STRATEGIC PLAN NP 2012 wwf nepal STRATEGIC PLAN 2012 – 2016

Expanding our horizon © WWF Nepal 2012

Published in November 2012 by WWF Nepal, Kathmandu, Nepal

Any reproduction in full or in part must mention the title and credit the above-mentioned publisher as the copyright owner.

Front cover photo: © Juha-Pekka Kervinen

WWF Nepal Strategic Plan page 2 Contents

Overview STRATEGIC PLAN 2012-2016 Acronyms 02 Vision, Mission and Goal 28 Foreword 03 WWF Working Areas 28 Executive Summary 06 Conservation Programs 31 Conservation Themes 32 Cross-Cutting Themes 38 INTRODUCTION Operations and Management 43 WWF – 50 Years of Conservation 10 Projected Big-Wins over the Coming Five Years 52 WWF in Nepal 10 Sustainability and Exit Strategy 52 Global Program Framework and Global Initiatives 11 Monitoring and Evaluation 53

SETTING THE CONTEXT ANNEXES Nepal - A Country of Diversity 16 Monitoring and Evaluation Matrix 56 National Conservation Context 16 References 75 Situational Analysis 17

Direct Threats and Drivers of Biodiversity Loss 19 In Retrospect – Strategic Plan (2006-11) 20 Lessons Learned 24

WWF Nepal Strategic Plan page 1 Acronyms

ADB Asian Development Bank KPI Key Performance Indicators ACAP Annapurna Conservation Area Project LGCM Livelihoods and Governance Change BaNP Banke National Park Monitoring BCN Bird Conservation Nepal LHI Living Himalayas Initiatives BZMC Buffer Zone Management Committee LiDAR Light Detection and Ranging BZUC Buffer Zone User Committee LNP Langtang National Park CAMC Conservation Area Management Council MAPs Medicinal and Aromatic Plants CbA Community Based Adaptation MDGs Millennium Development Goals CBAPO Community Based Anti-Poaching Operation MIST Management Information System Technology CBO Community Based Organisation M&E Monitoring and Evaluation CBD Convention on Biological Diversity MoE Ministry of Environment CBS Central Bureau of Statistics MoFSC Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation CFUG Community Forestry Users Group MoLRM Ministry of Land Reform and Management COP Conference of Parties MoU Memorandum of Understanding DDC District Development Committee NAPA National Adaptation Programme of Action DHM Department of Hydrology and Meteorology NBL Northern Bank Landscape DNPWC Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation NM Northern Mountains DoF Department of Forests NTNC National Trust for Nature Conservation EbA Ecosystem Based Adaptation NRM Natural Resource Management EHEC Eastern Himalayan Ecoregion Complex NTFPs Non-timber Forest Products EU European Union PDD Project Design Document FECOFUN Federation of Community Forest Users, PPMS Project and Programme Management Nepal Standards FUG Forest Users Group PVSE Poor, Vulnerable and Social Excluded FY Financial Year REDD Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation GAA Government Aid Agency SHL Sacred Himalayan Landscape GCA Gaurishanker Conservation Area SNP Sagarmatha National Park GDP Gross Domestic Product SPNP Shey Phoksumdo National Park GIS Geographic Information System SWC Social Welfare Council GoN Government of Nepal TAL Terai Arc Landscape GPF Global Programme Framework TGG The Generation Green HR Human Resources TOR Terms of Reference I/NGO International Non-governmental Organisation UNDP United Nations Development Programme ICDP Integrated Conservation and Development VDC Village Development Committee Project WB World Bank ICIMOD International Centre for Integrated WECS Water and Energy Commission Secretariat Mountain Development WWF World Wildlife Fund (also known as World ICT Information and Communication Technology Wide Fund for Nature) IWRM Integrated Water Resources Management WWOV Worldwide Overview KCA Kangchenjunga Conservation Area

WWF Nepal Strategic Plan page 2 Foreword

WWF Nepal is a longstanding partner of the Government of Nepal in all its conservation programs in the Terai Arc Landscape and Sacred Himalayan Landscape. This partnership is important for WWF in its mission to conserve the rich biodiversity of the country amidst the various challenges conservation faces from both anthropogenic sources and climate change. Significant achievements have been made in conservation through the decades despite the frequently changing context in the country, thanks to the concerted efforts of the government and the conservation partners. The expansion of protected area system, increase in the number of endangered rhinos, the first ever monitoring of Asian big cats (Bengal tiger and snow leopard) in the country level, introduction of biogas and its carbon offset, REDD+ and landscape level carbon stock mapping, implementation of water and climate adaptation program, and an enabling policy environment are but a few examples. WWF Nepal’s Strategic Plan (2012-2016) finds inspiration from the learnings and successes of the previous strategic plan period (2006-2011). It is based upon a careful analysis of the challenges and opportunities arising in the political, economic, social, technological, environmental and legal areas and has identified strategic goals and objectives as guided by national priorities and the WWF network. WWF Nepal strives to attain greater results in the field of biodiversity conservation against the backdrop of climate change in the coming period. It puts community benefit and community participation at the centre of conservation interventions so as to ensure program sustainability and demonstrate conservation impact. I would like to thank the Government of Nepal and our conservation partners, including the local communities, for their concerted efforts in pushing the conservation agenda at all levels and producing tangible program results. This has been an inspiration for WWF Nepal and, at the same time, enabled us to set ambitious targets for the coming years. On a personal front, I would like to acknowledge the WWF Nepal team for their seamless efforts in bringing out this guiding document. This strategic plan is a breathing document; strengthened partnerships, a continuous feedback mechanism and an eye on changing scenarios and contexts are expected to shape up the document to its fullest self.

I invite you to be a part of Nepal’s new phase in conservation.

Anil Manandhar Country Representative

WWF Nepal Strategic Plan page 3 A NEW BEGINNING

WWF Nepal’s Strategic Plan (2012-2016) finds inspiration from the learnings and successes of the previous strategic plan period (2006- 2011). It is based upon a careful analysis of external challenges and opportunities in conservation and identifies strategic goals, objectives and programs for the next five years as guided by the national and WWF global and regional priorities. © Juha-Pekka Kervinen Executive Summary Nepal accommodates boundless riches in biodiversity within a small territorial area while experiencing great climatic variation within its short latitudinal stretch. It is home to priority species as listed in the WWF Global Program Framework (GPF) namely the endangered Bengal tiger, snow leopard, Asian rhino, Asian elephant and River dolphin. It lies almost in the middle of the Himalayas, the water towers of Asia, and sustains the livelihoods of billions of people downstream. At the same time, Nepal’s biodiversity is under constant threat from habitat degradation and fragmentation, deforestation and forest degradation, poaching and illegal wildlife trade, unplanned infrastructure development, uncontrolled forest fires, human wildlife conflict and natural disasters. Moreover, climate change (extremes and variations) has exacerbated the threats to biodiversity and people’s livelihoods. WWF began its support to the Government of Nepal in 1967 with the protection of species and their habitat. In the 1980s, integrated conservation development projects paved the way for people-centered conservation. Since the late 1990’s and 2000, the historic landscape-level approach for conservation was adopted that spread across ecoregions or ecoregion complexes in adjoining countries. Accordingly, the Government of Nepal incorporated the Terai Arc Landscape (TAL) and Sacred Himalayan Landscape (SHL) as priority trans-boundary landscapes in the tenth five- year plan (2002/03-2006/07) and the three-year interim plan (2007/08-20009/10). Since 2000, WWF Nepal’s support to the government for the conservation of these priority landscapes has continued to grow stronger. Under the Strategic Plan (2012-2016), WWF Nepal will focus on the four thematic working areas: Forests, Species, Climate Adaptation and Energy, and Freshwater. These will be supported by cross-cutting thematic areas, namely, Sustainable Livelihoods, Policy and Advocacy, Communications and Marketing, Conservation Education and Capacity Building, and Curbing Illegal Wildlife Trade. WWF Nepal is receptive of the innovative ideas in biodiversity conservation and sustainable development. The new strategic plan marks WWF Nepal’s entry into new approaches and strengthening of existing ones in conservation. The Gold Standard Biogas will enter its second phase while carbon financing including REDD+, payment for ecosystem services and low carbon development will be prime agendas in providing sustainable financing mechanisms for conservation. Likewise, ecotourism and green jobs will be given stronger focus as new incentives for promoting sustainable development in Nepal. WWF Nepal will also focus on strong engagement in policy given the political transformation in the country so that the natural resources are conserved and judiciously managed. WWF Nepal gradually adopted these changes since the middle of the previous strategic plan period. By the end of this strategic plan period, 2012-2016, WWF Nepal shall conserve at least two priority landscapes in Eastern Himalayas namely, TAL and SHL, and other national conservation priority areas by reducing anthropogenic and climatic threats to species, habitat and ecological processes while addressing the livelihoods of people dependent on natural resources. One of the overarching goals will be to support the Government of Nepal in achieving 40% of the country’s landmass under forests. WWF Nepal also commits its effort to achieve the goal of doubling the number of wild tigers by 2022.

WWF Nepal Strategic Plan page 6 By the end of 2016 and covering the two priority landscapes of the WWF Priority Place, the Eastern Himalayas, and other national conservation priority areas, WWF Nepal aims to: • Improve forests by 3% as of the 2009 baseline • Increase the population of priority species and species of special concern • Strengthen climate adaptation and resilience, and promote low carbon development • Conserve (restore, protect and sustainably use) freshwater ecosystems for the benefit of biodiversity and people

In line with the thematic goals, WWF Nepal will work towards achieving the following Big Wins in conservation: • The community-based conservation model strengthened and replicated in TAL and SHL. • A second ‘A Class’ Conservation Complex1 created in the western region of TAL while maintaining Chitwan-Parsa as an ‘A Class’ conservation complex. • Zero poaching achieved in TAL and SHL and a complete stop put to illegal trade of wildlife and their body parts. • Carbon trading for sustainable financing embraced under forest conservation. • The Sacred Himalayan Landscape (SHL) showcased as a climate adaptive or resilient landscape. • Climate-smart snow leopard conservation initiated in SHL. • Community-based snow leopard insurance scheme, transect and camera trap monitoring, water smart communities and forest-based enterprises strengthened and replicated in SHL. • A tri-nation park established in the eastern border with India (Sikkim) and China (Tibetan Autonomous Region). • MoU with China and joint resolution with India implemented for trans-boundary conservation. • Koshi River Basin developed as a model for integrated river basin management. • Large scale infrastructure made environmentally smarter by adopting national/ international standards for the conservation of the ecosystem and biodiversity. • Participatory conservation model initiated for integrated conservation and development of Tinjure-Milke-Jaljale region.

1 A Class Conservation Complex is a complex/park that has a minimum of 25 breeding female tigers for a demographically viable population of tigers. (Working paper on ‘Landscape-scale, Ecology-based Management of Wild Tiger Populations’, 2010, Global Tiger Initiative)

WWF Nepal Strategic Plan page 7 EXPANDING OUR HORIZON

WWF Nepal is well-positioned as a leading conservation organization in Nepal. WWF’s on-the-ground program delivery is supported by enabling policy and advocacy work together with the cross-cutting and regional initiatives. Since the establishment of the WWF Nepal office in 1993, the organization has grown by many folds in its human resource and finance capacity and has expanded its spatial as well as thematic coverage. © Juha-Pekka Kervinen WWF started working in Nepal in 1967 with the launch of the rhino INTRODUCTION conservation program. 1.1 WWF – 50 Years of Conservation ‘We shan’t save all we should like to, but we shall save a great deal more than if we had never tried.’ Sir Peter Scott (1909-1989), WWF Founder. WWF came into existence on 29 April 1961, created by a small group of committed and concerned wildlife enthusiasts. Today, WWF has evolved to become the world’s leading independent conservation organization, supported by over 5 million members in more than 100 countries across six continents. WWF started with crisis-driven ad hoc support to individual projects, but gradually moved into species and habitat preservation in selected biomes. It then integrated conservation with development and helped to lay the foundation for sustainable development. Realizing the global links between biodiversity, human activities and welfare, and the impending threats of climate change, WWF developed a global conservation strategy focusing its efforts on the world’s most critical ecoregions and in six key areas, namely, species, forest, marine and freshwater conservation, climate change and toxic chemicals. At the turn of the century, WWF aimed at transformational changes to attain conservation, sustainable development and sustainable livelihoods by conserving biodiversity and reducing the ecological footprint. WWF made significant strides in bringing back populations of endangered species from the brink of extinction, engaging governments in international treaties and agreements, regulating trade of endangered species, developing the World Conservation Strategy, establishing Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), pioneering innovative financing mechanisms such as debt-for-nature swap and payment for ecosystem services, certification of products and expansion of partnerships. 1.2 WWF in Nepal WWF started working in Nepal in 1967 with the launch of the rhino conservation program. The first protected area in Nepal, Chitwan National Park, was established in 1973. The overall focus was primarily on species and habitat conservation which gradually moved to an approach of integrated conservation and development, bringing together the park and people in conservation. WWF remained a key partner with the Government of Nepal (GoN) and National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC)2 in all these conservation endeavors and also helped establish the first community-based conservation area, the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP), in 1986. Subsequently, WWF promoted a conservation prioritization based on Ecoregions to strategically focus efforts and resources to yield greater conservation impact. With this approach, priority landscapes or habitats were identified based on ecological criteria that also transcended national and political boundaries. The landscapes captured ecological processes that could not be effectively contained within the isolated protected areas. Within the Eastern Himalayas Ecoregion Complex (EHEC), WWF supported two such landscapes—the Terai Arc Landscape (TAL) and Sacred Himalayan Landscape (SHL)—which are the priority landscapes of the GoN.

2 Former King Mahendra Trust for Nature Conservation

WWF Nepal Strategic Plan page 10 WWF Nepal is now well-positioned as a leading conservation organization in Nepal. WWF’s on-the-ground program delivery is supported by enabling policy and advocacy work together with the cross-cutting and regional initiatives and endeavors. Since the establishment of the WWF Nepal office in 1993, the organization has grown by many folds in its human resource and finance capacity and has expanded its spatial as well as thematic coverage. 1.3 Global Program Framework and Global Initiatives

1.3.1 Global Program Framework WWF has developed a Global Program Framework (2008-2020) to act as an outline strategy for its future work. WWF will focus its global conservation program around meta-goals and goals that address issues of biodiversity conservation and ecological footprint (the impacts of people on the environment). To deliver on these meta-goals and goals, WWF will focus the majority of its efforts on conserving priority places and species, reducing footprint in the areas of energy/carbon, commodities and water, and tackling a set of global priority drivers. WWF Nepal is guided by its mission, its primary guiding principles, and the goals of biodiversity conservation and human footprint reduction.

2050 Biodiversity Meta-Goal: The integrity of the most outstanding places on earth is conserved, contributing to a more secure and sustainable future for all.

WWF’s 2020 Biodiversity Goal: Of the 35 priority places, the Eastern Himalayas encompass the spatial scope for WWF Nepal, Places: Biodiversity is protected with TAL and SHL being the focal landscapes. and well-managed in the world’s The programs and projects are focused on the most outstanding places. conservation of these two landscapes.

WWF’s 2020 Biodiversity Goal: Globally important populations of Bengal tiger, snow leopard, Greater one-horned rhinoceros, Species: Populations of the most Asian Elephant and Gangetic river dolphin are ecologically, economically and found in Nepal’s priority landscapes. WWF Nepal culturally important species are primarily focuses on the programs and projects restored and thriving in the wild. in protecting and managing these flagship species.

2050 Footprint Meta-Goal: Humanity’s global footprint stays within the earth’s capacity to sustain life, and the natural resources of our planet are shared equitably.

2020 Footprint Goal: WWF Nepal invests considerable time and Humanity’s global footprint effort in reducing these ecological footprints by falls below its 2,000 level and promoting alternative energy technologies and continues its downward trend, sensitizing the citizens; however, the per capita specifically in the areas of ecological footprint in Nepal is very low vis-à- energy/carbon, commodities vis developed countries and other developing (crops, meat, fish and wood), countries. and water. WWF Nepal also works towards promoting low carbon development pathways, and enhancing ecological resilience of the ecosystem and communities.

