consolidating conservation

The Himalayan Kingdom of Nepal is bestowed with a vast wealth of natural resources and is probably one of the richest storehouses of biodiversity in the world. In order to conserve these natural heritages, His Majesty’s Government passed the National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act, 1973, which paved the way for declaring a protected areas network in the country. Nepal embarked on the modern era of biodiversity conservation by establishing Royal Chitwan National Park in 1973. The Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC) was formally established in 1980 to further strengthen the conservation of major representative ecosystems and to protect the valuable and endangered wildlife species. The Royal Nepal Army (RNA) was deployed from 1975 for the protection and law enforcement in the national parks and wildlife reserves.

The primary objective of DNPWC is to conserve the existing ecosystems under the participatory biodiversity conservation approach. Scientific management of habitat for wildlife species; conservation of endangered species; management of bufferzones around the protected areas; promotion of eco-tourism to improve socio-economic condition of the local communities; and wider conservation education and awareness programmes are the primary activities adopted for the fulfillment of the stated objective.

Nepal’s 27 years of conservation effort has yielded a network of 16 protected areas with bufferzones encompassing major ecosystems. The area extension to provide adequate habitat and safe corridors for wildlife is still going on.

Within about two decades, the number of protected areas has increased from 5 in 1970s to 16 in 2000. The protected areas include 8 National Parks and its bufferzones, 4 Wildlife Reserves, 3 Conservation Areas and 1 Hunting Reserve. Among these five categories, the Conservation Area shares the largest bulk with 40% of the area under the protected area system.

In order to fulfil the growing need of the larger habitat for better protection of important wildlife species such as tiger and rhinoceros, Nepal has recently declared the extension of 550 sq km of Royal Bardia National Park. Since 1996, DNPWC has been active in declaring bufferzones in various parks/reserves to enhance people’s participation for long-term biodiversity conservation of the country. So far, the bufferzones have been established in five national parks and the declaration process is fast afoot in other national parks and reserves as well. In addition, initiatives are also underway to maintain wildlife corridors and to facilitate seasonal wildlife movement between the parks and reserves. Despite high human ratio in the cultivated land, the ratio of Nepal’s protected areas is higher in comparison to other countries of the world.

Revival of keystone species

Nepal has made commendable achievements in the conservation of many important species through the revival of some threatened keystone species such as tiger, rhinoceros, elephant, gaur, gharial crocodile, etc. The population of rhinoceros, tiger and gharial, which were on the verge of extinction in the 1960s, are now virtually considered out of danger.

In a bid to regain the safe number of breeding wildlife population from the verge of extinction, DNPWC has made planned interventions through the Rhino Action Plan (1993) and Tiger Action Plan (1998). Through the implementation of specific species Action Plans, not only have the species been revived but it has also given a strong thrust for the landscape approach of biodiversity conservation. Some future initiatives towards wildlife conservation are the reintroduction of wild water buffalo and swamp deer to establish a second viable population elsewhere in the country.

Promotion of community-based conservation

The conservation of biodiversity is a herculean task as millions of people’s livelihood depends on these resources. Therefore, since the mid-eighties, it has been realised that the future of conservation can only be ensured by striking a balance between wildlife and human needs. This gave rise to the initiation of community based biodiversity conservation in Nepal, a major shift in conservation paradigm, leading to the establishment of the Conservation Areas in various parts of the country.

A new dimension in conservation is added with the introduction of the concept of bufferzone in the protected area management with the provision of ploughing back 30-50% of the park revenue directly to the conservation and development activities in the bufferzones.

Consequently, in order to translate the bufferzone concept into practice, the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation has been implementing Park People Programme with the technical and financial assistance of United Nations Development Programme since the beginning of 1995.

So far, the bufferzones of the five national parks have been declared and approximately Rs50 million (US$ 700,000) has been disbursed to the bufferzone management in Royal Chitwan National Park and Royal Bardia National Park.

