COMMUNITY BASED RED PANDA CONSERVATION IN EASTERN NEPAL
We are partnering with the Red Panda Network for Red Panda conservation in Panchthar district of Eastern Nepal since 2013. Since then we have been implementing the “Community Based Red Panda Conservation” program in six Village Development Committees (Lungrupa, Sidin, Prangbung, Memeng, Phalaicha and Chayangthapu) of Panchthar district.
Deep Jyoti Youth Club and Red Panda Network works in the following 3 thematic areas of red panda conservation in Panchthar district.
1. Community Based Red Panda Monitoring
The community based red pandamonitoring is being carried out by the twelve local Forest Guardians of Red Panda Network. They are local community people who are trained on conservation and monitoring of red panda and awareness building activities. The forest guardians are nominated by the respective community forest user group and they involve in the establishment of red panda monitoring blocks to monitoring the blocks continuously. The forest guardians are working in the twelve blocks of seven community forests. They have been providing a refresher training each year. A success story of one of our forest guardian, Mr. Tej Bahadur Rai which was featured in the Red Panda Network’s blog post can be read here http://goo.gl/lZ8mYP.
2. Conservation Outreach Activities
Spreading the conservation messages to the community people is important for conservation of red panda. We have been organizing several community conservation workshops for the local forest users and students of local schools. We have created ten Roots and Shoots Groups in the local schools of our working areas to engage, involve and motive on the conservation of red panda. They have been publishing a tri-monthly Red Panda Bulletin which includes articles on conservation of red panda and biodiversity. They are learning about red panda by being involved in a day long eco-trip to the red panda habitat. A bi-weekly Red Panda Conservation Radio program is also being aired in three radio stations of Ilam, Panchthar and Taplejung districts. We have installed seven red panda conservation information boards in working areas. We are also celebrating the International Red Panda Day every year in all of villages of our working areas.
3. Support on Sustainable Living Activities
The support on rural livelihood to the people of red panda habitat plays an important role in conservation. We have been promoting and supporting the community people and our forest guardians in the farming of medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) for income generation from which they can make good amount of money than doing traditional farming to run their life. We provide them training on cultivation of the major medicinal plants of the areas. The mostly planted and popular species of medicinal plants are Swertia chiraita, Aconitum spp. Paris pollyphylla, Valeriana officinalis etc. We have made a nursery cum demonstration site of Taxus wallichiana at Dawapani of Sidin village where local community people can learn and replicate the work of Taxus wallichiana plantation on their barren farmland.The Red Panda Network is committed to the conservation of wild red pandas and their habitat through the education and empowerment of local communities. For information about Red Panda Network www.RedPandaNetwork.Org.