WWF Nepal Strategic Plan page 11 1.3.2 Global Initiative – Living Himalayas WWF’s Living Himalayas program spans across Nepal, north-eastern India and Bhutan. WWF Nepal’s projects contribute to this program’s transformational 2020 goals as follows: • Ecosystem integrity and climate resilience of critical freshwater systems in Eastern Himalayas are secured • Ecosystem contiguity and ecological connectivity of the Living Himalayas are secured in approximately 5 million hectares of high conservation value forests, grasslands and wetlands • Populations of iconic and threatened species thrive in the Eastern Himalayas

1.3.3 Global Initiative – Tigers Alive Nepal is home to 155 breeding adult tigers (DNPWC, 2010). WWF Nepal is supporting GoN in protecting this charismatic species and its habitat with the aim of doubling the number of wild tigers by 2022. Apart from the programs and projects related to habitat and species, WWF Nepal has a dedicated ‘Wildlife Crime Control’ unit to effectively contain the wildlife crime in Nepal and beyond. The programs and projects directly contribute to the meta-goal and goals of the initiative. Meta-Goal: The global wild tiger population increases to at least 6,000 by 2020, through conservation in 13 priority landscapes of the tiger range countries. • Goal: Tigers (both distribution and population) are restored to at least 20% of their former range in 13 landscapes by 2020 • Goal: Tiger conservation is a political priority within national and regional agendas of tiger range countries, leading to significant tiger-friendly action by 2015 • Goal: Trade in tiger parts and products is effectively eliminated by 2020

1.3.4 Global Initiatives – Forest and Climate REDD, or Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation, can bring about huge benefits to Nepal as it provides an incentive to strengthen and sustain forest conservation efforts for both the government and local communities. WWF Nepal started its work on REDD in TAL in 2009. The learning from TAL was replicated in SHL and also expanded in new territories in the country. These lessons ranged from carbon stock mapping to developing local resource persons to policy support to the MoFSC. The REDD actions directly contribute to the goal of Forest and Climate Initiative (FCI). Goal: Zero net emission from deforestation and forest degradation by 2020

WWF Nepal also promotes renewable energy technologies and supports the GoN in international negotiations, including low carbon development (LCD) and climate change adaptation related issues.

1.3.5 Asian Rhinos and Elephants Action Strategy (AREAS) Nepal is home to 534 Asian rhinos (DNPWC, 2011) and 107-145 resident wild elephants (DNPWC, 2009). WWF Nepal supports the GoN in protecting these pachyderms and their habitat. WWF Nepal’s strategies are in line with the objectives of AREAS, which are: • Restore and secure wilderness • Strengthen anti-poaching efforts to reduce losses in species numbers • Mitigate conflict over resources to benefit both human and elephants • Facilitate creative land-use planning to solve problems facing wildlife and people • Translocate rhinos to manage existing populations and establish new ones • Monitor populations to improve management strategies for Asian elephants and rhinos

WWF Nepal Strategic Plan page 12 © WWF-Canon / Martin HARVEY

WWF Nepal Strategic Plan page 13 A COUNTRY OF DIVERSITY

Nepal occupies a mere 0.09% of the Earth’s landmass, but houses a very rich diversity of flora and fauna. The country is home to some of the world’s rarest animals and plants including three critically endangered, 14 endangered, and 42 vulnerable animal species and two endangered and four vulnerable plant species. Nepal is also home to a wide range of ethnic groups and a variety of people make up its population of 26.6 million. © Juha-Pekka Kervinen SETTING THE Nepal is also home to a wide range of ethnic groups and a variety of people make up its CONTEXT population of 26.6 million. 2.1 Nepal - A Country of Diversity Nepal is perched in the middle of the Himalayas. Eight of the world’s ten tallest mountains, including the highest mountain, Mount Everest, lie within Nepal. Consequently, Nepal holds great altitudinal and climatic variations within the short latitudinal distance that it covers. Nepal is also divided into three ecological regions: the Terai (below 300m), the hills (300-3,000m) and the mountains (above 3,000m). The Terai, an extension of the Gangetic Plains of India, makes up approximately 18 percent of Nepal’s land area. The hill region is physiographically the most diverse, and makes up around 48 percent of the total land area. The mountains make up the rest of the land area and have a harsh climate and rugged terrain. Nepal occupies a Nepal occupies a mere 0.09% of the Earth’s landmass, but houses a very rich diversity of flora and fauna; this is mostly due to its position along the ecotone between the mere 0.09% of the Palearctic and Indomalaya zoological realms and the extremely complex terrain, which can constrain movement and isolate populations. The country is home to some of the Earth’s landmass, world’s rarest animals and plants including three critically endangered, 14 endangered, but houses a very and 42 vulnerable animal species and two endangered and four vulnerable plant species (2000 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species). rich diversity of Nepal is also home to a wide range of ethnic groups and a variety of people make up flora and fauna its population of 26.6 million. Nepal’s 2001 census enumerated 102 castes and ethnic groups and 92 different living languages spoken in the country. The highest number (50.2%) lives in the Terai, followed by 43% in the hills and 7% in the mountains (CBS, 2011). The rural population constitutes 83% of the total population. The country is largely agrarian where 74% of the total population depends on agriculture for their living. One third of Nepal’s GDP comes from agriculture. The average economic growth rate has remained the same at 4.4% in the last three-year Interim Plan period. However, the population living below the poverty line went down to 25.4% in 2009 from 31% in 2005 (Three Year Plan Approach Paper, GoN, 2010).

2.2 National Conservation Context

Three-Year Interim Plan (2012-2015) GoN prepared the three-year plan (2010/11-2012/13) and adopted employment- centric, equitable and inclusive development as its objective. It quantifiably targeted to bring down poverty from 25.4% in FY10 to 21% by FY13 and increase the forest area from 39.6% in FY10 to 40% by FY13. The strategies and working policies are devised to alleviate poverty of local people by improving their livelihoods through conservation of ecosystem services (including REDD), and mitigation and adaptation measures of negative impacts of climate change by sustainable, participatory and decentralized

WWF Nepal Strategic Plan page 16 management of forests, plant resources, watersheds (including Chure), protected areas, and biodiversity resources. Similarly, the plan advocates for green development, clean development mechanism (CDM), and environment-friendly and climate-smart infrastructure development in Nepal. Equal emphasis is given for alternative energy and river basin approach in water resources management. WWF Nepal’s objectives and strategies are aligned to impart substantial contributions to the objectives of Forest and Soil Conservation, Alternative Energy, and Environment and Climate Change sectors.

GoN and MDG GoN is fully committed and determined to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs); MDG-7 focuses on ensuring environmental sustainability. GoN published the MDG Progress Report – 2010, the third of a series, which demonstrated progress in most of its MDGs targets. The report emphasizes on community-based initiatives for effective conservation and sustainable use of forest and biodiversity and for reducing biodiversity loss in the light of climate change. It also recommends strengthening environmental monitoring and harnessing alternative energy sources such as micro-hydro, solar and biogas. WWF Nepal’s objectives and strategies help achieve the MDG-7.

Nepal Biodiversity Strategy Nepal Biodiversity Nepal Biodiversity Strategy – 2002 was developed under the provision of CBD Strategy – 2002 and its three pillars, namely, conservation of biodiversity, the sustainable use of its components, and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits accrued from them. focuses on The strategy aims at the protection and wise use of biologically diverse resources, protection of ecological processes and systems, and the equitable sharing of benefits on conservation, a sustainable basis. It underscores landscape planning approach, in-situ conservation, sustainable use eco-tourism, biodiversity registration, protected areas management, forests and forests resilience and biodiversity, rangeland biodiversity conservation, agro-biodiversity and equitable and wetland management among others. WWF Nepal’s objectives and strategies complement the National Biodiversity Conservation Strategy. Similarly, GoN has benefit sharing promulgated landscape level strategic documents and WWF Nepal contributes in achieving the goals and objectives. The issues of inclusion and equitable distribution on the backdrop of social, political and economic development cut across all plans.

2.3 Situational Analysis

2.3.1 Political Analysis Natural resource management (NRM) has become a prime agenda for Nepal’s major political parties. The legislature parliament has a dedicated committee on Natural Resource and Means to address the policy issues regarding natural resource management. Conservation of ‘Chure’ has gained momentum after the President adopted ‘Chure Conservation’ as a national priority. The Prime Minister is also now heading the National Tiger Conservation Committee (NTCC). Similarly, the country has focused sufficient attention to control the poaching and trade of wildlife and their parts through enhanced institutional mechanisms. However, the current political fluidity and the lack of local governance for the last ten years have posed considerable challenges for biodiversity conservation. NRM often gets superseded by other

WWF Nepal Strategic Plan page 17 developmental priorities (security, trade, infrastructure etc.) of the government. The ongoing debate on federalism could also influence natural resource management. The drafting of the constitution has also been delayed on numerous counts.

2.3.2 Economic Analysis Nepal’s per capita income has increased since the last census in 2001 and remittance income is on the rise. Nepal saw an increase in tourist numbers with the signing of the peace accord by the major political parties. However, youth unemployment, income disparity and unequal distribution coupled with high inflation rates are the major challenges on this front.

2.3.3 Social Analysis The country is witnessing an increasing role of civil society while inclusiveness is gaining momentum as a social principle. Awareness and literacy is contributing to positive attitudes towards NRM. The increasing youth population is also an asset which can be rightly channeled for the benefit of conservation. However, Nepal’s under- skilled human resource is a daunting challenge and social conflict may breed out of the current debate on control over natural resources.

2.3.4 Technological Analysis Significant strides are being made in energy efficient and clean energy technologies, information technology and agriculture. Cutting-edge science and technology is being successfully used in wildlife conservation (biotechnology, satellite collaring, genetic mapping, MIST). The smooth operation and maintenance of such technologies, however, is an issue.

2.3.5 Environmental Analysis Enabling provisions developed by the government have had a positive impact on the environment. Right to live in a healthy environment is enshrined as a fundamental right in the Interim Constitution of Nepal. The government is committed to a 1.5 >23% degree Celsius variation in average temperature and low carbon development process is underway. National Land Use policy of the government has allocated for a 40% land has been forest cover in the country while more than 23% of the land of the country has been allocated under allocated under protected area system. However, weak implementation of policies, weak government capacity, and the contending sectoral policies are some prominent protected area hindrances. Climatic extremes, and their variations and impacts are becoming more system visible in the Himalayas, the world’s tallest water towers. 2.3.6 Legal Analysis GoN is working towards developing a periodic strategy for the forestry sector. A new land use policy is in place and a framework for developing a land use plan is underway. The government is also a signatory to legally binding international instruments such as CBD, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). The sectorial provisions, feeble enforcement, and policies sans legal instruments are major challenges on this front. The provincial law, customary law and community ownership could be some key issues to be dealt with in the future.

WWF Nepal Strategic Plan page 18 2.4 Direct Threats and Drivers of Biodiversity Loss

Forest Degradation and Fragmentation The pressure of over-grazing, unsustainable shifting cultivation, agriculture expansion and intensification, invasive species, pollution and major infrastructure continues to perpetuate habitat degradation and fragmentation. Timber logging is rampant and is gradually becoming a syndicate. Consequently, species populations are also becoming fragmented and isolated, compromising their ecological, behavioral, demographic and genetic viability. This is especially significant for large, iconic, umbrella species; the tiger, Asian elephant, Greater One-horned rhinoceros, snow leopard, and the red panda. Medicinal and aromatic plants are also continuously harvested in unsustainable ways. Loss and degradation of forests, especially in the mountain ecosystems, has cascading impacts in the immediate area, and far downstream. In the immediate watershed areas, loss of forest and ground cover can result in erosion in the catchments areas, causing siltation of rivers and streams, and loss of soil productivity. The consequences will range from loss of agricultural productivity to low water quality to floods, resulting Forest in displacement of people and species, economic losses from failed agriculture to degradation has compromised viability of hydro-power plants and other industries. The lives and livelihoods of the majority of Nepali people still depend on forest a direct impact products and ecosystem services. Unsustainable use of forests creates negative feedback loops to create unsustainable livelihoods, loss of biodiversity and ecological on wildlife and services, desertification, erosion, and economies. people Poaching and Illegal Wildlife Trade The combination of lucrative international markets and poverty in the local areas creates a vicious system of poaching and international trade networks that threaten the survival of Nepal’s iconic species. The porous border with neighboring India and unguarded border with China combined with inadequate capacity for effective protection has allowed poaching to thrive. Tigers and rhinoceros have seen precipitous declines in the last five years. Nepal is also used as a transit point for illegal wildlife products gathered from other countries in the region as well.

Unplanned Infrastructure Development Development priorities tend to push the conservation agenda aside in the developing and under-developed world. Construction of rural roads without proper environmental compliance, big hydro-power projects and economic corridors pose significant impacts on the fragile ecosystems.

Uncontrolled Forest Fires Forest fire is a daunting problem in the dry period. The uncontrolled wildfire in 2009 caused the loss of lives, property, and extensive areas of forests and grasslands. The threat could be exacerbated in the future by expected climate change.

Human Wildlife Conflict Local people have been living on the fringes of species habitat for centuries, and often come in close contact with the wildlife and suffer crop damage, property damage, livestock loss, and even fatality and injury. These conflicts breed hostility towards the wildlife and have led to retaliatory killing in many occasions.

WWF Nepal Strategic Plan page 19 Natural Disasters The mountain ecosystems are fragile and vulnerable to natural disasters. Landslides, glacial lake outburst floods (GLOF) and drought causes considerable damage to people and ecosystems. ICIMOD in 2009 identified six potentially dangerous glacial lakes in Nepal. Similarly, it is estimated that the rivers in Nepal carry 336 million tons of soil down to India annually. These are amplified by the current climate variability in terms of temperature rise and precipitation.

Drivers of Biodiversity Loss Drivers of change are the forces that are shaping the way the world works and thus affecting biodiversity, footprint and the potential to fulfill WWF’s Mission (WWF GPF 2008-2020). The prominent ones are population growth and migration induced by economic hardships and climate change, poor governance entailing policy gaps, weak policy enforcement, political instability and corruption, lack of diversified livelihood opportunities, and inequality based on caste, gender and ethnicity.

2.5 In Retrospect – Strategic Plan (2006-11)

2.4.1 Peaceful Revival Nepal was marred with civil strife for a decade. The insurgency which began in 1996 was finally brought to a conciliatory end in 2006 upon signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement by all major political parties. The insurgency had an adverse impact on infrastructure, industry, trade, tourism and the protection of forests and wildlife. Lack of protection resulted in an increase in poaching and the illegal trade of wildlife as well as habitat destruction from land conversion. Economic growth plunged into a downward spiral due to strikes and shutdowns, and in turn led to financial insecurity and capital flight. The peace accord, however, paved the way for democracy, peace, prosperity, and progressive socio-economic transformation.

2.4.2 Political Transformation Nepal’s historic Constituent Assembly (CA) election was held in April 2008. This was followed by the declaration of the federal republic of Nepal, abolition of the 240-year old monarchy, and the election of the first President and Vice-President of the Democratic Federal Republic of Nepal through the CA house. The first two- year deadline for drafting a new constitution ended on 28 May 2010; since then the Legislature-Parliament has extended the CA’s term four times.

2.4.3 Recession Global recession started to become visible beginning in 2008. The crash of the financial markets and financial institutions shook the foundation of the world’s economy. The ripple effect started to take its toll worldwide. In Nepal, it was felt through the downturn in tourism and remittance, a slump in Nepali exports, and shrinking foreign aid (Nepali times, Oct 2008). The losses in the stock market decreased foundation charities. This created an air of uncertainty for quite some time in regards to fund-flow and fundraising in the organization.

2.4.4 Climate Change Climate change has a multiplier effect and exacerbates the threats to biodiversity conservation and livelihoods (WWF GPF, Jul 2008). Climate change is expected to

WWF Nepal Strategic Plan page 20 influence the range distribution of species through habitat changes, physiological intolerances, and affect ecological processes. Climate change has already begun to affect some of the poorest and most vulnerable communities around the world, especially through disruption of ecological services on which these communities depend (HDR 2007/08, UNDP). Nepal is identified as a country vulnerable to the impacts of climate change primarily Nepal is the in the Himalayas where significant impacts have been observed locally as well as far world’s downstream which have hindered conservation and livelihoods development efforts. Nepal is the world’s fourth most vulnerable country to climate change, according to the fourth most 2011 report of the risk-analysis company, Mapplecroft. vulnerable Nepal has already formulated a National Adaptation Program of Action (NAPA) while projects on climate adaptation are already underway. WWF Nepal is one of the pioneer country to organizations implementing the climate change adaptation plan. WWF Nepal has also been supporting the government in formulating policies related to biodiversity and climate change climate change, and in international negotiations.