Sustaining nature based tourism

The protected areas are popular tourist destinations for 51% (1999) of the total number of tourists visiting Nepal and it is expected to grow by 8-10% annually in the near future.

Nepal has subsequently emerged as a leading country to promote tourism in close alliance with conservation and development. Tourism activities have become a major source of income for the protected areas, which is as high as 87-92% of the total income of the park. The total tourism revenue generated by the national parks in 1998 was estimated to be US$ 8.9 million.

Tourism revenue has become an important source of investment in balancing conservation and development needs of the people living in the vicinity of the protected areas.

Womanhood unbound

There are altogether 38 paintings and etchings on display at the Siddhartha Art Gallery in Baber Mahal. They are reflections on our society, women, love and the political scenario. The exhibition will run through March 10.

The most creative and well crafted painting is that of a horse, which is looking backwards as if looking back at our society. The horse is also a symbol of one of the swiftest animals something like our feelings. Its price stands at Rs 35,000.

Another eye catching painting, "Sungurko Mukhama Shyau" (pig with an apple in its mouth) is something that you just cannot ignore though it hangs in a corner of the room upstairs. An apple is a symbol of honesty. The pig with its almost swollen belly is trying to cover up its evil intentions and guile. This is of course a satire on politicians and corruption. But the pig has other interesting decorations suggesting that we respect them whether corrupt or not. Don’t miss the pig wearing only one shoe. It is modestly priced at Rs 1,50,000.

Another interesting piece is "Musical Chairs". It has Kathmandu in the middle surrounded by snakes connotating our earthly desires. The creation of this theme was borrowed from the concept of the game musical chairs which we have played in childhood and which is still played by children. And you can win the game if you are smart and cheat a little.

The etching showing Kathmandu in the centre and a group of sheep surrounding the city, illustrates our tendency to herd-like behaviour. Something like the Hritik Roshan incident. The rhinoceros suggests that we have become like its skin -- hard and unfeeling without any emotions.

"Kathmandu with monkeys" with a price tag of Rs 15,000 is also a highlight and is based on a well known Nepali maxim "Bandar ko hath ma nariwal" (coconuts in the hands of monkeys) implying that we mess up whatever we get.

The strong and stubborn creative energy of an experimenting woman artist is seen sprouting forth in many of these works, mainly through the use of animal symbols. And that woman artist is Ragini Upadhaya Grela who strongly feels about the marginalised situation of women in our society. And many of her paintings portraying women and goddesses show them under lock and key.

Ragini explains that "a woman has the power of the goddess Durga and she has the power to open the doors of freedom". Whenever you see paintings of animals with human faces and semi human bodies carved on the animals with lock and key, then you can make out that it is painted by none other than Ragini. But nevertheless she’s one of the top five women artists in Nepal and you can neither ignore her work nor her energy and her dominant voice. Sangeeta Thapa, the director of Siddhartha Art Gallery mentions that, "On the opening day, Rs 400000 of Ragini’s paintings were sold just within 2 hours setting a record for the gallery".

encounters off the beaten track

Our journey began from the Kaski district of Pokhara, a trekker’s paradise, with towering mountains and fertile valleys.

Born from the Annapurna range that stands tall like a picturesque mausoleum crowned with gigantic ice, to the locals its name means- ‘as long as these ranges exist there will be (anna) meaning grain thus prosperity (purna) for all’. Interestingly enough according to a Japanese research team, a ferocious lake burst out from these ranges some 500 to 600 years ago forming the calm waters of the Phewa Lake. The lakeside was surprisingly empty though, as compared to the usual scene during the Season when packed tourists add to the hustle and bustle of the common din.

