DR. SITA ARYAL

Areas of Expertise

Natural Resource Management, Community Forest Management and Social Mobilization, Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI), Bio-diversity Conservation, Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM), Livelihood through Forest Based Enterprise, Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) and Disaster Risk reduction (DRR), Project management, Policy Advocacy and Governance

Brief Bio

I did PhD in Natural Resources and Life Sciences in 2014 with the specialization in Analysis of operational forest management and planning approaches, and design of alternative management strategies in mid-hill community forests, Nepal, in University for Bodenkulture (BOKU)/University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria. And Master Degree in Mountain Forestry in 2008 from the same University, Austria.

I have more than 15 years' of working experience in Natural Resource Management sector especially in community forest management in different national and international institutions. Since last 4 years, I am playing my role as an Executive Director in FECOFUN and also working as a National Project Coordinator on the Local Communities Right Secure Project in FECOFUN. My key role and responsibilities are:

• Overall monitoring of different program and projects implemented by FECOFUN,
• Institutional strengthening,
• Overall management of community right secure project through coordination with partner organizations.
• Annual and quarterly work plan preparation and budgeting for project implementation,
• Technical support for bio-diversity conservation, GESI and forest governance,
• Livelihood support to women, poor, Indigenous peoples and marginalized communities through forest based enterprise promotion,
• Policy advocacy to ensure the rights of women, poor, IPs, Dalit in forestry and NRM sector,
• Support for climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction activities.

Moreover, I am also playing my role for monitoring and evaluation of the implemented activities, project technical report preparation, submission to the donor, documentation of best practices of CFUGs, staff mobilization in central and local level.

I also worked as a Team leader of Hariyo Ban Program and Program Coordinator in Paani Project in FECOFUN. I was a, Report Writing Coordinator for Forest Resource Assessment (FRA) Nepal Project; Governance/social inclusion expert for Practical Solution Consultancy Nepal, PVT. Ltd (PSPL); and Project Support Ranger in Division Forest Office, Baglung funded by Nepal U. K. Community Forestry Project (NUKCFP), United Kingdom. I had received following three awards and I am a life member of Nepal Foresters' Association (NFA).

1. Excellent work performance and motivation award by District Forest Office Baglung and Nepal UK Community Forestry Project, Baglung in 1999.
2. North-South-Dialogue scholarship award for Master study in Mountain Forestry for two years (October, 2006 – October, 2008) in University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna, Austria.
3. Austrian Partnership Programme in Higher Education and Research for Development (appear) scholarship award for Doctoral study in Forest Management for 3 years 9 months (October, 2010 – August, 2014) in University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna, Austria.

Publications (Weblink only), if any:

• State of Nepal's Forests. Forest Resource Assessment (FRA) Nepal, Department of Forest Research and Survey (DFRS). Publication no. 5. Kathmandu, Nepal. http://www.dfrs.gov.np
• High Mountains and High Himal Forests of Nepal. Forest Resource Assessment (FRA) Nepal, Department of Forest Research and Survey (DFRS). Publication no. 4. Kathmandu, Nepal. http://www.dfrs.gov.np
• Middle Mountains Forests of Nepal. Forest Resource Assessment (FRA) Nepal, Department of Forest Research and Survey (DFRS). Publication no. 3. Kathmandu, Nepal. http://www.dfrs.gov.np
• Developing Community Forestry Management Strategies for Multiple Ecosystem Services and Benefits in the Mid-hills, Nepal full paper for Tropentag conference 2013, Stuttgart-Hohenheim, Germany. http://www.tropentag.de/2013/abstracts/full/133.pdf
• Policy brief on Policy Provisions, Gaps and Challenges of Community Based Forest Enterprise in Nepal. Green Foundation Nepal. Kathmandu, Nepal. http://greenfoundationnepal.com/doc.php
• Policy Brief Community Based Forest Enterprises and Livelihood Support to Rural People in Nepal. Green Foundation Nepal. Kathmandu, Nepal. http://greenfoundationnepal.com/doc.php
• Case Studies on Community Based Forest Enterprises: Case Study 1: Community Forest Based Eco-tourism, Chitwan Case Study 2: Community Forest Based Wooden Handicraft Production, Makawanpur Case Study 3: Community Forest Based Bio-Briquette Production, Sindhupalchok. http://greenfoundationnepal.com/doc.php