This manual is intended to assist field staff in the operation and supervision of nurseries for Community Forestry or on-farm private planting. It is particularly suitable for use by organisations encouraging forestry activities at village level. Good management of nurseries is fundamental to producing good quality seedlings and good quality seedlings are the foundation of any planting programme, community, private or Government sponsored. Considerable investment has been made in developing nurseries throughout Nepal to assist Community Forestry plantation programmes. While the major emphasis in activities is now shifting to management of natural forest, nurseries will continue to play a vital role in promoting on-farm planting and enrichment planting of degraded forests. Restoration of forest on bare ground that has lost its forest cover will only be achieved through plantation. Dry, warm southern slopes particularly, need to be established in plantation to create the underwood environment that might allow fodder species to re-establish and grow. Failures in plantations under the Community Forestry programme have often been the result of poor quality seedlings. Production of low quality seedlings has many causes and is not always due to ignorance on behalf of nursery or field staff. Lack of budget, technical and moral support all contribute to causing poor work habits and result in the neglect of essential nursery operations. This manual is an attempt to ensure that for anyone who wishes to grow quality seedlings there are clearly explained nursery techniques in easy to follow instructions that can be understood by the less literate.

Type of Case
Printed publication (book, sourcebook, journal article…)

Publisher
FAO

Region
Asia Pacific

Biome
All

Forest Type
Planted forest

Primary Designated Function
All