2.4.5 Key Conservation Achievements WWF Nepal and the conservation community appreciate the significant contributions made by the Government of Nepal, Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation, Department of Forests and Department of National Park and Wildlife Conservation in realizing the landscape vision and approach in biodiversity conservation. Community forestry and the partnership with community forestry users groups remained a major model in the landscape-level conservation approach. The key highlights of the past five years were as follows: • GoN handed over the management responsibility of Kangchenjunga Conservation Area (KCA) to the community in September 2006, making it the first community managed conservation area in the country. On a similar note, GoN established Banke National Park (BaNP) and Gaurishankar Conservation Area (GCA) in 2010 in TAL and SHL respectively, while three major corridor forests were declared as ‘protection forests’ in September 2010. The protected areas now cover 23.23% of the total area of the country. • A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on environment and biodiversity conservation was signed between GoN and People’s Republic of China in June 2010 in Beijing, China. A joint resolution on biodiversity conservation was also signed between GoN and the Government of India in July 2010. • For the first time in the conservation history of Nepal, a nation-wide survey using cutting-edge science was undertaken in 2010 to estimate the population of the Bengal 22.7% Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris). Results showed that the total tiger population in Nepal is 155 (124 - 229). Compared with the past estimates at the protected area level, tiger increase in population had increased in Chitwan National Park (CNP) and the population was found to be stable in Parsa Wildlife Reserve (PWR); there was, however, a decrease in rhinos in Nepal tiger population in Bardia National Park (BNP) and Shuklaphanta Wildlife Reserve (SWR). WWF Nepal coined the year 2008 as Wildlife Census Year wherein the since 2008 population status of rhino, snow leopard, gharial, blue sheep, Himalayan Tahr and guar were estimated. • DNPWC in collaboration with the Department of Forests (DoF), NTNC and WWF Nepal conducted rhino counts in 2008 and 2011. The latest census identified 534 rhinos in Nepal, which is an increase by 22.7% from the 2008 census result.

WWF Nepal Strategic Plan page 21 • 7,500 biogas plants were constructed between 2007 and 2011 under the first phase of the Gold Standard Biogas Verified Emission Reduction (VER) Project and the second phase verified 13,606 tons of CO2-equivalent. The local beneficiaries received funds from the sale of carbon credits from the first and second vintages. WWF Nepal initiated the first forest carbon project in 2011 in TAL and established the forest carbon stock baseline at the sub-national level. The baseline indicated highest forest carbon stock inside the protected areas followed by community forests and government-managed forests. • An integrated climate adaptation initiative was piloted in Langtang National Park (LNP) and Buffer Zone in 2010 which integrated ecosystem-based and community- based adaptation. It was implemented in three Buffer Zone User Committees (BZUCs) namely, Bhorley, Ramche and Laharepauwa. The pilot project focused on promoting wise use of water and improved agricultural practices, providing disaster relief and alternate energy, providing policy support, building awareness and communication, and knowledge management. • National Water Plan-2005 was first implemented in the priority catchments of National Water two sub-basins in the Koshi River basin in partnership with Water and Energy Plan-2005 was Commission Secretariat (WECS). The activities were commissioned based on the three pillars of Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) namely, implemented in environmental and ecological sustainability, economic efficiency in water use, and Koshi River Basin social equity. Institutional building at all levels is an enabling element in the program. • On the policy front, National Climate Change Policy-2067, Implementation Plan (2010-2014) for SHL, Koshi River Basin Strategic Plan (2011-2021), Species Conservation Action Plans (tiger, elephant, red panda, snow leopard), and Five- year Conservation Action Plan of Ghodaghodi Lake (2009-2013) (Ramsar site) were endorsed by the GoN. • WWF contributed to the formulation of the new constitution of Nepal by serving as the member in the Thematic Committee on Natural Resources, Financial Rights and Revenue Sharing of the Constitution Assembly and providing technical support for the development of the thematic report of the committee. In addition, WWF was appointed an expert advisor in the Parliamentary Committee on Natural Resources and Means to work on policy areas on the emerging environmental issues of the country. WWF also contributed substantially as the member of the steering and executive committee in the Ministry of Land reform and Management to formulate a comprehensive national land use policy. WWF Nepal is also a member, and the only INGO representative, in the National Tiger Conservation Committee which is chaired by the Prime Minister of Nepal. • 73 cooperatives were supported and more than 80,000 households benefitted 73 cooperatives from various sustainable livelihoods and capacity building programs to motivate were supported communities towards conservation. • WWF Nepal was at the helm of various campaigns meant to draw national and international attention to biodiversity and environment issues in Nepal. The Climate for Life campaign turned the world’s attention to the Himalayas with the theme, ‘Stop Climate Change – Let the Himalayas Live’. Under the campaign, WWF’s ambassadors – legendary mountaineer Apa Sherpa and fellow Everest summiteer Dawa Steven Sherpa – travelled across ten European cities, ending in Copenhagen at the climate change negotiations, carrying this message to high-profile politicians, celebrities and the general public. A petition signed by over 200,000 Nepali youth was also handed over to the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon urging the world leaders to take tough and effective actions at the COP 15 meeting in Copenhagen. Similarly, the

WWF Nepal Strategic Plan page 22 ‘TX2 Campaign’ was successfully launched marking the Year of the Tiger in 2010. Nepal joined its counterparts in 13 tiger range countries with a portfolio of campaign activities – from grassroots awareness efforts to targeted political engagement. GoN also issued two million Year of the Tiger postal stamps with the image of a tiger and the WWF logo. Likewise, the International Tiger Workshop was held in Kathmandu which laid out the Kathmandu Declaration detailing Nepal’s concerted efforts to GoN issued achieve the goal of doubling the number of wild tigers in the country by 2022. two million • An increase in funding from USD 2.58 million in FY06 to USD 5.1 million in FY11 was attained through strong leadership with the help from the 56 staff members. In 2011, Year of the WWF Nepal took the leadership in biodiversity conservation and climate change in Nepal by securing the ‘Hariyo Ban’ grant from USAID. During this period, WWF Tiger postal was able to diversify the donor profile, widen the investment from Government Aid Agencies (GAAs), and tap corporate funding to expand programs and projects. stamps • Eco Summit 2009 was organized at Sauraha, Chitwan, the first such program organized outside Kathmandu valley. Altogether 700 participants from more than 400 Eco Clubs of 18 districts of Nepal participated at the summit. The summit was unique in the sense that it was a voluntary effort of eco teachers and students. The approach to bring about an interaction of Eco Club members with the key conservation figures of the country has a life time impact to the minds of the students who participated at the summit. • Two key organizations – School Environment Conservation Education Network Nepal (SENSE-Nepal) and Biodiversity Conservation Forum, Nepal (BCF) – were established with the support of WWF Nepal in order to institutionalize conservation efforts at the local level. SENSE-Nepal consists of 383 Eco Clubs from nine districts of TAL. The network, which is probably one of the largest youth networks in TAL, is involved in conservation advocacy. BCF is a landscape level advocacy network and an umbrella organization of local partners of the TAL program. The BCF comprises of CFCCs, BZMCs and other local NGOs of TAL.

WWF Nepal Strategic Plan page 23 2.6 Lessons Learned Community stewardship in natural resource management is key to ensuring the Community sustainability of WWF Nepal’s program interventions; the successful management of stewardship in Kangchenjunga Conservation Area after its handover to the local community is evidence of this. WWF Nepal, towards this end, has been focusing its efforts on building the natural resource capacity of Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) through both technical and financial support so that the CBOs can better manage their community-led conservation programs. management is WWF Nepal has also promoted good governance and its approaches in the projects and key to ensuring CBOs. Such practices fostered meaningful participation of the community and helped in leveraging funds; in many instances, the CBOs were able to raise funds from other program development organizations. The absorption capacity of the CBOs for effective mobilization sustainability of funds, however, needs to be judiciously assessed beforehand. In working with local communities, WWF incorporates traditional practices, and local knowledge, institutions and interest in its program design and implementation. This has been found to be essential to ensuring local participation and garnering collective effort in curbing threats to biodiversity conservation. Program monitoring by high-level officials from WWF Nepal and Government line agencies is extremely helpful in providing guidance for effective program delivery and in bringing conservation issues to a national platform. Such monitoring helped in bringing the issues of encroachment, illegal timber-felling and poaching to the central-level debate and discussion subsequently prompting the government to take appropriate measures, such as forming a special security force to curb poaching, parliamentarians’ assessment in illegal timber-felling, and forming special committees to check illegal timber-felling. Campaigns are an effective means in disseminating conservation messages and sensitizing the public. WWF Nepal successfully conducted community-level campaigns related to forest encroachment, poaching, illegal wildlife trade, forest fire and climate change. ‘Climate For Life’ remains a signature campaign of WWF Nepal as discussed in the earlier section. Forest encroachment, largely by freed bonded-laborers, flood victims and landless people is a key challenge in TAL. While this issue is being tackled by regular removal actions on the ground by the forest officials and community, and massive campaigns against forest encroachment, it needs stronger central level support from the concerned government line agencies and development partners. Promoting the cultivation of high-value crops and NTFPs/MAPs such as mentha, chamomile, lemon grass and chiraito (Swertia chirayita) have proven to benefit communities as well as help in conservation. Such crops fetch high prices and provide incremental incomes to communities while also reducing human-wildlife conflict since the crops are unpalatable to wildlife. The livestock insurance scheme implemented in Kanghenjunga is another example in helping reduce human-snow leopard conflict while securing the livelihood of local communities. WWF Nepal and other partners supported such initiatives through hardware and software programs. In the future, the private sector should be brought in for buy-back guarantee, marketing and value addition. Despite huge efforts, Basanta corridor could not be restored well thereby limiting the functionality of the corridor. Continued encroachment and illegal logging, among others, are the primary problems facing the corridor. Likewise, Laljhadi corridor, which faces similar problems, could not be restored to the desired level. Human wildlife conflict remained a contentious issue as a sound government policy on the creation of a relief fund for addressing damage to crops, property and lives by wildlife could not be developed. WWF Nepal will work on the policy front to address the issues of human wildlife conflict and compensation mechanisms.

WWF Nepal Strategic Plan page 24 © Matt Wilkinson / WWF-Canon

WWF Nepal Strategic Plan page 25 STRATEGIC GOAL

By 2016, WWF Nepal shall conserve at least 2 priority landscapes within the WWF Priority Place , Eastern Himalayas and other national conservation priority areas by reducing anthropogenic and climatic threats to species, habitat and ecological processes while addressing the livelihoods of natural resource dependent people and creating an enabling policy environment. © Wim van Passel / WWF-Canon STRATEGIC PLAN 2012-2016 3.1 Vision, Mission and Goal WWF Nepal’s vision, mission and goal are guided by WWF’s mission, guiding principles and goals. The spatial focus or scope falls within but is not limited to the two priority landscapes of the WWF Priority Place, Eastern Himalayas. Likewise, some issue-based interventions are guided by WWF’s global mandate as well as the national conservation priorities of the country. Such issue-based activities extend regionally in their scale. WWF Nepal strives to take the lead in biodiversity conservation in Nepal and aims to be a nodal organization in this regard. It also aims to become financially sustainable, through membership or by raising dedicated funds for Nepal’s programs and projects in the coming years, thereby laying the foundation for becoming a National Office.

Vision WWF Nepal envisions a prosperous Nepal with a society possessing an ethic of stewardship and responsibility towards nature.

Mission WWF Nepal’s mission is to stop the degradation of Nepal’s natural environment, and to build a future in which people live in harmony with nature by: • Conserving biological diversity • Ensuring the sustainable use of renewable natural resources • Reducing pollution and wasteful consumption • Addressing sustainable livelihoods

Goal By 2016, WWF Nepal shall conserve at least 2 priority landscapes within the WWF Priority Place3, Eastern Himalayas4 and other national conservation priority areas by reducing anthropogenic and climatic threats to species, habitat and ecological processes while addressing the livelihoods of natural resource dependent people and creating an enabling policy environment. 3.2 WWF Working Areas 3.2.1 Terai Arc Landscape-Nepal The Terai Arc Landscape (TAL) program is the biggest conservation endeavor in Nepal. The landscape is a trans-boundary landscape between Nepal and India extending from Bagmati River in the east in Nepal to Yamuna River in the west in India covering 14

3 WWF Priority Places are either ecoregions or ecoregion complexes with globally irreplaceable and threatened biodiversity at immediate risk; or ecoregions or ecoregion complexes that represent an opportunity to conserve the largest and most intact repre- sentatives of that ecosystem (WWF GPF 2008-2020)

4 Eastern Himalayas encompass 4 Global 200 ecoregions namely, Terai-Duar Savannas and Grasslands, Eastern Himalayas Broad- leaf and Conifer Forests, Eastern Himalayas Alpine Meadows, and Brahmaputra Freshwater

WWF Nepal Strategic Plan page 28 protected area networks. In Nepal, TAL covers 23,199 km2 across 14 terai districts, and includes six protected areas that harbor some of the most endangered wildlife species in the Himalayas, and of the world. However, about seven million people and 4.5 million cattle that also live in this landscape (Census 2001) pose considerable conservation challenges. Since its inception in 2001, the TAL program has emerged as a model for recovering endangered tigers and rhinoceros through pioneering approaches and strategies to reconnect the core protected areas with forest corridors. Some of these innovative strategies include: • Identification and management of biological corridors by the local communities • Conservation stewardship through community- and youth-led anti-poaching groups • Installation of biogas digesters as alternative energy sources to reduce dependence on fuelwood to counter forest loss and climate change • Translocation of rhinoceros to re-establish populations • Scientific monitoring of tigers and prey using the latest protocols at landscape scales • Sustainability of conservation endeavors through financial and institutional strengthening

The TAL program is in its second five-year phase. During this phase the focus will be on consolidating, replicating and up-scaling past successes and lessons learned. These will include consolidating corridor conservation activities and expanding into other corridors and buffer zones. Support will be provided for effective protection in core areas and impact zones. WWF will also initiate research and monitoring programs for focal species and habitats. WWF will also pilot sustainable financing mechanisms such as through the carbon market and through premium payments for wildlife stewardship and conservation. TAL is also now set to become Asia’s first SMART and GREEN landscape, as defined in the TAL Phase II (2010-2015) Strategic Document, which will make it the most progressive conservation landscape in Asia by 2020.

3.2.2 Sacred Himalayan Landscape-Nepal The Sacred Himalayan Landscape (SHL) extends along the Himalayan mountains, from the Kali Gandaki gorge in central Nepal to the western boundary of Bhutan. It links 18 protected areas of Nepal and India and spreads across 49,899 sq. km of natural ecosystems. About 70% of the landscape falls within Nepal and covers, partially or wholly, 26 districts. In Nepal, SHL extends from Kangchenjunga Conservation Area (KCA) in the east to Annapurna Conservation Area (ACA) in the west and includes seven protected areas and two river basins–the Koshi basin and Gandaki basin. The landscape includes two Global 200 Ecoregions—the Eastern Himalayan Broadleaf and Conifer Forest, and Eastern Himalayan Alpine Meadows— and is also an important repository of water towers (glaciers) and contains the headwaters and sources of major Himalayan rivers. Over a billion of the world’s population is served by the water originating from this landscape; these freshwater systems are important conservation targets that require an integrated river basin management conservation strategy to balance biodiversity conservation, sustain ecological processes, and support human communities while mitigating the impending impact of global climate change. The freshwater connectivity is key to building north- south linkage in and beyond the landscape.

WWF Nepal Strategic Plan page 29 The landscape is home to the iconic species like the snow leopard, the red panda, Tibetan wolves, and several Himalayan ungulates. The landscape is also significant in terms of cultural diversity. SHL-Nepal is home to more than 40 ethnic groups adopting diverse culture, religion and traditional practices. Traditional forest and grassland management systems have been in place for centuries in SHL. The SHL program aims to capitalize on reviving and fostering these practices while building SHL as a climate adaptation landscape for conserving the Himalayan natural resources and building the resilience of communities toward the impact of climate change.

3.2.3 Other National Conservation Priority Areas WWF Nepal supports activities beyond the above-mentioned two landscapes and they are subsumed under the National Conservation Priority Areas (NCPA). NCPA are issue- based and site-based program activities that address the conservation issues at national and international levels. This includes activities related to WWF Global Priority Species (tiger, rhino, elephant, river dolphin, snow leopard) and their habitat beyond the two priority landscapes, wildlife trade routes and transit areas, human-wildlife conflict, climate change and energy, freshwater, bilateral and regional cooperation, multi-lateral environment agreements (MEA), and national and international policies on natural resources, environment and sustainable development among others. Conservation success in the two landscapes depends on the threats from the ‘Impact zones,5’ which fall beyond the boundary of the two landscapes. Wildlife trade needs a multitude of actions in trade routes across the country and coordination at the regional and sub-regional levels, climate change and water has cascading effect across the region while policy-related works and inter-country cooperation extend much beyond the scope of the two landscapes. The main focus areas under the NCPA are in the Trans Himalayan region, the Northern Mountain Landscape, Chitwan-Annapurna Linkage (or CHAL under the Hariyo Ban program), Karnali and Gandaki river basins, protected areas, national and protection forests, World Heritage and Ramsar sites, and wildlife trade/transit routes. This component constitutes up to 20% of the total investment portfolio to address the national priorities of the country that do not fall under the GPF priority.

