Community forests turn to tourism, but potential remains untapped

Community forests bordering Chitwan National Park are earning millions of rupees annually from jeep, elephant and boat safaris. Elsewhere in Chitwan, however, community forests have been slow to tap their ecotourism potential, despite opportunities to generate income while supporting conservation. Some have developed parks and picnic spots, while plans to introduce safaris and birdwatching remain stalled in others.

Investment and initiative in ecotourism, which could help improve local livelihoods while supporting conservation, remain limited. Gyaneshwar Community Forest in Chitwan is considered one of the country's outstanding community forests. Located alongside the Narayani River in Mangalpur, ward 16 of Bharatpur Metropolitan City, the forest is also home to the endangered one-horned rhinoceros.

Just five to seven kilometres west of Bharatpur and Narayanghat, the district's main urban centres, it attracts crowds of visitors for picnics, particularly during winter.