The Department of Forest Research and Survey (DFRS) implemented Forest Resource Assessment
(FRA) Nepal Project (2010–2014) with financial and technical assistance from the Government of
Finland. The project was designed to carry out national-level forest resource assessment, with an
overall objective of providing comprehensive and up-to-date national-level forest resource
information to support forest policy formulation, forestry sector decision-making and
international reporting. The report presents information primarily on forest cover, growing stock,
biomass, carbon stock, biodiversity and forest disturbances.
Forest cover maps were prepared and classified as Forest, Other Wooded Land (OWL) and Other
Land (non-forest) using RapidEye MSS satellite imagery, secondary images (Google Earth images,
Landsat), ancillary maps (LRMP and topographical maps) and the FRA Nepal field inventory data.
Images were classified by applying an automated method of object-based image analysis method
on segmented images using eCognition software. In order to conduct the forest inventory, a twophased
stratified systematic cluster sampling design was adopted. Five physiographic regions—
Terai, Churia, Middle Mountains, High Mountains and High Himal—were considered as strata. At
the first phase, a total of 9,230 clusters (55,358 plots) were laid out systematically at the nodes of
4 km × 4 km square grids placed across the country. These plots were interpreted by using highresolution
RapidEye imagery and Google Earth. At the second phase, a total of 2,544 sample plots
(Forest: 1,553; OWL: 105; OL: 886) were measured in the field. Each sample plot consisted of four
concentric circular sample plots (CCSP) of different radii, four vegetation sub-plots, four shrubs
and seedlings sub-plots, and four soil pits.