Tirtha Bahadur Shrestha, PH.D.: Key Words: Forest Type, Ecological Map, Classification, Protected Areas

Classification of Nepalese Forests
and Their Distribution in Protected Areas

Tirtha Bahadur Shrestha, Ph.D.1
Abstract
Nepal is nature’s paradise. It’s a small attractive package of nature embracing the rich
biological diversity in the tiniest area. One of the nature’s gifts to Nepal is its vegetation.
The narrow strip of land harbours over 170 parcels of vegetation. The need of
categorisation of Nepal’s forest type is thus not only needed to acknowledge the rich
diversity but also to make it applicable in scientific studies and researches. This paper
endeavours to classify the Nepal’s forest according to all the rational parameters yet
avoiding the strict compartmentalisation which is near to impossible as in the case of
natural and life bearing heritage like forest.
Key Words: Forest type, Ecological map, Classification, Protected areas
Introduction
The Himalaya creates a complex mountain ecosystem to give rise to diverse flora, vegetation
and forest types. As such classification of vegetation types or forest types becomes very
complex too. Mutually exclusive divisions or strict compartmentalization in terms of forest
type coverage is not possible nor is desirable because it does not exist in nature. Difficulties in
classification are further aggravated due to human intervention and modification of natural
vegetation. Some degree of generalization, therefore, becomes necessary, and general adoption
of a classification would become more practical. Classifications are aimed for a certain purpose.
For the purpose of understanding biodiversity and preparing ecological map of Nepal an
integrated classification and nomenclature is arrived on the basis of physiognomy, structure,
flora and bioclimate. It has been adopted by Department of Forest (DoF) and has been published
under Tree Improvement and Silviculture Component (TISC) Document Series No. 105, 2002.
Basis of Classification
For a mountain country like Nepal altitudinal limits are most convenient to define ecological
zones or life zones. Geographical locations and habitat types provide easy means to differentiate
various types within the same or similar physiognomic-structural type. Floristic dominance
often provides lead identification and nomenclature of forest types.
The parameters (Table 1)
• Bioclimatic zonation
Nepal lies just outside of the tropics in the global climatic zonation. However,
bioclimatic tropicality extents into it up to an elevation of 1,000 m altitude. The Sub-
1
Life Member, Nepal Academy, tirtha@infofamily.com.np
The Initiation 2008 SUFFREC 1

tropical zone (1,000-2,000 m), the Temperate zone (2000-3000 m), the Sub-alpine
zone (3,000-4,000 m), the Alpine zone (4000-5000 m) and the Nival zone (5,000 and
above) appear juxtaposed along mountain slopes. This allows us to specify alpine
pasture, sub-alpine mountain oak, temperate juniper, tropical mixed hardwood and
so on in the process of vegetation/forest classification.
• Geographical locations
Geographical specification allows to readily separate out vegetation types such as
trans-Himalayan steppe, temperate mountain oak forest or hill Sal forest.
Geographical notion of western or eastern type also helps to differentiate forest
types such as east Himalayan and west Himalayan, as well as north facing or south
facing forests.
• Physiognomy & structural parameter
Physiognomy is most apparent and hence convenient to describe and delineate forest
types such as closed forest, open or dense forests, one-layered or multilayered forests,
open woodland or grassland and so on. Structural features such as evergreen,
deciduous, coniferous or broadleaved type contribute to aid visual identification.
Such features can readily be used as environmental indicators. Besides, the carbon
sink capacity of various forest types may also be assessed on the basis of structure.
Deciduous forests for example remain inactive in photo-synthesis during winter.
As such global carbon sink drops during October-March when northern hemisphere
is largely deciduous, and devoid of broadleaves.
• Floristic parameter
Floristic classification is efficient but it remains too technical when botanical names
are used such as Tsuga forest, Schima-Castanopsis forest etc. Latin names may be
replaced by common english names such as Hemlock forest for Tsuga forest or Sal
forest for Shorea forest based upon local names. Stainton (1972) used mostly
botanical names while Forest Statistics (1973) used common english names. Similarly,
the Forestry Sector Master Plan (1989) also used common english names such as
Birch forest, Fir forest, Khair-Sisso forest and so on.
Table 1: Parameters for Vegetation/Forest Classification
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Classification of Forests/Vegetation
The government of Nepal has attempted to provide forest classification for the use of forest
officers and managers. Currently the wide spread Community Forest User Groups (CFUGs)
are using 8 forest types in their operational Plans (Table 2). The Forestry Sector Master Plan
(1989) used just 12 forest types where as the Forest Statistics (1973) was already using 21
types. The Land Resource Mapping Project 1986 (LRMP) used only 7 types to cover whole
of Nepal. Stainton's Forest of Nepal (1972) elaborated forest types on the basis of detailed
floristic studies. The TISC (2000) came up with 37 vegetation types in order to prepare the
ecological map of Nepal (2000). It was based upon the extensive work of Dobremez (1972)
and his collaborators. Forest types adopted by various contributions are spelled out in Table 2.
Details of the TISC Classification (2000) are to be found in TISC Doc. Series No. 105 published
in the aegis of NARMSAP (Natural Resource Management Sector Assistance Programme)
supported by DANIDA.
Table 2: Forest Types Correspondences