Map: WWF Nepal Working Areas

5 Impact zones: The areas which fall beyond the boundary of the landscape but whose activities impart significant impact on the species and habitat in the landscape.

WWF Nepal Strategic Plan page 30 3.3 Conservation Programs WWF Nepal implements programs and projects in the two priority landscapes and national conservation priority areas under four major themes and four cross-cutting themes that are supported by robust operations and research and development. WWF Nepal places its strategic focus on the following programs:

Terai Arc Landscape Program The Terai Arc Landscape (TAL) program is WWF Nepal’s largest landscape level initiative supporting the government’s TAL program and involves a large number of partner organisations, donor agencies, stakeholders, community-based organisations and local people. The TAL programme was initiated in Nepal in 2001 by the Government of Nepal with the collaboration of WWF Nepal and Department of Forests (DoF) and Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC) of the Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation. Currently, the Corridors and Bottlenecks Restoration Project (CBRP), and Protected Area and Buffer zone (PABZ) project are being implemented under this program. The TAL program is an exemplary model in conservation marking a shift from site-based conservation to a landscape-based one. TAL was conceived as a system of corridors and protected areas for landscape-scale conservation of tigers, rhinos and elephants. In order to attain this goal of connecting the core areas, the TAL program focuses on restoring the corridors and bottlenecks between important protected areas of Nepal and India using the primary strategy of community forestry. Over time, the TAL programme has grown to serve the dual purpose of restoring habitat that facilitates wildlife movement and providing the local forest users’ groups with natural resources, economic benefits, and ecological services. The program strategies and activities are guided by TAL Strategic Plan, TAL Implementation Plan and TAL Phase II document of the GoN.

Sacred Himalayan Landscape Program Following the initiation of landscape level conservation in Nepal with the TAL program, the Sacred Himalayan Landscape (SHL) program was initiated in 2006 in partnership with ICIMOD, IUCN and The Mountain Institute (TMI). The SHL program works with the vision of creating a Himalayan landscape where the biological and cultural treasures of the world’s highest sacred mountains and deepest valleys are safeguarded while people’s rights over resources are ensured and livelihoods are enhanced and sustained. With climate change posing a major impact on the landscape, WWF Nepal focuses on maintaining the contiguity of protected area systems in the landscape and on establishing the vertical linkages through freshwater and related resources under its integrated river basin management approach. Currently, the SHL program operates in Kangchenjunga Conservation Area, Sagarmatha National Park and Buffer Zone, Langtang National Park and Buffer Zone, and the two sub-basins (Dudh Koshi and Indrawati) of the Koshi River basin. In these areas, the SHL program works towards protecting the snow leopard and red panda, forest/grassland restoration and habitat management, integrated water resources management (IWRM), and building ecosystem and community resilience to climate change impacts. The strategies and activities in the landscape are guided by the SHL Strategic Plan and SHL Implementation Plan of the GoN.

WWF Nepal Strategic Plan page 31 3.4 Conservation Themes The Conservation Committee under WWF Network Executive Team (NET) laid out the following WWF’s thematic working areas: • Forests • Conservation science and species • Climate change adaptation • Energy policy • Freshwater • Marine WWF Nepal focuses on all the above thematic areas except marine. WWF Nepal partners with key stakeholders in the conservation of forests and grasslands to maintain the connectivity and contiguity of ecosystems, and in turn, the protection of flagship species and species of special concern. It also aims to build the resilience of the ecosystem and community in adapting to climate change with a focus on carbon finance and low carbon development based on its experience with REDD+ in TAL and in the alternative energy sector. Similarly, it builds on its learning from integrated water resource management (IWRM) in Koshi river basin and High Altitude Wetlands (HAW).

3.4.1 Forests Goal: By 2016, to improve the forest by 3% from the 2009 baseline in the two priority landscapes in the WWF Priority Place, Eastern Himalayas WWF’s Forest Strategy has an over-arching goal of ‘zero net deforestation and forest degradation in WWF priority places by 2020’. It has identified work-streams based on two pillars; promoting forest conservation and sustainable use, and tackling drivers of deforestation. Under the first pillar, WWF Nepal will adopt three complementary approaches to forest resources: protect, manage and restore, with the overall aim of ensuring conservation of biodiversity and environmental resources at the landscape level. WWF will work across a network of protected areas of representative ecosystems in all the priority landscapes of Nepal while also ensuring the management and restoration of critical forests in corridors, bottlenecks, biodiversity hotspots and fragile ecosystems in the priority landscapes. Forests in the landscapes will be managed by an ecosystem approach to ensure biodiversity conservation and sustainable livelihoods. Under the second pillar, WWF Nepal will address the drivers of deforestation and forest degradation through strategies such as REDD+. A multi-stakeholder partnership will be promoted to increase community stewardship and the involvement of stakeholders in managing forests and protected areas. The following table depicts the five year (2012-2016) objectives for the forest thematic program and the accompanying strategies to achieve these objectives.

WWF Nepal Strategic Plan page 32 Objective Strategy

Objective 1 1.1 Support effective implementation of (Protect): management plans for PAs To protect 1.03 million 1.2 Establish mechanisms for the assessment of hectares of representative management effectiveness of PAs forest ecosystems under the 1.3 Ensure effective management in community protected areas (PAs) system managed PAs, community forests and corridors in the two priority landscapes and bottlenecks and other national priority 1.4 Strengthen habitat management in PAs areas 1.5 Ensure community stewardship and involvement of stakeholders in and around PAs 1.6 Strengthen capacity of PAs and buffer zone and community forest users groups

Objective 2 2.1 Ensure sustainable and integrated conservation (Manage): and management of fragile ecosystems To manage 660,000 hectares 2.2 Ensure conservation and management of of critical forests in identified corridors and biodiversity hotspots are included corridors and biodiversity in District Forest Sector Plans hotspots (two east-west 2.3 Promote/establish sustainable management corridor in Chure and seven models for corridors and hotspots and replicate prioritized corridors) in the in new sites two priority landscapes 2.4 Facilitate the designation of corridors and biodiversity hotspots as protection forests and ensure systematic planning and management 2.5 Ensure community stewardship and involvement of stakeholders (including private sector) in forest resource management 2.6  Initiate REDD+ readiness with sub national REDD project and assess the forest carbon stocks 2.7 Diversify livelihood options through sustainable use of forest resources promoting green enterprises and green jobs 2.8 Promote sustainable financing mechanism to manage forest and environmental resources

Objective 3 3.1 Control forest encroachment and reclaim (Restore): and restore evacuated areas by mobilizing To restore 35,000 hectares community and local institutions of degraded areas in critical 3.2 Restore degraded forests in critical areas, areas, bottlenecks and priority bottlenecks, priority watersheds and hotspots watersheds in two priority landscapes and other national 3.3 Identify and initiate actions to address the conservation priority areas drivers of deforestation and forest degradation in the landscapes.

WWF Nepal Strategic Plan page 33 3.4.2 Conservation Science and Species Goal: By 2016, the population of priority species and species of special concern increased and managed as meta-populations in the two priority landscapes of the WWF Priority Place, Eastern Himalayas, and other national conservation priority areas. Over the next five years WWF Nepal, in collaboration with GoN, will continue to manage and monitor populations of the priority species namely Bengal tiger, Greater One-horned rhinoceros, Asian elephant, snow leopard, and Gangetic river dolphin. WWF Nepal will also pay attention to other species of special concern; notably the Gharial crocodile, swamp deer, black buck, red panda, argali sheep and musk deer. Since ecosystems are dynamic, habitat management is essential to provide suitable and adequate habitat for focal species. For example, in the TAL protected areas, the grassland habitats, essential to species such as rhinos, tigers and Bengal Florican are being replaced by forests. Without management, these habitats will be lost, affecting the populations of the endangered species. WWF will support habitat management in protected areas, and site-specific habitat management inside and outside the protected areas for the focal species. However, habitat management will be conducted only on the basis of scientifically developed management plans. WWF Nepal will strengthen its efforts on wildlife crime control to effectively control poaching in the two priority landscapes and beyond. WWF will work at all levels; from engaging communities to enhancing trans-boundary coordination, strengthening law enforcement agencies to reformation of policies. Tackling human wildlife conflict remains another priority, with an emphasis on both preventative and remedial measures. The following table depicts the five year (2012-2016) objectives for the species program and the accompanying strategies to achieve these objectives.

Objective Strategy

Objective 1 1.1 Strengthen in-situ conservation in PAs and in (Species Management): critical habitats beyond PAs To increase tiger by 200 and 1.2 Apply the latest science-based technologies in rhino above 600 with viable ecological research and monitoring programs second population in Bardia, 1.3 Create a sustainable financing mechanism for and effectively manage and the long-term conservation of priority species regularly monitor the priority and species of special concern species and species of special concern

Objective 2 2.1 Monitor and conduct research on habitat (Habitat Management): requirements and availability (quality and To identify and ensure the quantity) using state-of-the-art technologies effective management of critical based on the ecology of species habitats of priority species and 2.2 Manage wildlife habitats based on area- species of special concern specific conservation plans, and scientific zonation of all PAs, BZs, critical forests, protection forests and corridors

WWF Nepal Strategic Plan page 34 Objective 3 3.1 Ensure community stewardship (including (Wildlife Crime Control): CBAPO sustainability and social To curb poaching in two priority transformation) to curb wildlife crimes landscapes and other national 3.2 Improve capacity of PAs and enforcement conservation priority areas and agencies and communities control illegal trade of wildlife 3.3 Enhance trans-boundary coordination and and its parts in Nepal regional/ international cooperation 3.4 Support in law enforcement and reformation of policy

Objective 4 4.1 Change people’s behaviour to co-exist with (Human Wildlife Conflict): wildlife in PAs, Corridors and BZs To reduce human wildlife 4.2 Support implementation and revision of conflict (HWC) in two priority government HWC relief policy/guideline landscapes and other national 4.3 Institutionalize and implement early warning conservation priority areas systems in high HWC areas 4.4 Develop and manage barriers (fences, trenches, unpalatable crops, etc.) to prevent/ reduce wildlife depredations and damage 4.5 Implement relief and compensation mechanisms to prevent retaliatory killings of wildlife

3.4.3 Climate Change Adaptation and Energy Goal: By 2016, there is a significant shift towards climate adaptation and resilience and low carbon development in the two priority landscapes of WWF Priority Place, Eastern Himalayas, and other national conservation priority areas. In the next five years, WWF Nepal will undertake adaptation and mitigation strategies to build the resilience of vulnerable ecosystems and communities to climate change. The major focus will be on energy and food security for conservation and sustainable development. This will be done through a three-pronged approach. Firstly, WWF Nepal will continue to enhance its understanding of climate change through research studies, build its capacity and the capacities of others at national, landscape and community levels, and also carry out campaigns to strengthen policy and awareness. Adaptation projects will be implemented to help build the resilience of local communities and ecosystems. WWF Nepal will also train and work with local citizen scientists as a means to build local capacity in understanding climate change issues and building the resilience of communities. Secondly, global carbon financing will be accessed from renewable energy projects so as to establish a sustainable financing mechanism for local communities. WWF Nepal will also constructively engage in forest carbon issues (REDD+) so as to help establish an equitable benefit sharing at both the local and national levels while ensuring that social, economic and environmental safeguards are met. Gender and social inclusion will be a primary consideration in this mechanism. Thirdly, while advocating for sustainable infrastructure development, eco-transportation and green economy and jobs, renewable and energy efficient technologies will be made widely available in the two priority landscapes and other national conservation priority areas to increase the

WWF Nepal Strategic Plan page 35 access of households to locally feasible renewable energy. At the national level, WWF will offer support to the GoN to develop relevant policies. The following table depicts the five year (2012-2016) objectives for the climate change and energy programme and strategies devised to achieve these objectives.

Objective Strategy

Objective 1 (Adaptation): 1.1 Enhance understanding and capacity on To build climate resilience and climate change through research, policy adaptive capacity of ecosystems interventions, studies, tools and methodologies, and vulnerable communities field evidences, anecdotes, awareness, in the two priority landscapes campaigns and publications, international and other national conservation negotiations priority areas 1.2 Implement integrated climate approach (Community Based Adaptation (CbA) and Ecosystem Adaptation (EbA) at landscape level in the 12 vulnerable sites of the two priority landscapes in collaboration with government and other partners 1.3  Integrate/link/mainstream adaptation practices and learning with government plans and policies (NAPA, LAPA6, PPCR7 and NAPs8)

Objective 2 (Carbon 2.1 Support establishment of an equitable benefit Financing): sharing mechanism for carbon revenue at the To access the global carbon national and local level (National Trust Fund) market to establish sustainable 2.2 Use state-of-the-art technology (including financing mechanisms LiDAR- Light Detection and Ranging) for forest-carbon monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) and support development of Reference Emission Levels 2.3 Use innovative concepts (e.g. Wildlife Premium concept) in the voluntary carbon- market to conserve wildlife 2.4 Enhance capacity and awareness building at all levels on carbon financing and REDD+

Objective 3 (Low Carbon 3.1 Ensure adoption of sustainable infrastructure Development): and eco transportation principles To advocate on sustainable 3.2 Support the GoN to develop a low carbon infrastructure development development mechanism and green jobs at the national 3.3 Increase access to locally feasible renewable level and increase access to energy and promote energy efficiency renewable and energy efficient technologies

6 Local Adaptation Plan of Action, 7Pilot Program for Climate Resilience, 8National Adaptation Plans

WWF Nepal Strategic Plan page 36 3.4.4 Freshwater Goal: By 2016, to conserve (restore, protect and sustainable use) freshwater ecosystems for the benefit of biodiversity and people in two priority landscapes of WWF Priority Place, Eastern Himalayas and other national conservation priority areas. In the next five years WWF Nepal will restore, protect, sustain and promote optimal use of the freshwater systems. Freshwater ecosystems in the two priority landscapes will be safeguarded so that biodiversity, ecosystem and environmental services as well as the cultural heritage are protected. Conservation of Ramsar Sites will continue to be a priority for WWF. Habitats of indicator and priority species such as the Gharial and river dolphin will be conserved and managed as determined by scientific management plans. The water footprint will be addressed by defining conservation priorities for large scale infrastructure, such as hydropower and dams and by promoting efficient water-use through appropriate technologies. Responsible tourism will be promoted to further ensure sustainable management of the environment, and for the benefit of communities dependent on freshwater for their livelihoods. This, along with strengthening upstream-downstream linkages and participation of stakeholders including the poor, vulnerable and socially excluded (PVSE), will help to build an institutional mechanism for integrated water resource management (IWRM). Payments for ecosystem services (PES) will be piloted and scaled up once the appropriate payment mechanism is developed. At the national level WWF Nepal will help strengthen policy issues with the GoN. Water and climate adaptation will thus be addressed in the two priority landscapes by building on best practices. The following table depicts the five year (2012-2016) objectives for the freshwater programme and strategies devised to achieve these objectives.

Objective Strategy

Objective 1 (Freshwater 1.1 Conserve freshwater habitats of national and ecosystems): international significance To manage priority freshwater 1.2 Conserve priority watersheds to build ecosystems to safeguard resilience of ecosystem and community against environmental services, climate change biodiversity, and cultural 1.3 Restore and conserve degraded water sources heritage to ensure water security and availability 1.4 Reduce the threats posed by climate change hazards, and pollution and mining

Objective 2 (Water 2.1 Ensure adoption of SMART large-scale footprint): To manage infrastructures including hydropower and freshwater resources for dams in line with conservation priorities optimal use 2.2 Promote and facilitate upstream-downstream linkages (economic and ecological linkages including PES) 2.3 Promote efficient water-use for the benefit of local people (economic efficiency) 2.4 Promote water-based responsible tourism

WWF Nepal Strategic Plan page 37 Objective 3 (Institutional 3.1 Establish and strengthen institutional building): mechanism/ water governance body at all To build institutional levels mechanisms for the effective 3.2 Promote participation of all stakeholders implementation of integrated by ensuring the representation of poor, water resource management vulnerable and socially excluded groups (social equity) 3.3 Build and strengthen the capacity of all stakeholders

3.5 Cross-Cutting Themes These themes cut across the above-mentioned four major themes to help achieve the goals and objectives of the four major themes. The detailed objectives and strategies of the cross-cutting themes are provided below.

