Impacts of climate change on ecosystem services and livelihoods: Adaptation for managing non-timber forest products in Upper Madi Watershed of Nepal
Researchers
Lil Gurung Brett Bryan Kelly Miller Susanna Venn
Summary
Non-timber forest products (NTFPs) provide important ecosystem services and are well recognized for their contribution to the livelihoods of rural mountain communities. NTFPs and the livelihoods they support in mountain regions are increasingly being affected by climate change. However, it is largely unclear about the ecosystem services provided by NTFPs and their role in people’s livelihood under the current changing climate due to the limited number of studies. This research explores the ecosystem services provided by NTFPs, their contribution to people’s livelihood and recent changes under the changing climate from the mountain region of Nepal. This study will use participatory research methods and will help to generate knowledge on the ecosystem services provided by NTFPs and about the impacts of climate change on NTFPs ecosystem services and livelihoods in the mountain regions. It will help research communities as well as the government to understand the linkage between NTFP ecosystem services and the well-being of forest-dependent communities in the mountains. Impacts of climate change on the availability of NTFP ecosystem services which is affecting mountain people’s livelihoods will be understood and will support communities and the government to formulate effective adaptation strategies to conserve the impacted NTFP ecosystem services and manage the NTFPs based livelihoods.