Nepal, March 21 -- Despite all the value our forests hold, the economic contribution they provide are not being reflected as they should be

Known as a crucial natural capital, forests provide a wide range of ecosystem services, benefitting both the environment and the society at large. Natural capital is the most central form of capital as it provides basic conditions for human survival such as delivering food, clean water and air and other essential resources. The concept of Natural Capital shows that environmental systems play a significant role in determining the social being and economic output of a country.

Natural Capital is basically a stock of natural ecosystems existing at a point of time that contributes to human wellbeing. To...