3.5.1 Sustainable Livelihoods Goal: To secure community livelihoods in order to reduce pressure on natural resources and sustain healthy ecosystems and environmental services. In the next five years, WWF Nepal will continue its sustainable livelihoods program that builds on and promotes peoples’ strengths, skills, assets and potential. The programs will ensure livelihood security (food, water, energy, economic and social) for communities that live in and around protected areas and other priority sites, as well as help reduce pressure on natural resources that they depend on. Promotion of ecotourism and creation of ‘green jobs9’ will be given key emphasis in the sustainable livelihoods program. WWF Nepal will identify and work with the asset-deprived, vulnerable and marginalized groups, who are often the most severely affected by resource depletion and climate change. WWF Nepal will monitor the change in livelihoods and good governance at both community and landscape levels to assess the program impact. Sustainable Livelihoods Mainstreaming Strategy 2011 will work as a guiding document, describing the rationale and methods for addressing livelihoods and social issues, including its scope and monitoring procedures. The table below outlines the five-year (2012-2016) objectives for the Sustainable Livelihoods theme and the strategies devised to achieve these objectives.

9 Green jobs are those that involve protecting the environment, reducing carbon emission and ecological footprint, and creating and/or using environment-friendly sources of energy and water in a more efficient and sustainable manner. The jobs created are available to those all who are aspirant for that irrespective of caste/ethnicity, gender and communities affected by natural disasters.

WWF Nepal Strategic Plan page 38 Objective Strategy

Objective 1 (Livelihoods 1.1 Increase household and community income by Security): enhancing resource-based livelihood options, To ensure community and ecotourism and creation of ‘green jobs’ household capability to 1.2 Increase affected community’s access and manage and sustainably usage of human-wildlife conflict mitigation use natural capital stock for opportunities their livelihoods security and 1.3 Provide livelihood options to retain and sustain contribute to reduce pressure youth to continue the fight against illegal activity on conservation targets and wildlife crime 1.4 Increase access and use of PVSE’s to renewable and energy efficient technologies and related subsidiary services 1.5 Establish an equitable benefit sharing mechanism from carbon and non-carbon revenue at the local and national levels 1.6 Ensure effective representation of community including PVSEs

Objective 2 (Social Equity 2.1 Integrate gender and social inclusion policy in and Governance): conservation plans (local, national, regional and To improve governance of network) NRM Groups to ensure social 2.2 Integrate good governance principles to ensure equity and enhance benefit sharing mechanisms at local level

Objective 3 3.1 Strengthen institutional capacity for livelihoods (Institutionalize LGCM): and good governance change monitoring process To institutionalize livelihoods 3.2 Enhance understanding through establishment and good governance change of a logical linkage between conservation and monitoring approach in livelihoods (best practice and case study) NRM Groups (CFCC, BZMC, CAUC10, IRMC11)

3.5.2 Policy and Advocacy Goal: To develop policy frameworks that support biodiversity conservation, environmental management and sustainable development. WWF Nepal will work with the government agencies, the national parliament and other relevant stakeholders to strengthen policy on biodiversity conservation and sustainable development. On the national front, WWF will focus on the issues of equity, gender and social inclusion. On the regional front, WWF will work towards enhancing regional cooperation and effort towards curbing illegal trade and transit of wildlife and their derivatives. At the international level, WWF will work as a facilitator to the national government to further up international negotiations on sustainable development, biodiversity and climate related issues. WWF Nepal will strive to be the nodal agency on biodiversity, climate, and sustainable development in the country.

10 Conservation Area User Committee (CAUC) , 11Integrated Resource Management Committee (IRMC)

WWF Nepal Strategic Plan page 39 Similarly, the policy and advocacy work of WWF Nepal will target new partnerships, market opportunities, capacity building and other programs to realize conservation goals. This includes designing a mechanism for stakeholders, especially local communities, to share benefits from environmental services including potential carbon-related benefits. Likewise, capacity of stakeholders will be developed for international negotiations. WWF Nepal will work with relevant partners to strengthen and expand its conservation efforts. WWF Nepal will support the government to effectively implement multi-lateral environmental agreements, and to engage in dialogue with regional and international bodies for strengthening networks and establishing local to global linkages for biodiversity conservation initiatives in Nepal. In addition, WWF Nepal will continue to raise its own institutional profile through strategies that will further enhance its image and establish it more firmly as the key conservation organization in Nepal. The table below outlines the five-year (2012-2016) objectives for the Policy and Advocacy theme and the strategies devised to achieve these objectives.

Objective Strategy

Objective 1 (Policy): 1.1 Engage all stakeholders (local institutions, To bring environmental and executive bodies, ministries and the sustainable development friendly parliament) in constructive policy dialogue policies and reform in the to strengthen development of the national context of state restructuring, strategies, polices, acts, laws and bylaws institutional transformation and 1.1 Support evidence-based feedback mechanism innovation for policy advocacy

Objective 2 (Engagement in 2.1 Initiate and strengthen the participation in dialogues): regional and international fora To engage in regional and 2.2 Strengthen engagement with regional international policy dialogues bodies (Global Initiatives, Species Action Programmes) 2.3 Build and strengthen networks for conservation and sustainable development in the regional context 2.4 Promote transboundary dialogues (China and India) 2.5 Support development and implementation of network policies on conservation and development

Objective 3 (Institutional 3.1 Build and strengthen networks with like- Profile): minded institutions To raise and enhance 3.2 Initiate and promote issue-based campaign institutional profile 3.3 Establish the foundation for memberships in future

WWF Nepal Strategic Plan page 40 3.5.3 Conservation Education and Capacity Building Goal: To create awareness and inform people from all generations and from all walks of life on the issues of conservation and sustainable development. WWF Nepal will carry out conservation education programs all across the country but with a focus and emphasis in the priority project areas. WWF Nepal integrates education in its programs and projects to make people from all walks of life aware of the issues of conservation, thereby bringing positive attitudinal and behavioral changes. It does this with the help of Eco Clubs, network organizations, scholarship programs and campaigns. WWF Nepal is now set to expand and strengthen networks, such as Eco Clubs, and its scholarship programs. WWF will also provide platforms for a wider range of people to learn and appreciate the environment and to acknowledge the link between conservation and sustainable development. In the next five years, WWF Nepal will also organize an ambitious youth campaign titled “The Generation Green” to engage youth in conservation. Internships within WWF Nepal will also be established to allow young individuals to learn from WWF and use such learning in their future career and lives. The table below outlines the five-year (2012-2016) objectives for the Conservation Education and Capacity Building theme and the strategies devised to achieve these objectives.

Objective Strategy

Objective 1 (Capacity 1.1 Implement and expand educational scholarships Building): and action grants To provide platforms and/or 1.2 Expand and strengthen networks, such as Eco forums for a wider range of Clubs, Biodiversity Conservation Forum, School people Environment Conservation Education Network- Nepal (SENSE-Nepal) 1.3 Promote formal and non-formal education

Objective 2 (TGG): 2.1 Promote and perpetuate mentoring to youth To promote The Generation 2.2 Build and expand networks or alliances with Green (TGG) as a means to like-minded institutions raise conservation awareness and develop environmentally responsible citizens/leaders

Objective 3 (Learning and 3.1 Establish a mechanism for learning and sharing Sharing): in networks and beyond To institutionalize the 3.2 Establish structured internship program within learning and sharing process WWF Nepal

WWF Nepal Strategic Plan page 41 3.5.4 Communications and Marketing Goal: To position WWF as the most respected, successful, and credible conservation organization in Nepal that offers solutions to biodiversity issues. Over the strategic planning period, WWF Nepal will focus on marketing Nepal’s conservation gains through a variety of communications media while building corporate partnerships for engaging this important sector in conservation. The Green Lumbini Initiative, which seeks to promote conservation and sustainable development initiatives in Lumbini, will be a key project to engage corporates and individuals at both the national and international levels. WWF Nepal will also work with the head office and network offices to engage in strategic fundraising campaigns. The target audiences will range from urban and rural communities, CBOs, the GoN, the WWF Network, international government aid agencies (GAAs), donors and the private sector. WWF will work closely with the local and national media and invite international media to cover stories of global concern and interest. Communications campaigns will be organized to sensitize civil society, decision- makers and general public on environmental and developmental issues. WWF will also celebrate significant calendar events such as World Environment Day, World Wetland Day, Wildlife Week, National Conservation Day, Earth Hour and Tiger Day to build awareness on conservation issues. The table below outlines the five-year (2012-2016) objectives for the Communications and Marketing theme and the strategies devised to achieve these objectives.

Objective Strategy

Objective 1: 1.1 Organize press trips for national and To ensure coverage of international media conservation stories in the 1.2 Implement a media fellowship program and national and international organize regular interaction programs with media media 1.3 Conduct sensitization programs for journalists at the local level

Objective 2: 2.1 Continue story mining efforts throughout WWF To sustain donor interest and COMMS network increase engagement in WWF 2.2 Develop and disseminate, on a timely basis, key Nepal programs communications material in print and audio- visual formats 2.3 Work with network offices to coordinate fundraising efforts through events and fundraising campaigns

Objective 3: 3.1 Promote and market The Green Lumbini To engage high net-worth Initiative individuals and business 3.2 Design and market mini-projects (such as biogas organisations in conservation model villages, water smart communities) products of WWF

WWF Nepal Strategic Plan page 42 Objective 4: 4.1 Organize campaigns and events focusing on To build awareness at special themes and days and as per the global the national level on key WWF campaign themes conservation issues and 4.2 Implement Conservation Ambassador Programs impacts

3.6 Operations and Management

3.6.1 Operations Goal: To promote value-for-money across all grantees and partners to ensure effective use of funds for conservation and sustainable development In the next five years, WWF-Nepal will significantly invest in strengthening its pillars of operational performance both within and outside the network to realize its conservation and development programs and projects. WWF Nepal will continue a low institutional profile in rural areas, working through local partners and communities, and maintain a high degree of accountability and transparency. WWF will be ready to adapt its strategies to the changes occurring within the country. For example, the new constitution may herald major changes in the state structure of Nepal; WWF Nepal will remain neutral in the face of these changes as long as they are not detrimental to conservation. The table below outlines the five-year (2012-2016) objectives for the Operations unit and the strategies devised to achieve these objectives.

Objective Strategy

Objective 1: 1.1 Improve on Audit compliance issues at all To ensure transparency and levels accountability in all operations 1.2 Strengthen transparent consultancy selection 1.3 Ensure joint financial & programmatic monitoring 1.4 Build the capacity of key stakeholders 1.5 Develop and revise operational and financial manuals and guidelines 1.6 Ensure Public Hearing and Public Auditing (PHPA) in project offices

Objective 2: 2.1 Diversify donor base including private sector To secure leveraged funds for 2.2 Increase overall fund available for expanding program reach and programmatic goals and objectives impact 2.3 Establish mechanism to document leverage funds

Objective 3: 3.1 Ensure balanced budget and forecasts by To achieve financial using appropriate financial tools (ACCPAC, sustainability tally, ftp) 3.2 Ensure healthy reserves as per Network Standards 3.3 Establish own office building

WWF Nepal Strategic Plan page 43 Objective 4: 4.1 Follow Network Standards by effective use of To manage Carbon & Energy available tools (WebEx) Footprint 4.2 Ensure carbon footprint at network average (1.4 gha per person12) 4.3 Strengthen Green Office initiatives (including salary software, travel order)

Objective 5: 5.1 Develop a structure for repository system for To establish a Knowledge finance and operations Management Center 5.2 Keep track of records by allocating responsibilities

3.6.2 Fundraising Goal: To achieve an annual progressive increment of 20-30% over the existing fund to expand WWF’s conservation and development programs. WWF-Nepal will continue to develop exciting and dynamic fundraising strategies. WWF Nepal as a program office of WWF US is not eligible for independent in-country fundraising and membership drives. Therefore, WWF Nepal will concentrate on capturing innovations and building liaisons within and outside the WWF Network to raise more funds. One of the principal fundraising strategies will be to strengthen efforts within the existing donor base of GAAs, foundations, organisations and corporations, and WWF donor NOs. WWF Nepal will work intensively to explore new avenues in conservation and sustainable development, and broaden its support base by reaching out to new donors, both within and outside the WWF network (e.g. WWF’s Asia Pacific Growth Team). WWF-Nepal will continue to prioritize multi-year programs and projects for financial sustainability and to deliver tangible results on the ground while capitalizing on the strengths of partner organisations, government line agencies, and communities through leveraging.

3.6.3 Governance and Management WWF-Nepal as an INGO operates in Nepal according to the covenants of a General Agreement and specific Project Agreements with the Social Welfare Council (SWC), the statutory and nodal agency authorized by the GoN to facilitate the work of I/NGOs. This General Agreement governs WWF Nepal’s overall operations in Nepal while the specific Project Agreements guide project and program implementation through local partners, including non-governmental organisations, community-based organisations and government agencies. WWF Nepal’s organizational structure shown below provides the basis for program implementation. A management hierarchy has been adopted to ensure organizational accountability and transparency. The senior executives are responsible for visioning and key directions on conservation programs, operations and public relations. Accountability for ‘spending’ versus ‘fundraising’, and ‘enabling’ versus’ ‘doing’, and ‘lessons learned’ versus ‘adaptive-change’ shall continue to be clearly defined across the organization to make it more effective and efficient. The Country Representative, who is accountable to the Head Office, is supported by three directors, namely; the Conservation Program Director who leads the field programs/projects including development research and monitoring, and communications and marketing; the Director of Policy and Support who is responsible for managing all support programs including livelihoods, and policy & advocacy, and

12 Global hectares in WWOV11

WWF Nepal Strategic Plan page 44 wildlife trade; and the Director of Operations who is responsible for financial and human resource management, information technology, administration, and security and safety measures. WWF Nepal has two management teams with separate roles to guide the overall operations of the organization. The Senior Management Team (SMT) provides advisory support to the Country Representative whereas the Program Management Team (PMT) deals with operational issues to ensure inter- and intra-unit coordination. The major thematic units – Forest, Species, Climate Change and Freshwater – are led by staff with professional and academic expertise. Regular meetings and team-building events help build the team spirit and contribute to an open culture in the organization.

3.6.4 Project Implementation WWF Nepal, along with its various partners, strives to produce tangible conservation results on the ground by capitalizing on the achievements and learnings to date. WWF Nepal will pursue the existing implementation mechanism as illustrated in the figure below.

WWF Nepal Government of Nepal Community brings brings brings

• Techinical Scientific • Authority • Mandate knowledge • Legal mandate • Capacity for delivery • Fundraising • Leverage

Reports MoFSC, MoE, WECS, MoLRM Projects SWC Community countersigns

WWF Fund Fund/ Technical Assistance Reports

WWF Nepal Government of Nepal Community provides provides provides

• Fund • Support staff • Leverage • Support staff (Technical • Leverage • Deliverables and financial) • Reports • Procedures and tools • Reporting guidelines

Figure: Overall implementation modality

WWF Nepal Strategic Plan page 45 WWF Nepal will bring in funds and expertise, whereas the government will provide the mandate to run programs. The local communities will be a key partner in project implementation. New programs and projects will be implemented in the program areas as stated in the Scope of Cooperation with the concerned government agency (such as the Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation, and Water and Energy Commission Secretariat). The Scope of Cooperation subsumes and complements the programmatic priorities of the government line ministries. There will be a periodic renewal and revision of the Scope of Cooperation and Project Agreement. The project implementation modality, as spelt out in the figure below, brings together the government, line agencies and local communities right from the grassroots level to the central level. At the grassroots and local levels, WWF Nepal will ensure that all planning and coordination is done in partnership with local government bodies such as DDCs and VDCs. WWF Nepal shall also obtain free prior informed consent (FPIC) of indigenous people in framing and designing its intervention in the landscapes. Under this implementation modality, project committees have been set up to plan, implement, review and reflect on projects. A Project Steering Committee, which meets once a year, is chaired by the Secretary of the GoN and deals with policy related issues. A Project Executive Committee, which meets bi-annually, is primarily responsible for approving the year-round plans and activities. Day-to-day issues are dealt by a Project Coordination Committee that meets fortnightly or when required. A Project Management Unit at the local level deals with community and local level government agencies and other partners.

