Transcript thrimzhung chenmo

Biodiversity and Conservation in
Bhutan
2nd South Asia Judicial Roundtable on Environmental Justice, Taj Tashi , Thimphu, Bhutan
30-31 August 2013
Brief on Bhutan’s conservation history
Started as early as 1960s; RMNP in 1966; PAs (early
90s), PAS with BC in the late nineties.
Currently PAS includes 10 parks connected by BCs51.32% ; comprehensive in the world due to biological
and ecosystem representation.
70.46 percent of the total area under forest cover.
Conservation areas- Phobjikha, Dochula etc
Brief on Bhutan’s conservation history
Biodiversity – within one of the global biodiversity
hotspots- Eastern Himalaya hotspot.
5603 species of vascular plants, 400 ferns, 200
mammals and about 700
birds. 105 endemic plant
species , globally
threatened species
including 27 mammals
and 18 birds.
Brief on Bhutan’s conservation history
Enabling factors- Leadership; GNH philosophy;
Constitution, religion (existence in harmony with
nature, e.g keeping lakes clean, not scaling
mountains, sacred sites, cultural practices like “la
dam” and “ri- dam”, guardian deities etc)
Policy and Legal Framework
Policy and Legal Framework
1. Constitutional requirement - minimum forest cover of
60 percent for perpetuity.
2. State ownership- Article 1 Section 12 on
the Environment states “the rights over
mineral resources, rivers, lakes and forests
shall vest in the State and are the
properties of the State, which shall be
regulated by law”.
3. GNH philosophy- Environmental
conservation pillar
Policy and Legal Framework
4. Forest Act– oldest piece of legislation
(1969) FNCA (1995); “thrimzhung chenmo”
-provided certain legal provisions to protect
the environment; Biodiversity Act of
Bhutan 2003, National Forest Policy (1974,
2010), Biodiversity Action Plan (2009, 2002,
1998), NEPA (2007), National Environment
Strategy for Bhutan 1998 , Vision 2020
5. Party to CBD (Nagoya, Cartagena
protocol), UNFCCC, UNCCD, ITPGRFA,
Ramsar Convention, CITES, IUCN
Issues impacting conservation and maintenance
of natural resources and biodiversity
1.Balancing conservation and development
2.Meeting constitutional mandate of 60 % forest
cover.
3.Forest fire- usually man-made- habitat degradation
and also loss of species.
4.Human wildlife conflict (retaliatory killing; negative
perception towards conservation)
5. Agro-biodiversity- rural- urban migration, loss of diversity,
more vulnerable to impact such as from CC
6. Poaching (of high valuable medicinal plants and animal
parts, eg. Musk deer )
7. Adapting to new and emerging issues like climate changeimpacts of climate change uncertain and adaptation by
biodiversity is a long term event.
8. High demand for timber and fuel wood–construction
(inadequate/ no alternative), still high per capita fuel wood
consumption)
9. Strong in conservation but weak in sustainable utilization and
generating income out of the rich resources.
10. People-centric conservation- shifting
conservation responsibilities from state to
community (CFs, BP)
11. Biological diversity understudied (lack of
expertise and resources= paucity of data and
knowledge = impedes policy advice, decisions;
lack of justification to support conservation
actions.
How are these problems addressed?
1. Leadership (Environmental conservation) and policy support
2. Other initiatives: HWC endowment fund, insurance, BABS Fund,
decentralization of forest to communities, community groups for
NWFP.
3. Institutional strengthening and capacity development- different
agencies with clear mandates- DoFPS- in situ conservation of wild
biodiversity and management of forest resources, NBC- ex-situ of
wild flora and both in and ex situ of domestic biodiversity,
sustainable use promotion through bioprospecting,
knowledge/info. bank- e.g. Herbarium, civil society- RSPN,
funding- BTFEC. However coordination weak.
4. Specific/targeted conservation – e.g Tiger, black necked
crane, white bellied heron.
5. Party to international conventions and regional
initiatives like landscape conservation/transboundary
cooperation initiative- Kanchenjunga Landscape
6. Advocacy and awareness raising programs
7. Sustained financing for
conservation and sustainable
utilisation
What are the challenges that we face on the way ?
1. Inadequate Funding
2. Inadequate human resources in terms of both number and expertise.
3. Not able to generate tangible benefits from conservation, lack of
valuation of ecosystem services (good air quality or serene
landscape)
1.
4. Balance between
Conservation and genuine
need for development ; eg
LU change for urbanization,
infrastructure etc
2.
5. Difficult terrain – to
manage forest fire,
patrolling etc
Thank you for your kind
attention!