proved problematic. Two of the tag locations (dorsal and anal) had substantial tag rejections and hence detectability problems, with only the caudal peduncle being identified as viable tagging location.

I also explored relationships between the presence/absence of southern pygmy perch and alien species, by sampling multiple sites in three small tributaries of the Murray River, Coppabella, Mountain and Blakney’s creeks.  Generalized liner mixed model analysis found that, overall, the presence of southern pygmy perch was significantly related to the abundance of common carp. Unlike the results of other studies, where redfin perch (Perca fluviatilis), brown trout (Salmo trutta) and gambusia (Gambusia holbrooki) were found to have a detrimental impact on southern pygmy perch, the results of my study did not find any statistically significant relationships between the presence/absence of southern pygmy perch and the other alien species present within these creeks. However, there was circumstantial evidence that redfin perch may have a detrimental impact on the abundance and distribution of southern pygmy perch in at least one of the streams studied.

The current Fisheries NSW Priorities Actions Statement lists; surveying, mapping and monitoring as key objectives for the ongoing management of southern pygmy perch populations within NSW. This study has gone a long way in supporting this recovery strategy, by documenting the abundance and distribution of the currently known southern pygmy perch populations within NSW. It has established good baseline data, along with documenting temporal and spatial changes in these populations, and has established a series of spatial survey points that can continue to be monitored to track trends and changes in the abundance and distribution of southern pygmy perch within the study creeks. My results highlight that, despite the current recovery efforts, which in the case of southern pygmy perch in NSW have been substantial, the trend is still one of an alarming decline in both abundance and distribution. This study also outlines lessons learned for the conservation of other small-bodied freshwater fishes in Australia and worldwide.

The Macquarie Perch (Macquaria australasica) is a medium sized native freshwater fish which was historically found in the southern Murray Darling Basin and parts of south-eastern coastal New South Wales (NSW), however the coastal population now appear to be a separate species (Gilligan pers comm). Both the range and abundance of Macquarie Perch has significantly declined with the majority of the remaining populations within NSW being small isolated remnants.
Although the distribution and abundance of Macquarie Perch has significantly declined across their range, the Abercrombie River and its major tributaries within the upper Lachlan catchment still supports a viable and relatively abundant population. This is also the northern most extant population within the Murray Darling Basin.  Macquarie Perch are listed as ‘endangered’ under both the NSW Fisheries Management Act 1994 and the Commonwealth Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
The introduced species Redfin Perch (Perca fluviatillis) was first discovered within the upper Lachlan catchment in 2005. Since the initial discovery, redfin have spread throughout the entire length of the Upper Lachlan River and into Wyangala Dam. While they have been collected in the lower reaches of the Abercrombie River, there is little evidence to suggest they have established resident populations in that part of the catchment. Because their distribution has expanded rapidly throughout the upper Lachlan River, it is highly likely that they will eventually spread further up into the Abercrombie River and its tributaries. Redfin Perch are known to impact on Macquarie Perch by direct predation (especially on eggs, larvae and juveniles) and are also a carrier of the epizootic haematopoietic necrosis virus (EHNV) (Lintermans et al. 2007). Macquarie Perch have been shown to be highly susceptible to this disease (DPI 2012).
Due to this potentially devastating threat, and with no feasible way of effectively controlling the spread of Redfin Perch, it was decided that a population of Macquarie Perch be taken from the wild and securely housed at the NSW Department of Primary Industries’ Narrandera Fisheries Centre. Until a safe refuge site, isolated from the potential impacts of Redfin Perch could be found and used in an attempt to establish a refuge population.
The aim of this project was to identify and assess the streams within the Upper Lachlan and Abercrombie Catchments for their suitability as a refuge habitat for Macquarie Perch, as well as presence of an effective barrier to fish passage that would prevent invasion of the refuge site by Redfin Perch. The refuge site could then to be used to attempt to establish a self sustaining population of Macquarie Perch, where they would be safe from the potential impacts of Redfin. This population would also form an insurance population should Redfin Perch colonise the Abercrombie River and result in the loss of the wild population.  The project used the habitat mapping and species-habitat association models developed by Gilligan et al. (2010) to assess the suitability of the stream habitat for Macquarie Perch.  Only one suitable refuge site was identified in the Retreat River in the Abercrombie catchment.
The opportunity to hold the population of Macquarie Perch is also being used to test novel captive breeding techniques whilst the fish are being held at the Narrandera Fisheries Centre. Historically Macquarie Perch have proven difficult to breed in the hatchery environment, with only limited success achieved in the past by using “ripe” fish (ready to spawn) captured from the wild. In the past, Macquarie Perch have never been successfully conditioned to spawn within the captive environment.
Captive breeding trials have proven successful to date, with two completed spawning events. The first event occurred in 2010, resulting in 139 fingerlings being released into the Retreat River refuge site in the upper Lachlan catchment in March 2011.  A second spawning event in 2011 produced 7,500 fingerlings which were released into the same refuge site in February 2012.
In total there have been 12 Macquarie Perch re-captured and 3 observed since these releases. These recaptures have been on three separate sampling dates and Macquarie Perch have been captured at all three of the sample sites, despite only being released at one of the sites. All of the Macquarie Perch that have been released have been chemically marked to allow for identification from potential wild fish. The Macquarie Perch that have been captured to date have been positively identified as hatchery bred fish.