Steering Chair: Secretary Policy Committee Memebers: Div. Heads, DGs and WWF and major donor organizations

Project Project Chair: DGs (Dof and DNPWC) Executive Execution Memebers: DDGs CR, Senior Committee Officials, WWF and Project Managers

Program Coordination and Coordination DDGs and Technical Directors from Monitoring Committee WWF

Project Managers: Government Project Co-Managers: WWF Nepal Project Implementation F&A Officer: WWF Nepal Project Staff: Local

District or Coordination with district level PA Level government line agencies including Planning and DDCs and DFOs and Protected Areas Field Level Coordination Planning Coordination with user groups, Grassroot Level user group network, BZ council at grassroot level

Figure: Project implementation modality

WWF Nepal Strategic Plan page 46 3.6.5 Partnerships WWF Nepal works closely with government line agencies, communities and other partners to implement programs and projects. WWF Nepal has also signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with other focal ministries, quasi-government institutions and academic institutes as per the program need. WWF Nepal will develop new partnerships with bilateral funding agencies, private sector and the civil society. Of the government agencies, WWF Nepal works closely with the Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation (MoFSC), which is responsible for biodiversity conservation in Nepal, including management of forests and protected areas. Among the MoFSC departments, WWF Nepal works closely with the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC) and the Department of Forests (DoF). This partnership has been extended to the Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Land Reforms and Management, and the Water and Energy Commission Secretariat. WWF Nepal will continue to make good use of the expertise and competencies of its local, national and international partners. The partnerships will lead to leveraging, matching of funds and cost-sharing to yield greater impact in conservation and development at the landscape and national levels and to reduce operational overheads through achieving the economics of scale. At the local level WWF Nepal will work with local government bodies including DDCs and VDCs and continue to provide financial and technical support to Community Based Organisations (CBOs) and Civil Society Organizations (CSO) to increase their capacity in biodiversity conservation and sustainable livelihoods.

3.6.6 Finance Management and Strategy In the last strategic plan period, WWF Nepal achieved an increase in funding from USD 2.3 m to USD 5.1 m. WWF Nepal’s target is to double the annual budget to USD 10 m by 2016.

WWF Nepal Proposed Budget Increment (2012-16)

20

16

12

8

4 $ millions FY 12 FY 13 FY 14 FY 15 FY 16

30% increment 20% increment 10% increment

WWF Nepal Strategic Plan page 47 While income growth, on the whole, matched expenditure, WWF Nepal was successful in becoming financially self-sustainable. As a result, reserves increased from USD 19,000 in FY06 to USD 100,000 in FY11 – a trajectory that places WWF Nepal on the course to meet WWF’s Operations Network Standards (ONS). Such savings were possible due to close programmatic and operational cooperation during budgeting, and adherence to WWF’s ONS for cost recovery. The reserves played a positive role in filling the funding gaps for critical conservation activities during the period 2006-2011. WWF Nepal expects to continue this trend in the next strategic plan period. Timely financial reporting and external audit boosted donor confidence and financial transparency. To ensure compliance with WWF’s ONS, WWF Nepal will continue with the existing external audit and will expand the same to the grantee level during the new strategic plan period. To ensure proper internal controls are in place and to manage the operational risks, the finance unit will also establish and strengthen internal control system in the field projects. The submission of both the internal and external reports will help minimize the financial risks for donors and stakeholders. To further ensure transparency, professional services will be procured using an online roster and WWF’s ONS will be maintained to record all revenues and expenses in the proper format. The roster will be updated periodically and its use will be enforced for cost effectiveness and efficiency in the new strategic plan period. As conservation and sustainable development projects of WWF Nepal continue to expand, the management team anticipates new challenges and difficulties; an accommodating office space is one. WWF-Nepal will, in this regard, present a business case to WWF US for an office building or explore the possibility of acquiring a long- term lease from the GoN, and expand its office outside Kathmandu.

3.6.7 Transparency and Integrity Result, Respect and Integrity are the core values of WWF. WWF Nepal internalizes the need to be transparent and accountable to the five million members that support the WWF Network. As a large part of the fund comes from GAAs and private foundations, the management of WWF Nepal is accountable to these donors as well as its own board of directors. WWF Nepal uses due-diligence to select implementation partners and support these partners throughout project implementation. Transparent and inclusive processes and modes of operation have been developed for project implementation which are constantly being improved and refined. While the project committees meet regularly to ensure that project implementation and review are carried out as per the agreement and plans, the representatives from the communities, the government and other partner organizations also participate in these meetings to discuss the financial and programmatic performance and the way forward. Since transparency and integrity are the key pillars of good governance, WWF Nepal will continue strengthening good governance in all of its partner CBOs as well as in its projects.

3.6.8 Human Resources Goal: To make WWF Nepal the organization of choice for anyone planning a career in conservation In the last five years, the Human Resources (HR) strategy was successful in achieving a competitive compensation and benefits package, a staff-focused performance management system, and a transparent and structured recruitment process. It successfully built employee capacity and established various annual HR events. WWF

WWF Nepal Strategic Plan page 48 Nepal will continue to strengthen these areas, and will also build on opportunities to enhance career growth and promote exposure of its employees to external learning. Quality human resources and their continuous development will continue to be the key to the success of WWF Nepal in the next five years, and beyond. Over the years WWF Nepal has been able to attract, recruit and retain capable Nepali professionals, passionate about the work that WWF Nepal does. Recent surveys suggest that the organization is well-placed among national and international NGOs operating in Nepal. WWF Nepal will continue to provide safe and comfortable working conditions, physically and culturally, to enable staff to prosper as individuals and as part of their respective teams. WWF Nepal will reinforce the gender and social inclusion in the organization and encourage the partners to follow the same. In the next five years, WWF will assess how the management and employees can become more competitive by understanding and exploiting diversity for the benefit of fellow employees and the organization as a whole. As part of change management, WWF Nepal will continue coaching and mentoring, make a succession plan, and undertake safety and security measures. Crisis and emergency situations will be well-managed through appropriate measures. The success of the HR interventions will be assessed by the level of increase in the motivation among the employees and the enthusiasm of potential candidates to join the organization. The ‘green office’ principles will also be followed to ensure that the central and field offices work with efficient use of energy, paper and water. The table below outlines the five-year (2012-2016) objectives for the Human Resources unit and the strategies devised to achieve these objectives.

Objective Strategy

Objective 1 (Attract): 1.1 Identify the gap between current capabilities To attract the interest of and needs: BUILD (employee learning & qualified and passionate development), BORROW (use of a contingent candidates through workforce and project based work) or/and BUY being a fair and credible (recruitment & staffing) matrix organisations that cares 1.2 Train recruiting personnel on the WWF about its workforce competency-based recruitment process 1.3 Implement diversity and inclusion strategies to enable better inclusive decision making, and appreciation of individual unique capabilities 1.4 Define solid communication dissemination of information on the organizational culture and design, by identifying the audience, objectives, timeline, and channels such as internet, media, college relations etc. 1.5 Conduct qualitative and quantitative analysis of organizational capabilities through skills analysis, job design, role clarification and performance measures

WWF Nepal Strategic Plan page 49 Objective 2 (Motivate): 2.1 Identify talent and manage the same through To perpetuate and build development plans and career patterns in regular on a competitive people assessments advantage 2.2 Introduce flexible TORs, identify and implement workforce strategies for talent management 2.3 Determine competencies required for the concerned employees to attain the organization’s strategic goals 2.4 Provide coaching and mentoring for new and aspiring professionals

Objective 3 (Retain): 3.1 Review and revise WWF Nepal HR Manual To develop, encourage and periodically to include best HR practices support talent through 3.2 Build a reasonable staff to manager ratio to appreciation and integration enable talent management and mentoring of our Core Values (Results, 3.3 Focus on critical positions by investing in such Integrity and Respect) positions 3.4 Build a flexible structure to serve changing organizational needs including crisis management and redundancies 3.5 Explore exchange programs and non-monetary rewards for career growth opportunities

Organizational Chart

Country Representative

Conservation Policy and Operations Programme Support

Special Projects Wildlife Trade Finance Accounts (Hariyo Ban) Climate Change, Admin Contracts Energy, Communications, Freshwater Marketing & Education Program Admin Livelihoods TAL TAL Field HR Advocacy SHL SHL Field IT

DRM

Prog Dev & Planning, Research GIS Fundraising M&Db

WWF Nepal Strategic Plan page 50 3.6.9 Information and Communication Technology (ICT) WWF Nepal, as a science-based organization, aims to make the best use of every ICT resource available both programmatically and operationally in order to achieve higher efficiency and effectiveness in its day-to-day operations. WWF Nepal currently employs the best technologies available to match the needs and capacity of every employee in the organization. For instance, the Accounting Department currently uses ACCPAC software that has significantly increased transparency and accountability. Similarly, the day-to-day functions are supported by an online system, which includes a roster for hiring consultants, web-based payroll and HR management software, fund-tracking system (FTS) and satellite phones. These interventions have substantially curtailed paper use without compromising on donor reporting requirements. The field office in Terai is supported by broadband internet, whereas CDMA wireless internet has been provided in the mid-hills and the mountains due to their topography. Technology such as GIS, MIST, Miradi and other related software has also value-added to conservation projects in both SHL and TAL. During the next strategic plan period, WWF Nepal will set up video-conferencing including host facility for WebEx, cloud-competing technology, virtual-desktop technology, high-end database software for accounting (ACCPAC and its improved version), and mobile technology. At the same time, WWF Nepal will support capacity enhancement of key partners. Outsourcing will remain one of the key strategies in rendering ICT services. This increases efficiency and effectiveness in performance, and also decreases carbon footprint. WWF Nepal has an intranet-based document management system. It aims to create a Knowledge Management Center as a repository of all documents and knowledge (audio-visual) in an electronic format along with a user-friendly sharing technology (e.g. Microsoft SharePoint server). WWF Nepal has started the use of social media (e.g. Facebook and Twitter) in communications. Likewise, internet security will be maintained up to standard for every computer in the office.

3.6.10 Practicing What We Preach Successful endeavors like the TAL and SHL programs, and the KCA Project are a few examples of ‘practicing what we preach’ on a landscape level. WWF Nepal has adopted and implemented the best pragmatic ‘Green-Practices’ and is setting an example as a ‘Green Office’. In WWF Nepal, solar panels create energy that powers office-wide use of computers and electrical appliances, including refrigerators and the air conditioning system. The use of energy-efficient computers and lights, minimizing waste, and paper recycling are a few examples of minimizing wasteful consumption. WWF has been influential in the promotion of its green campaign to its stakeholders and aims to set an example in being a pioneer in the ‘Green-Office’ concept. WWF Nepal has taken a proactive approach in building a network of Eco Clubs and providing a platform for the growth of environmental knowledge in people of all ages. Over the next five years, WWF Nepal plans to take this a step further by launching ‘The Generation Green’ campaign. WWF Nepal launched the Green Hiker Campaign in partnership with the Nepal Tourism Board in 2011 and will be pursuing this more aggressively over the next five years. This campaign is WWF’s initiative to encourage tourists and tour-operators in the Himalayan region to opt for sustainable and responsible tourism. Covering almost the entire Himalayan region, WWF aims at reducing the baggage of tourism while inviting tourists to enjoy the Himalayas in their pristine form.

WWF Nepal Strategic Plan page 51 3.7 Projected Big-Wins over the Coming Five Years Building on the achievements and lessons learned from the previous years, WWF Nepal expects to achieve the following major outcomes, or Big Wins: • The community-based conservation model strengthened and replicated in TAL and SHL. • A second ‘A Class’ Conservation Complex created in the western region of TAL while maintaining Chitwan-Parsa as an ‘A Class’ conservation complex. • Zero poaching achieved in TAL and SHL and a complete stop put to illegal trade of wildlife and their body parts. • Carbon trading for sustainable financing embraced under forest conservation. • The Sacred Himalayan Landscape (SHL) showcased as a climate adaptive or resilient landscape. • Climate-smart snow leopard conservation initiated in SHL. • Community-based snow leopard insurance scheme, transect and camera trap monitoring, water smart communities and forest-based enterprises strengthened and replicated in SHL. • A tri-nation park established in the eastern border with India (Sikkim) and China (Tibetan Autonomous Region). • MoU with China and joint resolution with India implemented for trans-boundary conservation. • Koshi River Basin developed as a model for integrated river basin management. • Large scale infrastructure made environmentally smarter by adopting national/ international standards for the conservation of the ecosystem and biodiversity. • Participatory conservation model initiated for integrated conservation and development of Tinjure-Milke-Jaljale region.

3.8 Sustainability and Exit Strategy WWF’s partnership with the GoN in biodiversity conservation dates back to the mid- 1960s. For the past four decades WWF has been supporting the GoN technically and financially in implementing conservation programs and projects. WWF’s engagement in conservation programs in Nepal is long term in nature as evident from the establishment of a series of protected area networks and conservation area and buffer zone committees in TAL and SHL. WWF will continue to develop programs and projects bringing new donors and partners for the realization of the vision and long-term goals of the programs as set forth by the GoN to address the growing environmental challenges and harness the opportunities, particularly in the face of climate change, the development priorities (large infrastructure development) and illegal wildlife trade. While the programs are long term in nature, projects within the programs can end based on the stipulated project period from the concerned project area. Sustainability of conservation initiatives remains the topmost priority of WWF Nepal. This is ensured through financial, technical and institutional support to the stakeholders and key partners, and is an inherent component in all of its programs and projects. The microfinance institutions and Community Forestry Coordination Committees (CFCCs) are striking examples in this endeavor. As in the past, WWF will gradually phase out its issue-based and place-based projects with an exit strategy based on sustainability and post project viability. The learnings

WWF Nepal Strategic Plan page 52 and best practices are well documented, and will be consolidated and later expanded in new territories within the realm of the priority landscapes of the country and the WWF network.

3.9 Monitoring and Evaluation Goal: To support strategic decision making, strong project designs and cohesive programs/ projects through state-of-the-art monitoring and evaluation methodologies and practices to achieve long term impacts in biodiversity conservation. In the past, the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Unit strengthened performance monitoring of all the programs and projects with result-based evidences. It perpetuated structured performance review and planning at all levels with key partners and the units in WWF Nepal, designed log-frame matrix and monitoring framework of major proposals, and facilitated in technical reporting to the government line agencies and the WWF network. It also ensured timely reporting of WWOV and KPIs in coordination with the Finance Unit and conducted periodic evaluations with SWC and donors. Joint monitoring was regularly conducted with government line agencies in both the landscapes. Over the years, the unit developed and strengthened a centralized database system to store primary and secondary data in a more systematic way. The data storage system was also strengthened in the field offices to keep track of output level data which were supported by qualitative analysis based on success stories. In addition, the unit captured and documented lessons learned over the years, and helped in drafting strategic documents of the landscapes and the organization. The strong GIS capacity in the organization helped produce key landscape maps which have been used extensively in planning and strategy development. The unit also provides capacity building training on WWF PPMS in the organization and the WWF network at large. The participatory planning, monitoring and evaluation are an integral component of good governance. In the next strategic plan period, the M&E methodologies and practices will be strengthened at all levels from the center to the community/CBOs. Participatory planning will be well-aligned with WWF’s global and regional priorities, and with the GoN’s commitment to biodiversity conservation, while performance monitoring and review will be strengthened in all programs and projects. WWF Nepal will also make the best use of state-of-the-art technologies for planning and monitoring and its analysis. The performance data (qualitative and quantitative, and process mapping) and documentation will be strengthened and disseminated in coordination with the GIS and Communications Units. The reflections and lessons learned will also be given greater thrust in the adaptive management cycle. In addition, WWF Nepal will focus on improving and replicating Livelihoods and Good Governance Change Monitoring (LGCM) in new project sites. In the next five years, 5% of the funds will be allocated for M&E. The programs and projects during the next strategic plan period will be monitored based on the Monitoring and Evaluation Framework, Key Performance Indicators and WWF’s Network standards. The performance results are published in the Worldwide Overview by WWF International that gives an overall assessment of the performance of the organization. Independent external evaluators will continue to carry out evaluations of WWF Nepal’s work. The detailed M&E framework for the next five years is provided in the annex.

WWF Nepal Strategic Plan page 53 The table below outlines the five-year (2012-2016) objectives for the Monitoring and Evaluation Unit and the strategies devised to achieve these objectives.

