Chitwan, April 27 -- A once barren hillside in ward 8 of Kalika Municipality, Chitwan, has been transformed into a thriving green forest, bringing both ecological recovery and steady income to local residents.

Above the home of Larimaya Gurung, aged 60, in Gairibari, a hill that stood dry and degraded 25 years ago is now covered in dense greenery. Local residents say the change is the result of collective effort under leasehold forestry programme, which allows communities to manage and benefit from nearby degraded forest land.

"We used to cut grass and sell bamboo that grew here," Gurung said. "This year, we earned Rs756,000 just from selling sal timber."

Gurung is among 12 local residents who took responsibility for protecting the for...