Flash drought is characterized by rapid onset and short-duration drought conditions caused by a combination of factors, including high evaporation, high temperature, and prolonged periods of little to no precipitation, leading to a sudden and severe decrease in soil moisture levels. In comparison to conventional drought, it is more susceptible to the effects of global warming and has the potential to become a common drought phenomenon in the coming years, necessitating further research. In this paper, we focused on flash drought events, specifically in forest parts of northeastern China that are included within the Greater Khingan Mountains (GKM), Lesser Khingan Mountains (LKM), and Changbai Mountains (CM), using daily soil moisture data as well as SPOT- VEGETATION NDVI satellite data from 2000 to 2020 and determined their impact on the forest NDVI. Our major findings are as follows. (1) The forest within GKM had the maximum area being affected by flash drought events. (2) The frequency ranged from 1 to 2 times, whereas the total duration varied between 20 and 55 days over the study area in a 21-year period. (3) Flash drought was most common in the plant-growing seasons. (4) The flash drought events had a negative influence on the forest NDVI. Our study contributes to a deeper understanding of the flash drought dynamics in forest areas of northeast China for flash drought monitoring, prediction, and management strategies in this region.

Forest ecosystems are essential to the global carbon cycle because they are the biggest terrestrial carbon reserves. In the management of forests, thinning is a commonly employed strategy, impacting the respiration and biomass loss of trees, thereby modifying forest carbon dynamics. However, there is a lack of scientific research to confirm the impacts of thinning intensities on carbon storage in trees, soil layers, shrubs, and ground vegetation layers as well as its impact on wood production and growth rate. The goal of this study was to find the optimal thinning levels for increasing carbon sequestration during the growth stage of the Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis) middle-aged plantations in Northeast China. In this study, thinning intensity (0, 10, 11, 16, 18, and 22%) affected the carbon storage of trees, tree growth, volume, and, we suspected, soil layer, shrubs, and vegetation (herbs, litter, and grass) also. Specifically, after four years of thinning, the 18% treatment significantly increased total carbon storage, individual organ storage, growth, and tree volume (p < 0.05). These results give us abundant information about how thinning affects the dynamics of carbon storage, wood production, and the interactions between soil and plants in P. koraiensis plantations, contributing to multi-objective management strategies for optimizing carbon sequestration, wood production, and ecosystem health.

Gaur, a large herbivore native to South and Southeast Asia, supports ecosystem health by enhancing soil sustainability, promoting plant growth, and aiding plant succession. In Nepal, their presence is limited to the protected habitats of two lowland (Terai) protected areas: Chitwan National Park (CNP) and Parsa National Park (PNP). However, information on the habitat factors influencing Gaur occurrence is limited, yet is essential for improving the existing habitats of this keystone species and prioritizing conservation efforts within the protected area. To address this gap, our study used an ensemble modelling approach to predict Gaur habitat suitability and identify key factors influencing their occurrence in CNP, Nepal. To gather data on Gaur's presence points, field-based surveys were conducted in April and May 2021, including periodic censuses and annual monitoring. Their presence was verified through direct observations, identification of pellet droppings, and hoofmarks found within the park. Ensemble modeling identified approximately 183.53 km2 within the CNP as highly suitable habitat for Gaur, representing 2.1% of the buffer zone and 97.9% of the core area. Of the 33 variables used to construct the habitat suitability model, human population density, slope, and livestock density were the most influencing factors. For long-term Gaur conservation, our study recommends prioritizing habitat management by strictly limiting human activities and livestock grazing in the core of CNP.