Objective Strategy

Objective 1 1.1 Strengthen participatory planning at all levels (Participatory Planning): 1.2 Share planning of key partners To ensure participatory 1.3 Ensure log-frame matrix and monitoring planning of annual plans framework of large proposals based on PPMS including the monitoring plan guideline for all programs and projects

Objective 2 2.1 Ensure field verification through joint (Evidence-based monitoring and biophysical measurement monitoring & Evaluation): including GIS To ensure evidence-based 2.2 Strengthen project performance review monitoring and evaluation of 2.3 Ensure mid-term and final evaluation of programs and projects in a projects and programmes to assess outcomes timely manner and impacts

Objective 3 3.1 Improve data storage and retrieval in user- (Information friendly formats in centre and project sites Management): 3.2 Strengthen qualitative information including To systematically manage social parameters output, outcome and impact 3.3 Strengthen LGCM in CSOs level of performance data by 3.4 Analyze the information using database and making use of state-of-the-art statistics related software technologies 3.5 Improve visual analysis using GIS 3.6 Improve capacity of field office and CBOs in information management

Objective 4 4.1 Ensure timely reporting of technical reports at (Documentation and all levels Dissemination): 4.2 Strengthen documentation in coordination To document and share the with Communications Unit information to all audiences 4.3 Share performance results, best practices and lessons learned regularly in Nepal and WWF network

Objective 5 5.1 Ensure reflection and lessons learned sessions (Adaptive Management): in all levels To incorporate reflections and 5.2 Document the lessons learned lessons learned into adaptive 5.3 Incorporate the lessons learned in the adaptive management cycle management cycle

WWF Nepal Strategic Plan page 54 © WWF Nepal

WWF Nepal Strategic Plan page 55 Monitoring and Evaluation Matrix: Forests

Intervention Logic Indicators Source of Strategies Milestones Resources Verification

GOAL: By 2016, to improve the forest by 3% from the 2009 baseline in the two priority landscapes in the WWF Priority Place, Eastern Himalayas.

PROTECT: To protect 1.03 million hectares of By 2016, 541,200 ha under Technical Develop, update By 2016, 1000 ha of grasslands managed 175,000 representative forest ecosystems under the protected areas effective protected areas reports and implement annually (PAs) system in the two priority landscapes and other (PAs) management system management plans national conservation priority areas by 2016 in TAL of PAs

PA reports By 2016, at least 10 wetlands (including 22,500 waterholes) restored and managed

PA reports By 2016, 5000 ha of new BZ community 40,000 forests in Buffer Zones of PAs under effective community management

Technical By 2016, 600 km of fireline constructed 60,000 report and maintained

By 2016, 1,997,400 PA reports, Develop, update By 2016, 50% (of 713,757 ha) of alpine 1,750,000 ha under effective PA GIS reports and implement meadows under sustainable grazing management system in management plans regimes in SHL (including CHAL) SHL (TMJ included and of PAs including CHAL i.e. ACA Technical By 2016, 2000 ha of additional forests 16,000 and MCA) reports in conservation areas (KCA, MCA, and ACA) under effective community management

GIS reports By 2016, forest cover change updated 15,000 for TAL, SHL, and other national conservation priority areas

Technical By 2016, 50% (of 352,561 ha) of 1,500,000 reports degraded pasture lands restored in SHL and other national conservation priority areas

By 2014, TMJ (58,500 ha) declared as 10,000 conservation area By 2016, all PAs adopted Management Ensure community By 2014, Banke National Park (BaNP) 500,000 systematic planning and plan stewardship and mangement plan endorsed and effective management involvement of implemented stakeholders in and around PAs By 2014, GCA mangement plan endorsed 250,000 and implemented

By 2016, TMJ management plan 250,000 endorsed and implemented

By 2016, mangement plans of 6 PAs in 30,000 TAL revised and implemented

By 2016, mangement plans of 5 PAs in 42,000 SHL and 1 in other national conservation priority area (Shey Phoksundo National Park) revised and implemented

PA reports By 2015, Banke National Park and buffer 50,000 zone institutionalized

Technical Strengthen By 2016, KCA independently managed by 150,000 reports community managed community PAs

By 2016, management Effectiveness Establish mechanism By 2016, management effectiveness of 15,000 effectiveness of tools and for the assessment PAs increased as compared to 2006 representative PAs assessed reports of management assessment effectiveness of PAs

By 2016, KCA model Reports Strengthen capacity By 2015, at least 1 PAs managed by local 500,000 replicated in other PAs of protected areas and community buffer zone

By 2016, 50% of PAs Technical Ensure community By 2016, income of 1,000 HHs increased 500,000 population involved in reports stewardship and from eco-tourism biodiversity protection involvement of in TAL, SHL and other stakeholders in and national conservation around PAs priority areas Intervention Logic Indicators Source of Strategies Milestones Resources Verification

Technical By 2016, income of 4,000 HHs increased 1,200,000 reports, from green enterprises evaluation reports By 2016, at least 200 awareness 100,000 campaigns on conservation and climate issues conducted (at least 50% population of PAs participated in conservation and climate related awareness activities)

MANAGE: To manage 660,000 ha of critical forests in By 2016, 533,091 ha of Government Ensure sustainable By 2012, government designated special 15,000 identified corridors and biodiversity hotspots (two east-west Chure forests (east-west reports and integrated portfolio for Chure Forests corridor in Chure and seven prioritized corridors) in the two corridor) under effective conservation and priority landscapes by 2016 management management of fragile ecosystems By 2014, policy framework for Chure and 20,000 its resources in place

Technical By 2016, at least 2 sites in TAL piloted 200,000 reports for integrated Chure conservation

By 2016, 80,844 ha of Technical Ensure conservation By 2016, at least 5 DFSPs prepared and 50,000 forests in critical areas reports and and management implemented (corridors and hotspots) District plans of corridors and under systematic planning biodiversity hotspots and effective management in District Forest Sector Plans

Technical Promote/Establish By 2013, protection forest management 150,000 reports and sustainable plan prepared and piloted in 1 site plans management models for corridors and Government hotspots and replicate By 2016, at least 4 new corridors 20,000 reports in new sites designated as protection forests

Management By 2016, management plans prepared 400,000 plans and implemented at least in 4 protection forests Technical By 2016, 15000 ha new forests handed 120,000 reports, over to local communities Baseline reports, Evaluation reports, LGCM reports

By 2016, at least 2 forest Technical Promote sustainable By 2016, at least 2 forest products 300,000 products certified reports financing mechanism harvested from sustainably managed to manage forest forests and environmental resources By 2014, private sectors invloved in 20,000 forest certification process

By 2016, value addition of at least 4 200,000 NTFPs ensured

Technical By 2016, biodiversity registration 50,000 reports, case initiated in at least 5 sites to ensure studies rights over and benefits from forest and biological resources

By 2016, drivers of Assessment Initiate REDD+ By 2012, drivers of deforestation and 20,000 deforestation and report readiness degradation analysed and identified in degradation identified addressing drivers the priority sites and appropriate measures of deforestation and implemented Technical forest degradation By 2016, REDD+ readiness piloted and 50,000 report sub-national baselines created

By 2016, 10,000 HHs Technical Initiate REDD+ By 2016, 10 new villages developed as 600,000 directly benefitted report readiness biogas village by alternative energy addressing drivers technologies of deforestation and By 2016, Madi valley developed as 2,000,000 forest degradation alternate energy valley By 2016, home solar system established 50,000 in 200 HHs

By 2016, 5000 ICS installed 75,000

By 2016, forest fire Technical Initiate REDD+ By 2016, at least 12 community based 75,000 incidences reduced by report readiness forest-fire fighters fuctional in TAL and 80% as compared to 2010 addressing drivers SHL (including CHAL) baseline of deforestation and forest degradation Intervention Logic Indicators Source of Strategies Milestones Resources Verification

By 2016, grazing pressure Technical By 2016, 20000 HHs adopted 4,000,000 in the forests decreased by report appropriate measures to reduce grazing 30% as compared to 2011 pressure in forests in TAL (stall-feeding, data in TAL cattle breed improvement)

By 2016, 15000 HHs Evaluation Diversify livelihood By 2016, income level of 14,000 4,200,000 directly benefitted from report, case options through households in TAL, SHL and other sustainable livelihoods studies sustainable use of national conservation priority areas forest resources increased from forest-based, off-farm promoting green and agro-based IGAs enterprises and green Evaluation jobs By 2016, income level of 1,000 500,000 report, case households increased from eco-tourism studies

Evauation by 2016, 2000 forest and agro-based 100,000 report, case green jobs created studies

Evaluation By 2016, at least 30% of total HHs 45,000 report, case benefitted from forest and biological studies resources are poor, vulnerable and socially excluded (PVSE) groups

By 2016, sustainable Technical Promote sustainable By 2016, PES piloted in at least 2 sites 100,000 financing mechanism report financing mechanism established in at least 2 to manage forest priority sites and environmental By 2016, District Forest Development 25,000 resources Fund (DFDF) mobilized for landscape level conservation in at least 5 districts

By 2016, a national level Biodiversity 10,000 Fund established RESTORE: To restore 35,000 hectares of degraded areas By 2016, 25000 ha of Technical Control forest By 2016, 1000 ha of encroached forests 200,000 in critical areas, bottlenecks and priority watersheds in two degraded and deforested report encroachment and reclaimed and restored in TAL priority landscapes and other national conservation priority land restored in TAL reclaim and restore areas by 2016 evacuated areas

By 2016, 24000 ha of degraded and 840,000 deforested land under restoration in TAL

By 2016, 8,000 ha of Restore degraded 280,000 degraded and deforested forests in critical land restored in SHL areas, bottlenecks, priority watersheds By 2016, 2,000 ha of and hotspots 70,000 degraded and deforested land restored in other national conservation priority areas

By 2014, zero net Technical 300,000 deforestation (ZND) report, initiated for landscapes Assessment report

22,260,500 Monitoring and Evaluation Matrix: Species

Intervention Logic Indicators Source of Strategies Milestones Resources Verification

GOAL: By 2016, the population of priority species and species of special concern increased and managed as meta-populations in the two priority landscapes of the WWF Priority Place, Eastern Himalayas and other national conservation priority areas

Species Management: To By 2016, tiger population DNPWC records, Strengthen in-situ conservation By 2014, scientific monitoring of tiger population 300,000 increase tiger by 200 and rhino above increased by 50% from 2009 research reports, in protected areas and in completed in TAL 600 with viable second population baseline in Nepal (121 tigers in technical reports critical habitat beyond in Bardia and effectively manage and Nepal) protected areas regularly monitor priority species and species of special concern

By 2014, MIST implemented in 5 PAs across TAL 500,000

By 2012, non-invasive genetic study piloted (CNP) 30,000

Create a sustainable financing By 2015, wildlife premium schemes piloted in at 25,000 mechanism for the long-term least one priority site (BZUC, CFUG) conservation of priority species and species of special concern By 2016, Population Habitat Viability Analysis 10,000 (PHVA) completed for tiger

By 2016, snow leopard DNPWC records, Apply the latest science based By 2014, non-invasive genetic study completed in 40,000 population increased by 20% research reports, technologies in ecological Nepal from 2009 baseline in Nepal technical reports research and monitoring programmes By 2016, community-based snow leopard 60,000 monitoring mechanism established in Sagarmatha complex, Rolwaling complex and Western complex

By 2013, camera-trap method piloted in KCA 15,000 By 2014, satellite collar piloted in KCA 100,000

By 2016, the source population DNPWC records, Strengthen in-situ conservation By 2014, the rhino population in CNP maintained of rhino in CNP increased from research reports, in protected areas and in critical at 600+ 2011 baseline technical reports habitat beyond protected areas

By 2013, non-invasive genetic study piloted 40,000

By 2016, PHVA for rhino completed 10,000

By 2016, second viable Park records, By 2014, at least 40 rhinos translocated from CNP 340,000 population of rhino (>100) research reports, to BNP established in Western TAL annual report

By 2014, rhino-count completed in TAL 75,000

By 2016, gharial population Technical Support river dependent By 2016, gharial population maintained at 102+ 7,500 increased by 20% from 2011 Report, WWF communities in conservation record (102 Gharials in Nepal) Nepal and sustainable livelihoods

By 2013, gharial monitoring - SMART river 20,000 rangers concept initiated

Support formulation of By 2013, gharial conservation action plan 7,000 policy and plan for Gharial prepared and endorsed by Government Conservation

By 2013, PHVA for gharial completed 7,000

By 2016, population of other Park records, Apply the latest science-based By 2016, status survey of elephant completed 15,000 priority species and species of research reports, technologies in ecological across TAL/terai special concern maintained annual report research and monitoring programmes

By 2014, GPS collaring for at least 5 individual 70,000 elephants completed

Involve community groups By 2015, community-based red panda monitoring 20,000 in species conservation and and conservation mechanism established in LNP monitoring and KCA

By 2014, national red panda conservation plan 7,000 prepared and endorsed by Government Intervention Logic Indicators Source of Strategies Milestones Resources Verification

By 2015, population status of river dolphins 4,000 updated

By 2016, population status of tibetan antelope 10,000 and argali updated or established

By 2016, prey population Technical Apply the latest science-based By 2016, population status of himalayan tahr, 72,000 of tiger and snow leopard Report, WWF technologies in ecological blue sheep and musk deer updated (KCA, GCA, increased and/or maintained Nepal research and monitoring SNP, LNP, MCA, and Arun valley) from baseline of 2009 programmes

By 2014, status update of tiger prey in PAs (CNP, 68,000 BNP, SWR and BaNP) across TAL (chittal, sambar, wild boar, swamp deer and hog deer)

Habitat Management: To By 2016, tiger and prey Technical Monitoring and research By 2016, tiger and prey occupancy increased 34,000 identify and ensure the effective occupancy increased in TAL reports, DNPWC on habitat requirements by 30% in TAL (measured by occupancy index) management of critical habitats of (measured by occupancy annual reports, and availability (quality and against the baseline of 2009 priority species and species of special index) against the baseline of scientific quantity) using state-of-the- concern by 2016 2009 publications art technologies based on the ecology of species

By 2016, at least 6 corridors (Barandabhar, 17,000 Brahamadev, Basanta, Khata, Kamdi, Laljhadi) functional facilitating gene flow for flagship species

By 2016, habitat assessment Technical By 2012, habitat quality assessment completed in 10,000 for snow leopard and its prey reports, DNPWC priority sites completed in Nepal (measured annual reports, by occupancy index) scientific By 2016, critical corridors and gaps identified for 5,000 publications snow leopard

By 2016, habitat maps with GIS maps and Map habitats with scientific By 2014, habitat mapping of critical areas (PA, 5,625 scientific zonation prepared reports zonation of all protected areas, BZ, corridors) with scientific zonation prepared for all landscapes buffer zones, critical forests, for TAL protected forests and corridors By 2014, habitat mapping with adaptive zonation 10,000 prepared for SHL (including CHAL) By 2014, habitat mapping with adaptive zonation 5,000 prepared for other national conservation priority areas

By 2016, management plans Management Manage wildlife habitats based By 2013, river management plans prepared , 10,000 endorsed and implemented for plans, on area-specific conservation endorsed and implemented (for Narayani, Rapti at least 3 priority sites (BaNP, conservation plans, and scientific zonation and Karnali) Narayani and Rapti, Karnali) plans of all PAs, BZs, critical forests, protection forests and corridors

Wildlife Crime Control: By 2016, poaching of rhino DNPWC records, Improve capacity of PAs and By 2014, MIST implemented in 5 PAs across TAL 300,000 To curb poaching in two priority and tiger reduced by 90% as DFO and enforcement agencies and landscapes and other national priority against the baseline data of PAs reports, communities areas and control illegal trade of 2007 technical wildlife and its parts in Nepal by 2016 reports, database

By 2016, illegal trade of DNPWC records, By 2014, at least 150 enforcement personnel 100,000 wildlife, wildlife parts and DoF reports, (security force, DNPWC, DoF) capacitated/ their derivatives reduced by DFO and trained on anti-poaching and anti-trafficing 80% as compared to data of PAs reports, activities 2011 technical reports, database

By 2016, number of arrests Meeting Support to law enforcement By 2015, National Tiger Conservation Committee 25,000 and seizures related to illegal minutes, and reformation of policy (NTCC) and Wildlife Crime Control Coordination wildlife trade increased by 50% DNPWC records (Support policy reformation Committee (WCCCC) institutionalised of 2010 baseline and enforcement) By 2015, Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) 50,000 institutionalised and functional

By 2014, at least 15 cells under WCCB established 75,000 in the districts and functional

By 2016, at least 100 CBAPOs Technical Ensure communities’ By 2013, all CBAPO units in TAL functional and a 75,000 instituationalised and reports from stewardship (Community network established functional in the priority DNPWC and Based Anti-poaching landscapes and national DoF, and TAL, Organisations sustainability) to By 2016, at least 50 CBAPO units established 225,000 conservation priority areas SHL and THL address wildlife crimes and/or strengthened in SHL and other national conservation priority areas

By 2014, a network of CBAPO units established 10,000 and/or strengthened in SHL and other national conservation priority areas Intervention Logic Indicators Source of Strategies Milestones Resources Verification

