WWF Nepal celebrates 30 years of conservation efforts

KATHMANDU: World Wildlife Fund Nepal celebrated its 30th anniversary in Kathmandu on May 19. [gallery link="file" size="full" ids="36758,36759,36754"] The celebration started with the welcome address given by Ghana Shyam Gurung, Country Representative of WWF Nepal. During his address, Gurung thanked the government for assisting in putting Nepal on the map of conservation. He mentioned that the conservation efforts that had been undertaken by WWF Nepal had been successful due to the support extended by the government, development partners and the local people. Gurung further added that WWF takes pride in the policy-level initiatives and successful conservation efforts implemented at the community and landscape levels, which prioritise community participation, climate change mitigation and adaptation, as well as fostering environmental awareness in provincial and local governments. He mentioned WWF Nepal will continue its work and actively contribute to the government's campaign for conservation and sustainable development for the well-being of people and nature, effectively addressing the ongoing challenges that the world faces. [gallery link="file" size="full" columns="1" ids="36757"] The event was officially inaugurated by Vice President Ramsahay Prasad Yadav, who was also chief guest on the occasion. Vice President Yadav congratulated WWF Nepal for its 30 years of relentless conservation efforts in the country. The work done by WWF Nepal in protecting the biodiversity of the nation is commendable, he said. He further commended the organisation for its conservation efforts in the Chure and Tarai regions and in preserving the wetlands. [gallery columns="8" size="full" link="file" ids="36763,36767,36760,36764,36762,36761,36765,36766"] A video was also played during the programme highlighting the major contributions of WWF Nepal in the 30 years since its establishment in Nepal in 1993. On the occasion, two veteran conservationists were recognised for their contribution to conservation. BN Upreti, Founding Director of Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation and Maya Yogi, Founding Social Mobiliser of Tarai Arc Landscape were honoured by the vice president. Similarly, the WWF Nepal Conservation Awards 2023 were given to Bhoj Raj Shrestha, Shankar Chettri Luitel and Tirtha Lama. Currently, a farmer, Shrestha has been active in the area of conservation for over three decades. He has been working for awareness raising and conservation of biodiversity, focusing on the conservation of aquatic life namely the dolphins of Mohana river. Meanwhile, Luitel has been a pioneer of the idea of co-existence and demonstrated the idea of electric fences during the human-elephant conflict in Bahundangi. He has been striving in pursuit of environment and biodiversity conservation and raising awareness among communities. Likewise, Lama is a wildlife technician who has been engaged in wildlife conservation, research and control and rescue of problematic wildlife since 2000. He has played a crucial role in controlling potential human-wildlife conflicts and maintaining human-wildlife co-existence. [gallery columns="4" link="file" size="full" ids="36769,36771,36770,36768,36772,36773,36774,36775,36776,36777,36778,36779"] Similarly, 10 students who want to further continue their studies in conservation were also provided various scholarships. The Chandra Gurung Memorial Fellowship was provided to Sarisma Adhikari and Shalini Shah while the Jillian Bowling Schlaepfer Memorial Scholarship was awarded to Sova Joshi and Pratima Tharu. Likewise, Deepa Tamang and Muna Poudel bagged the Jennifer Headley Memorial Scholarship while Yangzom Tamang and Yungdrung Bhuti Baijee received the Mingma Norbu Sherpa Memorial Scholarship. The Nepal Conservation Memorial Scholarship was provided to Arati Kumari Sahani and Dipak Tamatta. [gallery columns="4" size="full" link="file" ids="36780,36781,36782,36783"] The anniversary culminated with a vote of thanks delivered by Roberto Troya, Senior Vice President, US Managed Country Offices and LAC Secretariat, WWF USA. Troya thanked the Nepali government and the local communities for being wonderful partners in WWF Nepal's conservation efforts. He mentioned that WWF Nepal is one of the best-performing offices in the WWF network. READ ALSO:

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