NATIONAL 1 (Spotlight Weekly)]

Nurturing Nature

At its annual conference, the World-Wide Fund for Nature call for greater efforts to protect endangered species

By KESHAB POUDEL

Despite the uncertainties created by the two-day dawn-to-dusk strike call by nine leftist parties, the annual conference of the World-Wide Fund for Nature Conservation gave some boost to Nepal's conservation efforts.

At the inaugural ceremony, participants hailed Nepal's three-decade-long efforts to conserve its natural heritage. "We are very proud to welcome all our international guests in Nepal," said Dr. Chandra Gurung, country representative of the WWF-Nepal program.

The choice of Nepal as the venue for the WWF's 39th conference is seen as a recognition of Nepal's efforts in conserving nature, including the protection of endangered species of flora and fauna.

The Annapurna Conservation Area Project has demonstrated how nature can be conserved through the active participation of the people. The Chitwan and Bardia National Parks and other protected areas are also symbols of Nepal's conservation successes.

From Shey Phoksundo National Park to Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve, these protected areas have specific characteristics in terms of management and achievement.

The WWF conference, held under the theme "The Journey to Kathmandu: Sacred Gifts for a Living Planet, saw an unprecedented gathering of international personalities. His Royal Highness Prince Philip, the founder president of the WWF, arrived to present the Duke of Edinburgh Conservation Medal 2000.

The participants included WWF president Rudd Lubbers, a former prime minister of the Netherlands who was recently appointed as UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

Prince Philip was a central figure in the WWF annual conference held in Assisi, Italy, in 1986 when the WWF and the Alliance of Religions and Conservation launched a major partnership for the protection of nature.

More than 500 wildlife experts, religious leaders representing major international faiths, and WWF officials are attending the conference.

"Nepal is a country of diverse ecological variations harboring many endemic species. The organizers, in choosing Nepal, have honored us and we are happy to host this historic event," said Prince Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah, Chairman of the King Mahendra Trust for Nature Conservation.

Nepal has successfully experimented with various conservation management projects in different parts of the country.

The translocation of the one-horn rhino is one. With support from the WWF, the government has already translocated more than five dozen rhinos in Bardia National Park.

"It would be fair to say that most of our conservation activities concentrates on addressing issues in an integrated approach that therefore touches the daily life and development of the people who we share this experience with," said Prince Gyanendra.

As Prince Gyanendra said in his country paper, Nepal's successful experiments in nature conservation can be shared globally to improve conditions on the planet.