By 2014, at least 20 endowment fund established 60,000 for engaging youth in wildlife crime control in TAL and SHL

By 2016, all relevant policy Strategic Plan Support to law enforcement By 2013, strategic plan for anti-poaching and 10,000 framework or instruments and reformation of policy anti-wildlife trade for WWF Nepal prepared and prepared or revised (including policy reformation implemented and enforcement) Policy document By 2016, National Park and Wildlife Conservation 25,000 Act revised and new draft bill prepared and endorsed

By 2016, bilateral and regional Meeting Enhance transboundary By 2013, mechanism established at local-level for 50,000 network and mechanism minutes, coordination and regional/ regular transborder meeting with India and China established and strengthened technical reports international cooperation and meetings held regularly

Agreements By 2014, an MoU between Nepal and India signed 25,000 on biodiversity conservation

Strategic By 2014, tri-nation tansboundary meeting held 50,000 document and understanding developed

Meeting minutes By 2013, South Asia Wildlife Enforcement 25,000 Network (SAWEN) fully functional

Human Wildlife Conflict: By 2016, HWC baseline Assessment Conduct scientific study and By 2012, livestock depredation baseline data 6,000 To reduce human wildlife conflict in established for priority species report, park strengthen community based (species-wise) established for critical sites two priority landscapes and other and priority issues (tiger, snow reports, database monitoring national conservation priority areas leopard, rhino, elephant) by 2016

By 2012, crop damage and property damage 7,000 baseline data (species-wise) established for critical sites

By 2012, human-casualty baseline data (species 4,000 wise) established in all priority landscapes

By 2012, baseline data on retaliatory killing of all 3,000 priority species established By 2016, human casualty Assessment Change people’s behaviour to By 2016, community-based human insurance 15,000 reduced by 80% in priority report, park co-exist with wildlife in PAs, schemes established and stregthened in at least 3 sites compared to 2012 reports, database Corridors and BZs priority sites baseline data

By 2016, retaliatory killing Assessment Institutionalize and implement By 2016, community-based livestock insurance 146,000 of flagship species (tiger, report, park early warning systems in high schemes (LIS) established and strengthened in at elephant, rhino and snow reports, database HWC areas least 10 priority sites leopard) reduced by 80% in priority sites as compared to By 2013, systematic elephant drives in place 15,000 2012 baseline data supported by early warning system established in at least 1 site

By 2016, livestock depradation, Assessment Establish relief and By 2016, community-based crop and property 20,000 and property and crop damage report, park compensation mechanisms to damage endowment (revolving) fund established reduced by 30% in priority reports, database prevent retaliatory killings of and strengthened in at least 1 site sites as compared to 2012 wildlife baseline data Develop and manage barriers By 2014, infrastructure management (solar fence, 20,000 (fences, trenches, unpalatable watch towers) strengthened in all priority sites crops, etc.) to prevent/reduce wildlife depredations and By 2016, infrastructure (trench, solar fence, bio 50,000 damage fence, watch tower) developed in at least 5 critical sites

By 2014, form, train and equip mobile and anti 40,000 depredation squads in all priority sites

3,380,125 Monitoring and Evaluation Matrix: Climate change Adaptation and energy

Intervention Logic Indicators Source of Verifi- Strategies Milestones Resources cation

GOAL: By 2016, there is the significant shift to climate adaptation and resilience, and low carbon development in the two priority landscapes of WWF Priority Place, Eastern Himalayas and other national conservation priority areas

Adaptation: To build climate By 2016, vulnerability VA reports, Enhance understanding and By 2012, tools and methodologies for 50,000 resilience and adaptive capacity assessment conducted and adaptation plans capacity on climate change Vunlerability Assessment standardized of ecosystems and vulnerable adaptation plan developed in through research, policy communities in the two priority at least 10 priority sites interventions, studies, tools landscapes and other national and methodologies, awareness, conservation priority areas in campaigns and publications Nepal by 2016

By 2016, at least 500 Progress reports Implement integrated climate By 2015, at least 400 community members 100,000 individuals capacitated/ approach (Community trained on VA ToT trained on climate Based Adaptation (CbA) change issues at all levels and Ecosystem Adaptation By 2015, at least 150 CSOs and media trained on 80,000 (government officials at local (EbA) at landscape level in climate change issues and central levels, academia, the two priority landscapes in media, CSO, IP) collaboration with government By 2015, at least 150 government officials at all 100,000 and other partners levels trained on climate change issues

By 2015, at least 40% of the trained people 80,000 represented PVSE (IPs, women, deprived groups etc)

By 2013, scientific knowledge base strengthened 50,000 and/or establish on climate science at all levels (in National Academy for Science and Technology with Department of Hydrology and Meteorology support, e.g. Himalayan Climate Center)

By 2016, at least 5 scientific Scientific study Enhance understanding and By 2015, at least 2 studies conducted in habitat 40,000 studies on impact of climate reports, proceedings, capacity on climate change modeling change on species, its habitat publications through research, policy and ecoystem and its services interventions, studies, tools and methodologies, awareness, campaigns and publications By 2015, at least 2 research studies conducted 1,500,000 on ecosystem and its services from climate perspective

By 2015, at least 2 studies conducted on impact of 300,000 climate change on climate indicator species

By 2016, at least 100 Technical reports 150,000 campaigns/awareness/ outreach on climate change conducted at all levels

By 2016, climate change Strategy document, Integrate community- By 2012, SHL climate change strategy prepared 1,210,000 adaptation plan implemented technical reports, based adaptation (CbA) and in at least 5 sites in SHL lessons learned ecosystem-based adaptation documents, (EbA) at a landscape level in the best practices priority landscapes documentation

By 2016, climate change Lessons learned By 2012, climate change adaptation piloted in 2 1,500,000 adaptation plan implemented documents, sites in Chure in at least 5 sites in TAL technical reports, (including Chure) best practices documentation

By 2016, climate change Policy documents, Integrate/linkage/mainstream By 2016, at least 10 LAPAs prepared 20,000 mainstreamed in at least 5 LAPAs with government plan and sectors/sectrol policies policies (NAPA, LAPA, PPCR) By 2015, at least 5 sectoral policies reviewed in 125,000 light of climate change

Agreements, MoUs By 2015, at least 10 partnerships established with 10,000 line ministry (government), private sector and CSO for the implementation of NAPA and other adaptation initiatives

Lobby at International By 2015, fair ambitious and binding (FAB) 50,000 negotiations for fair and climate deal globally accepted effective funding to address issues of climate change

Carbon Financing: To By 2014, 1 additional PDD Project Design Scope possibilities of carbon By 2016, 7500 additional HHs benefit from 4,124,107 access the global carbon market developed for biogas project Document (PDD) financing projects with carbon financing from renewable energy project to establish sustainable financing for voluntary market community, government and mechanisms by 2016 private sector partnership Intervention Logic Indicators Source of Verifi- Strategies Milestones Resources cation

By 2016, benefits from from National REDD+ Establish equitable benefit By 2012, assessment for identifying units for 24,819 carbon financing and PES Strategy document sharing mechanism from carbon ecosystem services on carbon and non-carbon maximized at local level by MFSC, revenue at the national and local (wetlands and tourism services) completed assessment reports level

Use innovative ways (Wildlife By 2013, national REDD+ strategy endorsed by 35,000 Premium concept) in the GoN voluntary carbon-market to conserve wildlife

By 2014, equitable benefit PDD document Scope possibilities of carbon By 2012, 1 PDD developed for forest carbon 272,688 sharing mechanism financing projects with project for voluntary market established from carbon community, government and financing under REDD+ private sector partnership By 2013, National Trust Fund under the 20,000 concerned ministry set up

LiDAR and ground Pilot state of the art technology By 2013, National MRV (monitoring, reporting 721,694 truthing data and (LiDAR) on forest carbon and verification) system established for REDD+ information monitoring under the relevant ministry (DFRS)

By 2016, drivers of Assessment reports By 2012, drivers of deforestation and degradation - deforestation and degradation analysed and identified (shown in Forest identified and appropriate Objective) measures implemented

By 2016, 2,000 HHs directly Reports (progress By 2016, 250 HHs directly benefitted from IGAs - benefitted by implementing and evaluation and skill enhancement training (shown in Forest measures for addressing reports) Objective) drivers of deforestation and degradation By 2016, 600 km of fireline constructed and - managed (shown in Forest Objective)

By 2016, at least 12 community based forest-fire - fighters established in TAL and SHL (including CHAL) (shown in Forest Objective)

By 2016, 320 ha of degraded and deforested land - restored (shown in Forest Objective) By 2016, 1,000 people Workshop Enhance Capacity and By 2016, MFSC, MoE, MoLRM officals trained 181,278 (Government, academia, proceedings, awareness building at all levels on climate change, carbon financing and REDD+ civil society organisations, Progress reports, on carbon financing and REDD issues local people, IPs and women travel reports groups) trained in forest By 2016, at least 3 academic institutions trained 43,841 inventory (remote sensing on climate change, carbon financing and REDD+ and ground truthing) and issues REDD+ issues By 2016, at least 50 CSOs capacitated on climate 43,841 change, carbon financing and REDD+ issues at central and local level

By 2014, at least 240 new local resource persons 292,775 (LRPs) developed for forest carbon inventory in SHL (including CHAL) and TAL

By 2016, at least 2 IP organisations and PVSE 15,573 groups capacitated on climate change, carbon financing and REDD+ issues

By 2016, at least 3 representative women groups 31,147 capacitated on climate change, carbon financing and REDD+ issues

By 2016, at least 20 CA members (executive, 15,573 judiciary and legislative members) capacitated on climate change, carbon financing and REDD+ issues

By 2014, National Landuse Policy endorsed by 87,500 GoN

Low Carbon By 2016, at least 5000 Technical reports Increase access to renewable By 2016, 500 HHs benefitted from 3 microhydro 1,250,000 Development: To advocate HHs benefit from access energy (micro- hydro, biogas, projects in SHL (including CHAL) on sustainable infrastructure to renewable energy ICS, biofuel, solar) development and green jobs at the (microhydro, ICS, solar and national level and increase access metal stove) to renewable and energy efficient technologies

Promote energy efficiency By 2015, 500 HHs benefitted from solar 450,000 technologies in TAL and SHL (including CHAL)

By 2015, 4000 HHs benefitted from ICS 100,000 Intervention Logic Indicators Source of Verifi- Strategies Milestones Resources cation

Policy document Support GoN to develop a low By 2014, low carbon development policy endorsed 43,750 carbon development policy by Ministry of Environment

Assessment reports By 2013, 1 feasibility study of biofuel conducted 10,000

By 2016, at least 300 people Assessment reports Capacity need assessment By 2012, capacity need assessment completed at 540,000 (Government, academia, all levels civil society organisations, local people, IPs and women groups) trained on greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory and carbon market

13,668,585 Monitoring and Evaluation Matrix: FreshWater

Intervention Logic Indicators Source of Strategies Milestones Resources Verification

Goal: By 2016, to conserve (restore, protect and sustainable use) freshwater ecosystems for the benefit of biodiversity and people in two priority landscapes of WWF Priority Place, Eastern Himalayas and other national conservation priority areas.

Freshwater ecosystems: To By 2016, Site Management Management Conserve freshwater habitats of By 2014, Site Management Plan prepared 40,000 manage priority freshwater ecosystems Plan implemented in 4 Plans, national and international significance and endorsed for at least 2 Ramsar sites to safeguard environmental services, Ramsar sites Technical biodiversity, and cultural heritage by 2016 Reports By 2016, 3200 ha of Technical Conserve priority watersheds to build By 2015, at least 2 critical wetland habitats 300,000 freshwater habitat Reports, GIS resilience of ecosystem and community restored improved for indicator Reports against climate change (environmental species sustainability) By 2015, 200 HHs from wetland-dependent 250,000 communities directly benefitted from wise use of wetland based resources

Assessment By 2014, habitat quality assessment in 75,000 Reports relation to aquatic fauna conducted in at least 3 priority sites

By 2016, at least 5 critical Technical Restore and conserve degraded water By 2014, 250 HHs directly benefitted from 150,000 river stretches conserved Reports, GIS sources to ensure water security IGAs (for fish dependent communities - Bote, for priority species (Gharial Reports and availability (environmental Majhi, musahar, etc.) and Dolphin) sustainability) Technical By 2014, disturbances (temporary 90,000 Reports constructions, sand/gravel/stone mining) minimized in 5 critical river stretches

By 2016, improved status Monitoring Reduce the threats posed by climate By 2014, at least 150 degraded water sources 500,000 of at least 15 critical Reports change hazards, and pollution and are restored and conserved watersheds in 3 sub basins mining Technical By 2016, at least 10 environmental friendly 200,000 Reports technologies/practices promoted

By 2016, 5000 HHs directly benefitted from 500,000 IWRM activities

By 2016, 10000 people made aware on issues 250,000 of pollution and mining Intervention Logic Indicators Source of Strategies Milestones Resources Verification

Optimal Use/Water By 2016, at least 2 large Technical Ensure adoption of SMART large-scale By 2014, sustainable hydropower protocol 50,000 footprint: To manage freshwater scale infrastructures reports infrastructures including hydropower tested for one site resources for optimal use by 2016 adopted National/ and dams in line with conservation International Standards priorities Meeting By 2016, strategic partnership developed 100,000 minutes, with key stakeholders agreements

By 2016, PES mechanism Technical Promote and facilitate upstream- By 2014, PES (non-carbon) mechansim 25,000 implementd in at least two reports downstream linkages (economic and piloted in 1 site sites ecological linkages) By 2016, 200 HHs benefitted from PES 40,000

By 2016, 4000 HHs with Technical Promote efficient water-use for the By 2015, 1500 HHs benefitted from 300,000 improved access to water reports, benefit of local people (economic appropriate and water-efficient technologies resources proceedings efficiency) By 2016, 5000 HHs benefitted from 750,000 alternative livelihood options (with efficient water use)

By 2016, eco-toursim Technical Promote water based responsible 75,000 promoted in at least 2 sites reports tourism

Institutional building: To By 2016, Water governance Technical Establish and strengthen institutional By 2015, at least 20 water governance bodies 500,000 build institutional mechanism for the body of 2 basins (IRMCs, reports, mechanism/water governance body at of in 2 sub-basins (IRMCs, DWRCs, sub- effective implementation of integrated DWRCs, Sub basins) meeting all levels basins) institutionalized water resource management by 2016 functional minutes

By 2013, River Basin Office (RBO) for Koshi 200,000 established and functional

Agreement Build and strengthen capacity of all By 2015, at least 50 stakeholders from local 250,000 papers, minutes stakeholders and central levels capacitated/trained

By 2016, at least 30% Technical Promote participation of all By 2015, PVSE members (30% of total 100,000 of direct beneficiaries reports stakeholders by ensuring the targeted beneficiaries) at local and central represented from PVSEs representation of poor, vulnerable and levels trained/capacitated socially excluded (PVSE) 4,745,000 References

1. WWF from 1961 to 2006, http://wwf.panda.org/who_we_are/history/wwf_ conservation_1961_2006/

2. Comprehensive Peace Agreement 2006, Unofficial Translation, http://www.satp.org/ satporgtp/countries/nepal/document/papers/peaceagreement.htm

3. Local Impact of Global Gloom, Nepali Times Issue #421, Oct 2008 http://www. nepalitimes.com/issue/2008/10/17/Nation/15296

4. Annual Technical Progress Reports, 2007 – 2011, WWF Nepal

5. National Strategy (Interim) for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) plus in Nepal, Readiness Phase (2010-12), REDD Forestry and Climate Change Cell, July 2010

6. WWF Forest Strategy, November 2010

7. Nepal Biodiversity Strategy – 2002, MFSC

8. Nepal Millennium Development Goals, Progress Report 2010, NPC/GoN

9. Three Year Plan Approach Paper (2010/11-2012/13), NPC/GoN

10. The Elephant Conservation Action Plan for Nepal (2009-2018), DNPWC

11. WWF Global Initiatives and Species Action Programme

12. WWF Nepal 2011, ‘Sustainable Livelihoods Mainstreaming Strategy’ Caveats

The Strategic Plan (2012-16) is a living document. The mid-term review and update will be held in its third year to assess the relevance of the plan and to make revisions on the basis of programmatic changes. The new state restructuring process could have an impact on the working modality, partnerships and approach as outlined in this strategic plan. Similarly, emerging threats and issues could additionally affect program strategies. The plan would therefore require timely review and revision to address these changes.

WWF Nepal Strategic Plan page 75 • STRATEGIC PLAN 2012 – 2016 NP WWW.WWFNEPAL.ORG

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