The only place that seemed to come alive in the evening was hotel Hungry Eye with its lively rhythmic ethnic music and dancing always known to lure in tourists from all over the place. As we travelled along the highway our first stop was the Modi hydro electricity project on the banks of the river Modi, which surprisingly was a Nepalese government undertaking with Norwegian cooperation unlike the projects which rely solely on foreign aid and to which our government eagerly hunts for. One percent of the total hydroelectric power generated had helped to bring about riches in the nearby village of Pati Chaur with its rural electrification scheme. It had brought in trade and local employment. Also located along the banks of this river was the British Agricultural research centre that prides itself as a pioneer in the production of seeds that have helped to grow off-season vegetables throughout the four districts of Baglung, Myagdi, Parvat and Kaski and even upto Tanau district.

As our journey took us further into these mountain ranges with peaks that pierce the sky and thick forests that carpet the slopes, the scenery was indeed breathtaking. Machapuchre, now being prominently visible, one could simply feast one’s eyes on this heaven on earth. The V shaped valleys too flaunted its spectacular scenery deeply cut by the perennial rivers of the Himalayan range. The area offered eye-catching scenery with the glistening snow capped mountains that looked down upon the valleys filled with the sound of the clear and gushing waters.

Our next destination was Baglung. On our way we stopped for a while to pay homage to the Kalika Bhagwati, the temple built some 1300 years back by the princess of Palpa. Travelling further along the highway we came across the reforested trees cropped through bio engineering methods that stretched from Baglung down to Kali Gandaki that served as the only means to stop landslides while cutting into the mountains to make roads. It was a very successful HMG venture that served as an example to other countries like Bangladesh and India that used the same methods to stop soil erosion.

Baglung, a quiet little town and also the capital of the district, was where the Maoists were said to have gained a strong hold. When I tried questioning the locals, they preferred not talking about it for it was a ‘hush hush’ topic and it simply meant inviting trouble. The police posts though were heavily armed with sandbags and barbed wires in case of clashes with the rebels. As word spread, after six in the evening, the police remained inside their posts, leading a quiet sheltered life behind the four walls of their quarters. These men were very young mostly in their early 20s, which could be a reason why they were not eager to come into direct confrontation with the rebels.

The tiring journey from Baglung to the Maygdi district was somewhat annoying and rather distressful as the road was unravelled and torn by landslides.

What scared me most were the monstrous landslides across the Kali Gandaki, which could cause dams to burst wiping out entire villages as they lay mercilessly at its feet, it was simply just a matter of time. We then stopped at ‘Ratna Chaur’ an hour’s drive from Baglung bazaar, the place where the rebels held frequent meetings and prominent figures like Babu Ram Bhattarai and Pushpa Dahal popularly known as ‘Prachanda’ come frequently to summon his rebels. According to locals the police never patrol the area.

After two hours of bone shaking travel on the so called pot-holed roads we reached ‘Beni’ bazaar the capital of Myagdi district, bustling with life and activity. The only thing that helped the transfer or goods and people across the mountain was a ‘jhulunge pule’ (suspension bridge).

We were nearing our final destination, which was Galehwor Mahadev, the location where goddess Parvati’s cheeks are said to have fallen, thus serving a popular site for pilgrims. A rich contractor who lived in the city had made a temple to her honour. After a scrumptious meal at Hotel Riverside, a beautiful resort built on the banks of the Rahu river and entertained by a charming hostess Mrs Sherchan, we were finally heading home. On my way back along the rough muddy roads, simply gazing at the huge flow of the gushing waters for a brief moment reminded me of the terrible water problem to which most Kathmanduites suffer in a land full of water. But here there was water everywhere simply flowing endlessly.

One simply wanted to leave their worries behind and live here peacefully and happily but as Robert Frost rightly said in one of his poems ‘the woods are lovely dark and deep but I have promises to keep and miles to go...and miles to go before I sleep’. I knew I had to turn for home leaving behind the temptation to stay.

high windows

Bishwambhar Neupane

My hunger for new vistas of realization has always pushed me a step further to think - a step ahead of where my little soul reaches.

.... And the bell began to ring, I crossed yet another page of time. Unconsciously, I have been doing the same for numerous occasions but have hardly made any attempt to change the way it is, change the way it was; not even a pathetic endeavour. I tried to run away from the situation but forgot that I could merely run but not hide.

