rendering the site vulnerable to land degradation and ecosystem change. Forest fires in Bhutan generally spread to steep, inaccessible areas beyond the intended ecosystem/habitat and ravages everything in its path, leading to detrimental effects that far outweigh any potential benefits. Moreover, the causes of fires are mostly man-made such as increasing area for cattle foraging, preventing wildlife invasions and other accidental cases. Table 7: Total fire incidences in Bhutan from 2008 to 2013 Figure XX: Forest fire trend in the last 17 years 2.1.3: Over extraction of Timber and Fuel wood The current of timber extraction is of serious concern given the fact that most of the timber resources are supplied on an ad-hoc basis from unmanaged forests. The Natural Resources Development Corporation Limited has extracted about 10 million cft of commercial timber in the last five years (2008-12) from forest management units and working schemes, based on the annual allowable cuts determined by the Department of Forests and Park Services. In addition, during the same period, the Department of Forests and Park Services allotted about 40 million cft of timber for various uses from areas, much of which were supplied on ad hoc basis (Forestry facts and figures 2013). Therefore, the sustainable limits of these forest resources, particularly those supplied from areas outside FMU systems are not known. 2.1.4: Overgrazing There is a general perception in Bhutan that rangelands are degrading due to overgrazing while some others believe that vegetation change may have resulted from other factors such as forest fire, lack of fire (discontinuation of the use of fire in range land management regimes in the alpine region,) extreme weathers and natural events (Gyamtsho, 1996; Gibson, 1991). While detailed assessment of rangeland resources and their potential have not yet been made and there is a lack of quantitative data to support widespread claims of overgrazing and resulting rangeland degradation (Gyeltshen, undated).The current estimated density of livestock (cattle and yaks) at 221 animals per km2 of pasture land, translating to about 11 animals/acre of pasture land, is considered slightly above the carrying capacity of 10
rendering the site vulnerable to land degradation and ecosystem change. Forest fires in Bhutan generally spread to steep, inaccessible areas beyond the intended ecosystem/habitat and ravages everything in its path, leading to detrimental effects that far outweigh any potential benefits. Moreover, the causes of fires are mostly man-made such as increasing area for cattle foraging, preventing wildlife invasions and other accidental cases. Table 7: Total fire incidences in Bhutan from 2008 to 2013 Figure XX: Forest fire trend in the last 17 years 2.1.3: Over extraction of Timber and Fuel wood The current of timber extraction is of serious concern given the fact that most of the timber resources are supplied on an ad-hoc basis from unmanaged forests. The Natural Resources Development Corporation Limited has extracted about 10 million cft of commercial timber in the last five years (2008-12) from forest management units and working schemes, based on the annual allowable cuts determined by the Department of Forests and Park Services. In addition, during the same period, the Department of Forests and Park Services allotted about 40 million cft of timber for various uses from areas, much of which were supplied on ad hoc basis (Forestry facts and figures 2013). Therefore, the sustainable limits of these forest resources, particularly those supplied from areas outside FMU systems are not known. 2.1.4: Overgrazing There is a general perception in Bhutan that rangelands are degrading due to overgrazing while some others believe that vegetation change may have resulted from other factors such as forest fire, lack of fire (discontinuation of the use of fire in range land management regimes in the alpine region,) extreme weathers and natural events (Gyamtsho, 1996; Gibson, 1991). While detailed assessment of rangeland resources and their potential have not yet been made and there is a lack of quantitative data to support widespread claims of overgrazing and resulting rangeland degradation (Gyeltshen, undated).The current estimated density of livestock (cattle and yaks) at 221 animals per km2 of pasture land, translating to about 11 animals/acre of pasture land, is considered slightly above the carrying capacity of 10
NBSAP-draft_30th-August-2014.docx