Recent research highlights the essential role of planted forests in providing multiple ecosystem goods and services (ES) to human society. However, there has been little assessment of these ES due to a lack of an appropriate framework and tools for assessment. Researchers, policymakers and society at large have shown considerable enthusiasm for appropriate approaches, classifications and tools to be developed for assessment of ES from planted forests. Drawing on lessons derived from ES assessments on various land use types, in this paper we propose and test an easy-to-apply framework to assess ES from planted forests in Nepal. We recognise that the diverse characteristics of planted forests, such as location, purpose, species, rotation, management intensity, and local demand and supply, can influence the provision of ES from planted forests. We show examples of opportunities to enhance multiple ecosystem services in planted forest landscapes, which meet both production and conservation goals.

Authors: Poudel, I.P; Baral, H.; Paudyal, K.; Bhatta, L.D.

Subjects: ecosystem services, community-based forest management

Publication type: Conference Paper, Publication

Year: 2015