I could hardly understand the real motivation behind destroying my memories with my own hands, which I jotted down for ten precious years of my life. One fine day I woke up, and out of nowhere, abruptly I raised my books of memories high in the air and ignited it. All at once, I witnessed it turn into ashes in a few minutes. Was I trying to run away from what happened? Or was it an improvised act? Even if I was trying to run away from those dark and bitter memories, today I inquire, did I really run away? I still remember most of the things printed in my books of memories; more so when I feel betrayed and deceived.

Lately I have realized that unless some sweet memories are created so as to overlap the oldies, no way can I manage the escape. Old memories are like the footprints left behind on the sands of time. The passing minute is bound to overlap it and create a new memory, provided that the overlapping memory is strong enough to erase the old one.

My role as a human being may be unlimited and may be beyond the scope of my little soul. But as me, my roles are defined, are bounded by certain parameters and have limited scope. Life - all a part of a big play if not a drama. Sometimes, we do not even get a chance for custom change once the given act is over, we have to get going for the next one.

Heaven and hell, may be a fascinating story of fairy tales or reflection of the reality or even beyond the scope of my realization, nevertheless, are parts of my regular thought. Instead of doing good at what we exist for, instead of adding values and faith towards the prosperity of human kind; we are busy creating and adding boundaries to divide ourselves. I stood tall and glanced towards the civilization but my sights were confined by the tall boundaries created by one of us. My perception could not capture even the nearby horizon.

Things are different from the past. These changes are too natural. Even today, when I separate myself from the crowd and push up there at the sky and see downwards how I look like from up there, I see myself lost in the crowd, running around, as if I am due for lots of big deals, as if I am there to conquer the entire world. I feel like laughing at myself. My hunger for new vistas of realization has always pushed me a step further to think - a step ahead of where my little soul reaches.

a garden for all seasons

Perina Pathak

The need for a green space within the dazzling Kathmandu Valley is to be fulfilled by the renovation and development of a ‘Garden of Dreams’ at Kesher Mahal.

The construction programme of the garden at Kesher Mahal will fulfil the wish of every Kathmanduite and tourist, as it will offer immediate relief from the throngs and mobs of people within the valley.

There are places like Patan, Bhaktapur and Kathmandu Durbar squares and temples where people can spend their time and enjoy themselves. But there is a definite lack of places where people can rest and enjoy tranquillity with natural beauty in the middle of the city.

For most human beings, parks are the best place to spend time and to relax. But within the Kathmandu Valley there are limited parks with adequate services.

The garden at Keshar Mahal dedicated to the six seasons (Basanta,Grishma,Barsha, Sharad,Hemanta,Shishir), occupies about 6-8 ropanies of land, and is one of the most outstanding features of the Rana era.

Keshar Shumsher travelled to the western corners of the world. Their garden style encouraged him to design such gardens Nepali-style, which he named "Sapna Baag (Garden of Dreams)". Thus it is considered as the Nepali version of the European garden.

After the death of Keshar Shumsher at the age of 72, Keshar Mahal was handed over to the government, which has been the main cause for its deterioration. Currently, the Ministry of Education and Sports resides in the building. During this 30-year period the garden fell into disrepair.

If the renovation proposal is successfully completed then Keshar Shumsher’s ‘Garden of Dreams’ will regain its original look.

Recently all the low budget works like the cutting off of unnecessary trees grown within the 30 year period, cleaning up the garden periphery, planting bamboo in the border areas for the demarcation of the garden and ministry building has been completed.

"As it is a tourist area the project is installing a restaurant and other income-generating pavilions," says Imrana Rashid, Public Relations Manager of the Kathmandu Valley Preservation Trust. "Its aim is to sustain itself and the profits made will be spent on managing the Keshar Library", she added.

