Terai Forests of Nepal

The Forest Resource Assessment (FRA) Nepal Project (2010-2014) was designed to provide comprehensive, up-to-date national-level forest resource information for use in national forest policy development and strategic forestry sector decision-making. The FRA’s fi nal design was based on an internationally accepted systematic sampling design and the national data needs assessed in 2010. The “Terai Forests of Nepal 2010-2012” report presents the fi ndings of the FRA conducted in the Terai Physiographic Region during 2010-2012 using RapidEye Satellite Images of February and March 2010/11. This report provides data on the distribution, extent, species composition, soils and biodiversity of Terai forests; discusses forest change; and provides estimates of timber volumes and carbon storage. In addition, it discusses the occurrence and utility of non-timber forest products (NTFPs). 
The term “Terai” refers to the Terai Physiographic Region of Nepal as defined Land Resource Mapping Project (LRMP). It occupies 2,016,998 ha of the total land area of the country.  It is located in a sub-tropical climatic zone characterised by hot and humid summers, intense monsoon rain, and dry winters. The maximum monthly mean temperature, 3540°C falls in April/May and the minimum, 14-16 °C, in January. In recent years, population growth rate of 1.75%, the highest in the nation, have resulted in heavy pressure on the forest resources of the region.