Although 71% of Bhutan’s total land is under forest cover, landslides and soil erosion are some of the most significant environmental problems in Bhutan; the cumulative impact of these phenomena at the national level is quite significant. Due to the geographical terrain and location in a critical seismic zone, Bhutan experiences landslides and soil erosion, escalating land management problems and compounding the general loss of soil fertility. Indeed, land degradation is happening at an alarming rate. According to Second National Communication 2011, the total land area affected by landslides and soil erosion was 77,211 hectares in Bhutan.
Land degradation, especially on fragile mountain slopes, exposes top soil to monsoon rainfall, causing top-soil erosion, gully erosion, flash floods, and slope destabilization. This inevitably results in the loss of productive land and increases the need for expensive eco-restoration and relief programs. Considering the fact that only 2.75% of the country’s area is cultivated agricultural land, conservation of precious arable land is paramount.
Additionally, the deterioration of vegetative cover generally increases the amount of dust particles suspended in the atmosphere, exposing the populace to allergies and other respiratory ailments.
Land degradation can mainly be attributed to rapid socio-economic development and population growth in addition to emergence of mining industries, shifting cultivation practices, and other land use changes.
However, ensuring continuity and replication of sustainable land management practices that is most appropriate to Bhutanese context that will secure livelihoods for rural people is still a challenge. To address these issues, RSPN will embark on:
At RSPN, we believe a single grain of sand can tip the scale. You can be the grain that tips the scale towards improved environmental conditions and conservation efforts in Bhutan. RSPN has set a target to raise US$ 1.5 million for next 10 years.