KATHMANDU, Feb 13: A local initiative in Nepal, aimed at protecting and restoring the Terai Arc Landscape, has been named one of the seven UN World Restoration Flagships. This accolade comes in recognition of the project's success in revitalizing 66,800 hectares of forest, dramatically enhancing biodiversity, and significantly benefiting local communities.
The Terai Arc Landscape, a critical biodiversity corridor that Nepal shares with India, spans over 2.47 million hectares and is home to a diverse array of wildlife including tigers, rhinos, elephants, and various bird species. The landscape supports the livelihoods of over 7.5 million people in Nepal, making its preservation and restoration a crucial task amidst growing threats such as poaching, habitat loss, and human-wildlife conflicts.
Protecting the Chure for Madhesh and beyond
Since the inception of the Terai Arc Landscape Program by the Government of Nepal in 2001, remarkable progress has been observed. Not only has the forest area been expanded by a size 13 times larger than Kathmandu, but the tiger population within the area has also nearly tripled, rising from 121 to 355. This initiative's success story extends beyond wildlife conservation, as around 40,000 community members have engaged in activities like anti-poaching efforts, citizen science projects, and nature-based tourism, improving the livelihoods of nearly half a million households.
The UN's recognition as a World Restoration Flagship underlines the project's alignment with global efforts to halt and reverse ecosystem degradation, as part of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. This distinction will further enable the Terai Arc Landscape initiative to receive technical and financial support from the UN, aiding in the ambitious plan to restore an additional area nearly 70 times the size of Nepal’s capital.
Minister of Forests and Environment of Nepal, Dr. Birendra Prasad Mahato, expressed gratitude for the international recognition and reaffirmed the country's commitment to continuing conservation efforts. The UN Environment Program's Executive Director, Inger Andersen, highlighted the initiative's approach of integrating human and nature needs as a model for tackling global environmental challenges.
The announcement precedes the 6th UN Environment Assembly in Nairobi, Kenya, setting a precedent for discussions on the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity and nature loss, and pollution and waste.