Potential Vegetation Types of Nepal
The Potential Vegetation Types of Nepal (2000) appears as the ecological map of Nepal (scale
1:25,000 and 1: 100,000). The map was prepared by Tirtha B. Shrestha, Puspa R. Shakya,
Damodar P. Joshi and Govinda Joshi. The project was coordinated by Jens-Peter Barnekow
Lillesso (Danish Consultant). Data sources were used from eight ecological maps (scale
1:250,000) published by CNRS-Paris authored by the following scientists during 1970 to
1985.
1. Annapurna – Dhaulagiri by Dobremez & Jest 1970
2. Kathmandu – Everest by Dobremez 1972
3. Central Terai by Dobremez 1973

4. Biratnagar – Kanchanjunga by Dobremez & Shakya 1975
5. Jumla – Saipal by Dobremez & T.B. Shrestha 1978
6. Api – Dhaulagiri by Dobremez 1984
7. Butwal – Mustang by Dobremez, Battner, Jest, Vigny and Joshi 1984
8. Nepalgunj – Dailekh by Dobremez, Joshi and Shrestha 1985
Forest Types in Protected Areas

Sixteen protected areas of Nepal encompassing 9 National Parks, 3 Wildlife Reserves, 3
Conservation Areas and one Hunting Reserve contain 30 types of vegetation with permanent
snow in the nival zone. Table 3 details out their distribution. Figure 1 illustrates vertical range
of each protected area as marked by altitudinal limits.
Fig. 1: Altitudinal Range of Protected Areas of Nepal
Table 3: Occurrence of Forest Types and Number of Endemic Flowering Plants in

Protected Areas

Note: ACA Annapurna Conservation Area
DHR Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve
KCA Kanchanjungha Conservation Area
KNP Khaptad National Park
KTWR Koshi Tappur Wildlife Reserve
LNP Langtang National Park
MBCA Makalu-Barun Conservation Area (Buffer Zone)
MBNP Makalu-Barun National Park
MCA Manaslu Conservation Area
PWR Parsa Wildlife Reserve

