RSPN News

The World Environment Day (WED) 2011 was successfully celebrated in Paro among the dignitaries from the UN, Environmental organizations, Dzongkhag officials, teachers, students and hundreds of public.

The Chief Guest His Excellency Dasho Paljor J. Dorji, Advisor to the National Environment Commission remarked that under the dynamic leadership of His Majesty the Fourth King, Bhutan has been recognized as the “Champion of the earth” in environmental conservation and all Bhutanese have played their role in it and this spirit has to continue.

The first ever systematic land cover assessment in the country was done in 1995 by the Land Use & Planning Project (LUPP) of the Ministry with funds from Danida.

With the key objectives of bringing together people working in the wintering habitats of the Black Necked Cranes in Bhutan and other relevant stakeholders and to share experiences and status of the species conservation works in their respective areas, a one day workshop was organized by RSPN in Thimphu on May 30^th, 2011. Furthermore the workshop was also aimed to evolve a mechanism to regularly share information about status and conservation of species from their respective areas.

May 26, 2011 - The first steering committee meeting for the Community-Based Sustainable Project in Phobjikha was held on 18^th May 2011 at the Hotel Phuntsho Pelri in Thimphu. The project steering was established with representation from major stakeholder agencies which could significantly contribute to developing Phobjikha as a model community-based tourist destination.

Alternatives to mitigate Human Wildlife Conflict

Traditional watchtower to guard the crops

Consultative meetings with the stakeholders and communities of Passangphu and Madhuwa Tshowogs in Kangpara Gewog, Tashigang from 25^th April- 1^st May. The consultative meeting was a part of RSPN’s pilot initiative to reduce Human Wildlife Conflict (HWC) in the area. This two-year project, funded by UNDP and DANIDA, will focus on compensating the HWC affected farmers by institutionalising a community-based sustainable financial mechanism at the grassroots level. Interested households can register as a member of the scheme by contributing membership fee and premiums. The compensation will be partial and eligible only if the elected committee deem appropriate for compensation. In a socio-economic survey conducted

12-day old White-bellied heron chick (Photo: RSPN)

Update 19 May 2011 - The first White-belleid heron hatched in captive on May 2011 is 13-days old today. Today at 13 days old, it weighed 265.3 grams.

The officials at the hatchery site say they feed only three times a day. It takes whole fish, which is 6-7cm long.