| |
 |
| |
POLICY AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORKS |
| |
| 1 |
With the formation of the Buffer Zone Working Group, a mechanism has been in-built, and it is this Group that will ultimately form the basis for the establishment of a separate Division within the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation to oversee Buffer Zone management. |
| 2 |
Gender mainstreaming will be fully ensured with the approval and implementation of the revised Buffer Zone Management Regulations and Guidelines, and other forward-looking policies incorporated in these documents will address issues like social inclusion, benefit sharing and equity issues, and streamline Buffer Zone development in the long run. |
| 3 |
The declaration of the Buffer Zones of Shuklaphanta, Koshi Tappu and Parsa Wildlife Reserves has increased the commitment of the local communities to work for conservation and inculcated in them a sense of stewardship. |
| 4 |
The new Buffer Zone Community Forest Guidelines, which also incorporates leasehold forestry component, has addressed poverty reduction issue. |
| 5 |
The support provided for the formulation of the Nepal Biodiversity Strategy and Nepal Biodiversity Implementation Plan has provided the platform for a larger landscape conservation agenda. |
| 6 |
he Buffer Zone Networking Forum meeting has provided a common platform for active policy up-streaming and down-streaming and given the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation added leverage to expand its linkages with its Buffer Zone partners. |
|
|
| |
DEVELOPMENTS OF FIVE CAPITALS |
The programme has supported in putting into place five capitals, which it considers to be the fundamental pillars to bring about sustainable biodiversity conservation and Buffer Zone development, which also incorporate livelihood issues, conflict transformation etc. These capitals include: a) Social, b) Human, c) Financial, d) Natural and e) Physical.
|
| |
|
The programme has supported the formation of the following self-governed local institutions: |
| |
| Buffer Zone Management Committees (BZMCs) |
7 |
| User Committees |
88 |
| User Groups |
3,631 |
| Male: |
1,771 |
| Female |
1,698 |
| Mixed |
162 |
|
 |
|
Impacts of Social capital |
- Park-People relationship has improved further.
-
The formation and institutionalization of various community based organizations has brought about cohesiveness among the local communities.
-
A strong conservation cadre has been developed to work in close partnership with the Park/Reserve staff for a common goal.
|
| |
2. Human capital (Institutional strengthening/capacity building)
|
Various types of training have been conducted for Buffer Zone communities (including Special Target Groups) and Park/Reserve staff as well as the programme staff. |
| |
A. For Buffer Zone communities: |
The following types of training have been imparted across all 7 sites:
Managerial, organizational and leadership skills; financial management; institutional development; database updating and plan preparation; skill enhancement and entrepreneurship; Cooperative and Community Forest management and orientation etc. Intra-Park exposure visits have also been organized for them for a learning experience. |
|
| |
B. For Park/Reserve staff: |
The Park/Reserve staffs have been given training especially on communication and facilitation skills so as to enhance their capacity to work with the local communities. They have also been provided the opportunity to take part in various orientation programmes and workshops, taken on in-country and out-country exposure visits etc. |
| |
C. For Programme staff: |
Community Mobilizers and Local Community Motivators, especially of Rara and Khaptad National Parks, have been provided training in community mobilization techniques. |
| |
Impacts of Human capital |
- Institutional capacity of the various community based organizations has been developed.
- These local self-governed institutions have become more vibrant and enthusiastic to work for conservation and sustainable development.
- The capacity of the Park/Reserve staff to work in partnership with the local communities has been enhanced.
- Newly hired Community Mobilizers and Local Community Motivators have been given exposure to proper community mobilization techniques and have been motivated to better their performance.
|
|
3. Financial capital (Financial mechanisms) |
For the sustainability of the Buffer Zone programme, the programme has put into place certain financial mechanisms. These include the community savings and credit scheme and the Biodiversity Conservation Facility (a revolving fund). These are being institutionalized through Buffer Zone Cooperatives. |
| |
Community capital generation and mobilization till date are as follows: |
Generation |
Rs. 71.13 million |
Mobilization |
Rs. 115.48 million |
|
 |
Biodiversity Conservation Facility mobilized across all seven programme sites – Rs. 26.3 million (approx.)
|
Cooperatives: Registered so far -- 73
Under registration process -- 32
Besides this, Rs. 240 million has been ploughed back to declared Buffer Zones through the 50% Park revenue sharing mechanism. |
| |
Impacts of Financial capital |
- Financial mechanism has been established.
-
Community capital has been generated (through the self-saving scheme) and mobilized for various income generation and/or other purposes, thus lifting the burden of local people having to depend upon other funding sources that carry higher interest rates.
-
Buffer Zone communities have easy access to credits and loans which has fostered an enabling atmosphere for micro enterprise development and, ultimately, livelihood support.
-
Livelihood of a majority of the Buffer Zone communities has improved in both social and economic terms.
|
| |
4. Natural capital (Alternate resource base) |
The programme has been providing support in developing alternate resource base in the Buffer Zones with the dual aim of reducing the pressure on Park/Reserve resources and providing easy access to basic forest needs like firewood and fodder for the local communities. Support has also been provided in promoting alternate energy resources like biogas, improved cooking stoves solar panels, micro-hydro etc. in collaboration with other partner organizations working in the Buffer Zones.
The following have been achieved regarding this so far:
|
-
6,070 hectares of Buffer Zone community forest have been handed over so far to local users and efforts are ongoing to expedite the handover process.
- 12,800 hectares of potential community forest are under handover process.
- Community plantation in more than 1,700 hectares of Buffer Zone land has been carried out so far.
-
More than 2,500 biogas plants have been installed so far and BZ communities are gradually beginning to install them on their own initiative by taking loans.
-
A MoU was signed with Winrock International in 2005 to expand micro finance access to BZ communities for meeting the increasing demand for biogas.
|
| |
Impacts of Natural capital |
|
| |
5. Physical capital |
The programme has been providing partial support in the construction/maintenance of basic physical infrastructure inside Parks and Reserves. This has been done with the aim of promoting eco tourism, providing easy mobility for monitoring purposes, maintenance of viable wildlife populations, minimizing human-wildlife encounters etc. The following have been achieved in this direction: |
| |
- Putting up information boards/signposts etc.
- Establishment, maintenance and/or upgrading of information centers.
- View tower construction/maintenance.
- Construction/maintenance of forest trails/fire lines.
- Wooden bridge construction and/or maintenance.
- Construction/maintenance of animal preventive infrastructure.
- Water hole construction/maintenance for wild animals.
|
|
|
Impacts of Physical capital |
|
| |