BNP Bardia National Park
CNP Chitwan National Park
RNP Rara National Park
SNP Sagarmatha National Park
SPNP Shey-Phoksundo National Park
SPWR Sukla Phanta Wildlife Reserve
ShNP Shivapuri National Park
Conclusion
The ecological complexities of Nepal has allowed to identify over 170 parcels of vegetation
types in the CNRS vegetation maps (Dobremez et.al 1970 to 1985). They were being reduced
to 118 types by the Biodiversity Profiles Project (1995) supported by the GIS unit of ICIMOD.
Currently TISC (2000) reduced the 118 types to 36 types excluding the nival zone and the
water bodies. The forest type classification through an integration of previous work is expected
to be used by forestry practitioners, ecologists and development workers.
Acknowledgements
This work is the product of a number of scientists of CNRS-Paris and the department of Plant
Resources, Govt. of Nepal. I acknowledge all of those who contributed to the vegetation
maps produced by CNRS-Paris. I sincerely acknowledge Prof. J.F. Dobremez for his continued
support to improve ecological works in Nepal. I duly acknowledge the invaluable support of
TISC/NARMSAP staff especially Mr. Prayag Raj Shrestha, Mr. Lokendra Purush Dhakal and
Mr. Rabin Shrestha during the entire process of revising and publishing new set of maps and
the supporting document "Forest and Vegetation of Nepal". The role of Jens-Peter B. Lilleso,
as Project Consultant and Mr. Bo Schultz and Programme Coordinator remained invaluable.
Last but not least the support and encouragements of Mr. Chandi P. Shrestha, Secretary, MoFSC
and Mr. Dibya D. Bhatta, Director General, DoF are highly acknowledged by the team working
for revising the forest and vegetation types of Nepal.
Reference:
2002, Forest and Vegetation Types of Nepal. TISC Document Series No. 105. Dept of Forest,
HMG/NARMSAP, International Year of Mountain Publication, Nepal.
Bhuju, U.R; Shakya, P.R.; Basnet T.B. and Shrestha, S. (2007). Nepal Biodiversity Resource
Book – Protected areas, Ramsar Sites and World Heritage Sites. ICIMOD/MOEST,
GON/UNEP/Nepalnature.com
BPP (1995a). An Assessment of the Representation of the Terestrial Ecosystems in the Protected
Areas System of Nepal. Biodiversity Profiles Project Publication No. 15. Department
of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, Ministry of Forests and Soil
Conservation. His Majesty's Government of Nepal, Kathmandu.
Dobremez, J.F. (1976). Le Népal Ecologie et Biogeography, Editions du Centre National de
la Recherche Scientifique, Paris, France.

Dobremez, J.F. (1984). Carte Ecologique du Nepal. Region Dhangarhi – Api 1:250,000. Cahiers
Nepalais Documents 10, Centre Nationale de la Recherche Scientifique, Paris, France.
Dobremez, J.F. and Shakya, P.R. (1975). Carte Ecologique du Nepal. IV. Region Biratnagar -
Kanchenjunga 1:250,000. Doc. Carte Ecol. XVI, pp. 33-48
Dobremez, J.F. and Shrestha, T.B. (1978). Carte Ecologique du Nepal. Region: Jumla-Saipal.
Cahiers Nepalais Documents 9, Centre Nationale de la Recherche Scientifique, Paris,
France
Dobremez, J.F.; Joshi, D.P.; Shrestha, T.B. and Vigny, F. (1985). Carte Ecologique du Nepal.
Region: Nepalganj – Dailekh 1:250,000. Cahiers Nepalais Documents 12, Centre
Nationale de la Recherche Scientifique, Paris, France
ICIMOD (1996). GIS Database of Key Indicators of Sustainable Mountain Development in
Nepal. Mountain Environment and Natural Resources Information Services
(MENRIS), Internal Centre for Integrated Mountain Development.
Kenting Earth Science Limited (1986). Land Resource Mapping Project: Land utilization
report appendices two and three. Kenting Earth Science Limited, Canada.
MPFS (1988). Master Plan for Forestry Sector Nepal. Soil Conservation and Watershed
Management Plan., HMG Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation/ADB/FINNIDA,
Kathmandu, Nepal.
Shrestha, T.B. (1982). Ecology and Vegetation of North-West Nepal (Karnali Region). Royal
Nepal Academy, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Stainton, JDA (1972): Forests of Nepal. John Murray, London.
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Classification of Nepalese Forests

and Their Distribution in Protected Areas

The Initiation 2008 SUFFREC 1

2 SUFFREC The Initiation 2008

Table 2: Forest Types Correspondences

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Forest Types in Protected Areas

Fig. 1: Altitudinal Range of Protected Areas of Nepal

Table 3: Occurrence of Forest Types and Number of Endemic Flowering Plants in

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The Initiation 2008 SUFFREC 9

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