Kathmandu, June 2 The Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation has prepared maps with detailed information of forest areas in all 744 local levels across the country. The ministry had constituted a task force headed by Director General of the Department of Forest Research and Survey Deepak Kumar Kharal to prepare the maps. Under secretaries at the Department of Forests and Watershed Conservation, and Department of Survey were expert members of the team. The task force prepared the maps after carrying out detailed study on forest areas in all metropolitan cities, sub-metropolitan cities, municipalities and rural municipalities, according to Kharal, who was also coordinator of the task force. The Department of Survey had conducted a study of the forest areas throughout the country and formulated a national level statistical report two years ago. The present forest area maps have been prepared covering all the local levels based on this statistical report. Kharal said the forest area, non-forested area and watershed areas falling within the local levels were identified in the maps with extensive data. The maps are expected to be highly useful to all the local levels for formulating forest plans, implementing natural resource conservation programmes and carrying out tree plantation in the coming days. READ ALSO:

• Government eases procedure for use of forest land