Forests Products and Their Uses in Nepal

Forests products and their uses in Nepal
Forests play a very important role in our daily lives. They are essential for the survival of
humans and also enhance welfare as they absorb the harmful gasses and provide oxygen for us to
breathe.
Types of Forest Products

Forest products can be divided into 2 types of Timber and Non-Timber products.
1. Wood and Timber products

Timber is one of the main products sourced from forests among many other products. Timber (or
lumber) is basically a type of wood that has been processed into beams and boards. It is used in
timber-based industries such as plywood, furniture, saw milling, pulp, fiber board, poles, and
particle boards.
2. Non-timber products
a. Fuelwood
For the rural population, wood is an important source of energy for cooking and
heating. They prefer smaller stems as these are easier to collect carry and dry. Some
of the wood is converted to charcoal and used for cooking.
b. Fodder
Fodder from the forest forms an important source for cattle and other grazing animals
in the hilly and the arid regions and during a drought. There are many varieties of
grasses, trees, and shrubs that are nutritious for the livestock.
c. Fencing
Fences created with trees and shrubs are preferred in developing countries as they are
cheap to maintain yet give protection. Species that have thorns or are prickly and
have stiff branches and leaves that are not edible are preferred.
d. Honey
Honey is a major food product sourced from forests. The communities which live
next to the forest are the big sellers of honey. Government gives permission to
villagers and communities to carry out commercial honey farming on nearby forests
as long as they do not harm the forest.
e. Fruits
Forests are also known to be a major source of fruits. Fruits such as orange, mango,
guavas, pears, and jackfruit grow commonly in the forests.
f. Mushroom
Mushrooms are usually grown commercially, but mushrooms are also harvested from
forests in large quantities.
g. Bamboo
The main commercial uses of bamboo are as timber substitutes, fodder, and raw
material for basket, paper and pulp, and other small-scale industries. Bamboo shoots
are a common food in different parts of Nepal.
h. Cane
Cane or rattan are the stems of a climber plant and are used for a large number of
household items. It is used to make walking sticks, polo sticks, baskets, picture
frames, screens, and mats.
i. Grasses
There are hundreds of varieties of grasses in the country that are used for a number of
purposes. Lemon grass, palmrose grass, bhabbhar, and khus grass are some of them.
j. Fruit
Fruit trees are an important source of income and food for the rural household. In
some areas fruit trees are commonly planted along the field borders and around the
wells. Mango, coconut, orange, pear, jackfruit and many others grow wild in the
forest.
k. Medicinal use
Since time immemorial humans have been depending on the forest to cure them of
various ailments. Even today man is dependent on the forest for herbs and plants to
fight against disease. Of all the medicinal trees found in Nepal, the neem is the most
important. Leaves, bark, and other parts of many other trees also have medicinal
value and are used to make various ayurvedic medicines.
l. Fibre
Plant fibre has many different uses. Soft fibres such as jute are derived from the stems
of the plant. Hard fibre from the leaves of hemp and sisal are used to make fabrics for
various applications. Coir, another form of fibre from the fruit of the coconut, is used
to make ropes.
m. Floss
The fruits of many species of Nepalese trees produce a silky floss. The most common
of these is simal. It is used to made cotton wool, mattresses, and pillows.
n. Essential oils
Tropical grasses such as lemon grass, citronella, and khus are the source of essential
oils. Oil is distilled from the wood of various species such as sandalwood, agar, and
pine. Oil is also derived from the leaves of certain plants and trees such as eucalyptus,
camphor, wintergreen, and pine. These oils are used for making soaps, cosmetics,
incense, pharmaceuticals, confectionery, and insect repellant.

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Forests products and their uses in Nepal

Types of Forest Products

1. Wood and Timber products

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