Nepal has spent more than four decades developing one of the world's most recognized community forestry (CF) programs, handing day to day forest management responsibilities to local forest user groups. More recently, forests located within the buffer zones of protected areas (PAs) have been reclassified as Buffer Zone Community Forests (BZCFs), placing them under the joint control of user groups and park authorities within the federal governance framework adopted in 2015. This hybrid governance model is widely assumed as a mechanism for simultaneously achieving biodiversity conservation along with local socio-economic development. However, the extent to which it fulfills the objectives, and whether the multiple policy frameworks governing it have created overlapping mandates, ambiguous authority, and contradictory benefit-sharing rules, remain unaddressed. This review examines how the transition from CF to BZCF has influenced forest conditions, livelihoods and local institutions in Nepal, while identifying areas where governance and policy frameworks are inconsistent or contradictory. Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, we synthesised evidence from 80 studies published between 2000 and 2026 and analyzed the findings through a Drivers-Processes-Outcomes framework spanning the federal, provincial and local levels. Evidence indicated that the impacts of BZCFs are mixed and highly context-specific. Ecologically, BZCF exhibited improved canopy cover, reduced forest fragmentation, and improved forest health; however, these improvements do not guarantee increases in biodiversity. Economically, conservation related activities especially from tourism have generated additional income for some communities, yet the benefits are unevenly distributed, while restrictive regulations on forest products continue to adversely affect households that depend heavily on the forest. Institutionally, the transition has reduced community autonomy, as much of the decision-making power now resides with park authorities rather than the community. This is exacerbated by overlapping budgets, ambiguous decision-making processes and conflicting benefit-sharing mechanisms, which contribute towards a recentralization of the system, increased transaction costs, and a declining local legitimacy. Overall, our findings suggest that this process of so-called 'hybrid governance' cannot reconcile dual objectives of conservation and development. Achieving these goals will require greater policy coherence across all levels of government, transparent and equitable benefit-sharing mechanisms, and the retention of meaningful co-management authority by local communities.

Private forests (PFs) are an important component of Nepal's forestry sector, providing social, ecological, and economic benefits. However, their development remains constrained by institutional, regulatory, and operational barriers. This study examined the status, management practices, and institutional challenges of private forests in Parsa District of Madhesh Province, Nepal, using a mixed-methods approach. Primary data were collected through a questionnaire survey of 34 registered private forest owners (20% of 168 registered PFs), eight key informant interviews, four focus group discussions, and direct field observation. Secondary data from institutional records, policies, regulations, and relevant literature were used to complement and triangulate the primary data. Results showed that registration peaked during 2005–2010, coinciding with external project support, but subsequently stagnated amid complex, multi-agency administrative procedures. This has created a registration gap in which policy recognizes private ownership but provides limited post-registration support. Management practices were largely market-oriented, with preferences for fast-growing, high-value species such as Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Tectona grandis, and Dalbergia sissoo, potentially limiting native species diversity. Private forests provided multiple livelihood and ecosystem benefits, including fuelwood (27.97%), timber, fodder, fruits, and contributions to soil and biodiversity conservation. However, their productivity and sustainability were constrained by pest and weed infestations, seedling mortality and theft, inadequate irrigation, and limited access to quality planting materials. A chi-square goodness-of-fit test indicated a significant concentration of responses around bureaucratic permitting procedures (χ2=11.65, P=0.009), which were the most frequently reported policy barrier. Value-added taxation, species-specific restrictions, and weak post-registration monitoring further constrained private forest development. Simplifying regulatory procedures, strengthening institutional and technical support, and improving policy coherence are therefore important for enhancing private forestry and promoting sustainable forest management in Nepal.

Landslides are among the most destructive natural hazards in the Nepal Himalaya, driven by natural triggers (e.g., fragile geology, steep terrain, and intense monsoon rainfall) and escalating anthropogenic pressures (e.g., rapid road expansion and unplanned land use change). Despite their devastating consequences, most districts of Nepal lack systematic landslide susceptibility assessments, leaving planners and communities without the spatial evidence needed for risk‐informed decision‐making. This study addresses that gap by producing the first landslide susceptibility map for the entire Udayapur District, a region spanning the Mahabharat Hills, Chure Hills (Siwaliks), and Inner Terai plains. A landslide inventory of 211 events was compiled through satellite image interpretation and field verification. Eleven conditioning factors representing topographic, geological, hydrological, land cover, and anthropogenic parameters were analyzed using the frequency ratio (FR) model in a GIS environment. The district was classified into five susceptibility zones: very high (8.21%), high (20.61%), moderate (26.50%), low (27.64%), and very low (17.04%). Very high and high susceptibility zones were concentrated in the northern Mahabharat region, where steep slopes, weak geological formations, and road proximity compound hazard conditions. Model validation was done using an independent inventory dataset ( n = 63) that yielded an AUC of 0.767, confirming good predictive performance. These findings demonstrate that the FR model provides a reliable, data‐efficient approach for susceptibility mapping in data‐scarce Himalayan settings. The resulting map offers planners and disaster management authorities a spatially explicit foundation for prioritizing slope stabilization, disaster risk mitigation, and early warning system design with a transferable methodology applicable across comparable unstudied districts of the Himalaya.