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Reecha Basnet

Reecha Basnet

PhD Candidate
UNSW Canberra
School of Science

About

I am a Master of Science by Research student, supported by the Australia Awards Scholarship. My background is in forestry and natural resource management, with field and teaching experience in Nepal spanning community forestry, GIS, and vocational education. My current research focuses on forest fire risk under climate change, using Nepal as a case study with relevance to mountain regions worldwide.
Email

reecha.basnet@unsw.edu.au

Location

Building 26, Room 108

Previous Study

Master of Science in Natural Resource Management and Rural Development, Kathmandu Forestry College, Tribhuvan University, Nepal (2023)

Bachelor of Science in Forestry, Institute of Forestry, Tribhuvan University, Hetauda, Nepal (2018)

Research Area

Forest fire risk assessment in mountain landscapes, with a focus on climate-driven fire susceptibility, fire danger rating, and geospatial modelling. My work uses Nepal as a case study, creating data and tools to support better forest fire management in Nepal.

Research Outputs

Current Research Project: Forest fire risk assessment and danger rating system for Nepal, using climate reanalysis and geospatial modelling (UNSW Canberra, ongoing)

Master's Thesis: Identification of Forest Fire Risk Areas of Chure-Terai Madhesh Landscape Using Geospatial Techniques (Kathmandu Forestry College, Tribhuvan University, 2023)

Bachelor's Thesis: Effects of Artisanal Fishing on the Behavioural State of Ganges River Dolphin in Nepalese Waterways: A Case Study of Koshi River, Nepal (Institute of Forestry, Tribhuvan University, Hetauda, 2018)

Publications

Parajuli, A., Gautam, A. P., Sharma, S., Lamichhane, P., Sharma, G., Bist, B. S., … Basnet, R. (2022). A Strategy for involving community forest managers in effective forest fire management in Nepal. Banko Janakari : A Journal of Forestry Information for Nepal = Banako Jānakāri, 32(1), 41–51. Access here

Paudel, S., & Basnet, R. (2018). Upstream-downstream connectivity: An overview of hydrological and ecological functions in relation to the Churia-Terai conservation in Nepal. Forestry: Journal of Institute of Forestry, Nepal, 15, 87–96.

Shrestha, P., Mandal, R.A., Kandel, P., Rajbhandari, S., Sharma, G., Mahat, N., Poudel, S., Dahal, D., Budhathoki, A., & Basnet, R. (2025). Effects of invasive alien plant species on native plant species across altitudinal ranges: A case study of five community forests of Jajarkot district. Journal of Forest and Livelihood, 25(1), 66–77.

Rajbhandari, S., Yadav, Y., Shrestha, P., Dahal, D., Sharma, G., Poudel, S., & Basnet, R. (2025). Role of NTFP-based Micro-enterprises in Livelihood Improvement of Forest User Group: A Case of a Sishnoobased Micro-enterprise in the Mid-hills of Nepal. Journal of Forest and Livelihood, 25(1), 55-65. Access here