"The Keshar Library, considered as the biggest library of the 60s, was very popular at that time. Tourists visit this library with the same expectation but when they come here they are disappointed. The description of the garden and library in the travel books does not match in reality", says Rashid.

The flowers are going to be planted as it was before, and those which are not available will be imported from foreign countries. "The new aviary will add richness to the garden", adds Rashid. Access to the garden and the ministry building will be separate for the smooth flow of visitors.

The project is launching a programme - trained ladies will welcome and guide the incoming visitors to that historical place.

The project is entitled ‘Keshar Mahal Garden of Dreams’, which is working with the help of old photos available. The three gardens (Grishma, Basanta, Barsha) which are present there now, will be rehabilitated, whereas Shishir (winter) garden, will be constructed.

"For the construction the government is providing land, where as the Austrian government is funding 1.5 million dollars over a three-year phase, which is only the forecasted budget", says Lok Bhakta Rana, son of Keshar Shumsher.

If it ultimately sustains itself, the project has long term plans to complete the 6 seasonal gardens.

borders of transcience

feel hurt as you speak of going away, leaving me alone ...Life doesn’t end with one sorrow. Though the disaster when it hits seems to be unbearable. It takes away the meaning of life from life itself that you can only wonder if you will be able to live past the grief or lose the sense of living. But we do get on with life, we endure the pains it brings along.

Endure... endurance... that is a lovely word, it has the depth of sorrow, graveness of grief and melancholy of loneliness. But what makes endurance beautiful is the reason why we endure, the reason why we continue with life. Life is weird and wonderful, at times it promises you so many things and at times it snatches away the very thing that you hold as dearest. Well, that is the way it is.

The trees that I see in my garden are bare and nude. The lush green leaves that used to cover them up have fallen away. What I now see are ugly woody skeletons. But the pain is worth enduring. How lovely spring had been. The trees swayed merrily draped in their beautiful green coats. There were delicate flowers and green leaves. The gentle breeze would tease them and steal a little of their fragrance, which it would spread all over. But now I only see the naked branches bearing the cruel autumn.

But I also see the memories that these bare branches hold. Yes, fond memories; memories of the time when the leaf was so close to the tree, so close. The bond that they shared was beautifully intense. But now the leaves have dried and fallen off. A few of them that I can see are those that have been crushed and still lie on the ground, waiting for their turn to be blown away by the cold wind. But the trees in my garden endure the autumn.

It is the sweet remembrance of past that gives the strength to endure, to tolerate, and to suffer silently.

How lucky are these trees in my garden. Encouraged with the thoughts of their delightful past, they patiently wait for the next spring to come, without complaining. How fair nature is, it won’t cheat the hopes of these trees which anticipate the glorious spring. Spring shall come, it must.

But I wonder if the seasons in my life will ever change and bring the spring back into my life again?

In a pensive mood I reach my usual hideaway, my terrace, to view the sunset. The sun goes behind those solemn mountains gradually. The slanting rays of sun gently smear the white, fleecy clouds with vibrant colours. Finally the sun sinks in the hugeness of the mountains.

The clouds had been unaware of those beautiful colours lying in the palate of the sinking sun until the rays of sun touched them and lavishly stroked them with their paintbrushes. And now that the sun has sunk, the clouds still wear that wonderful hue. The rosy colours are still intact upon my clouds. Yes, they will turn grey soon but they don’t seem to care. They still float in the sky and look down at me and smile. That also seems to be an example of endurance. They bear the pain of departure with the magnificent rays of the sun. But unlike me they know that their sun will come up again in the morning tomorrow and paint afresh their greyed cloaks with lively colours.

And I question myself in the hours of darkness if it is for the last time that I see you as you bid me goodbye and wish me a happy life ahead. Ah! I shall endure the autumn without shedding any tears and I shall bear the night without a sob if only you give me the hope that my sun will rise in the morning tomorrow and that spring shall come in my garden. That you shall return back to me someday....ephemeral

MAIN