This monograph examines contemporary environmental challenges facing Nepal, this landlocked country's representativeness in the wider South Asian context is both distinct and generalizable. In large part, this is because of its extremes of physiographical structure- plains, hill ranges, mountainous massifs - and wide range of altitudinal terrains, which represent and replicate South Asian and East Asian continental conditions differing as markedly as humid tropical lowlands, sub-tropical hill ranges and temperate to sub-arctic mountainous environments. Associated forest regimes, in which deforestation and reforestation patterns have evolved in recent times, and differing densities of settlement and cleared agricultural landscapes in each of these altitudinal zones, add to the environmental diversity of Nepal. Associated fauna and exotic species are in various states of endangerment especially Bengal tigers, one horned rhinos, wild elephants, crocodile, musk deer, and peasants, to name a few- so that their forested and mountainous habitats as 'Wild Life Reserves' also deserve our attention, and are featured in this monograph's remit.

Realizing strong linkages existing between household and farm-and-forest, this book analyzes these relationships using an un-ordered multinomial logistic regression model within the framework of peasant ecology theory. The study area is the Tarai region which was considered as a defensive barrier against the British Raj until the late 1940s. However, after the late 1950s, this region started experiencing rapid population growth due to migration resulting into agriculture intensification and deforestation. Farmers have started different survival alternatives including the off-farm employment (OFE) both at local and distant locations. This research observed that degree of peasants' dependence on on-farm and OFE varies based on "major determinant factors," which include families' cultural background, socio-economic and demographic conditions, presence or absence of various types of roads and forests near settlements, farm sizes and their ownership types, levels of family education, fuel sources, and location of job centers. This study fits within the framework of rural poverty and agrarian change embedded in land tenure systems in many developing countries.

In the 20th century Nepal was in isolation until 1950, and afterwards, the pace of socio-political and economic progresses faced lots of ups and downs. The 1950 revolution of people tried to established people's sovereignty, but was hijacked by the then king in 1960, who imposed his party-less system. Multiparty polity was reintroduced in 1990 by another movement of people. After nearly five years of multiparty polity, Communist party of Nepal-Maoists launched 'People's War' in 1996 which ended after it signed a comprehensive peace agreement with the interim government in 2006. As of now they are enjoying a major political party and leader with partner of a coalition government.