Briefing About SCGIS Nepal

Briefing about SCGIS Nepal 1. Introduction  SCGIS Nepal has formed as national chapter of SCGIS in Nepal in July 2007.  It is a non-profitable organization working for conservation activities  SCGIS Nepal is dedicated to increase conservation awareness through the geographic approach  It focuses on community approach  It aims to bridge the geographic knowledge of GIS professionals and local people/Indigenous practice for conservation and natural resource management  Focus Areas: Wetland and Biodiversity, Natural resource management, cultural heritage 2. Accomplished Work  Community mapping in Jaladh watershed, Eastern Terai, Nepal, July, 2007  Map reading training for nature guide of Chitwan National Park, August, 2007  Community mapping for the wetland dependent community of Beeshazar , Wetland Complex, October , 2007  Conservation GIS training for conservation of wetland ecosystem for the buffer zone management of Chitwan National Park, January, 2008  Establishment of Community GIS Center in Chitwan National Park, Febuary 2008  Support to GIS Database preparation for Khaptad Tourism Development Committee, Government of Nepal, April 2008  GIS database preparation for the community forest user group in Khudanabari VDC of Jhapa District, June, 2008  Support to set up GIS program for Tribhuvan University, Butwal Multiple Campus, Butwal, Nepal, September, 2008  Conduct a Seminar on ‘Conservation GIS and Ecological Modeling’, October, 2008 Some photographs of accomplished work

Photo 1: Community mapping in Jaladh watershed Photo 2: Taking GPS points in Jaladh River

Photo 3: Community mapping in Jaladh Watershed Photo 4: Map Reading Training for Nature Guide

Photo 5: Nature Guide drawing jungle safari route in topo map

Photo 6: Participants of Community GIS Training Maps and GIS database

Map : Wildlife corridor map of Beeshazar Wetland Complex

Map 2: Habitat map of Beeshazar Complex Map 3: Proposed community Forest area in the old channel of Tinau River

3. Partnership with Local level Organization

S.N. Name Working fields (Main Project Area (physical coverage Themes) 1 Tinjure Milke Rohodorendorn Eastern Hill Jaljale Conservation Terhathum, and Sankhuwasabha District*, Rohodorendron conservation Program 2 Evergreen Society Red Panda Eastern hill, Nepal Conservation, Orchid Panchthar, and Ilam District Conservation 3 Abiyan Nepal Community forestry and Eastern terai, local level development Jhapa District 4 Jaldh Integrated Watershed Eastern Terai ( Dhanusha and Mahottari Watershed and management, District) Natural Resource conservation of Natural Management resource, Disaster Program (JIWAN) mitigation and Sustainable livelihood 5 Mirgakunja Buffer zone Central terai Bufferzone management, (Chitwan District, Chitwan National Park) Management Community Forestry Committee

6 Bird Education Bird monitoring in Central Terai Society Chitwan National Park (Chitwan District, Chitwan National Park) 7 New Life Youth Social mobilization and Mid western Terai Club local level development (Rupandehi District) 8 National Environment and public Mid western Terai Environment and awareness (Rupandehi District) Public Awareness Group (NEPA Group) 9 Community Radio Journalism, Media and Mid western hill Madanpokhara, communication (Palpa District) 10 Khaptad National Park Management, Far Western hill (Acham,Bhjhang and Park and Khaptad Conservation, Tourism Bajura District Area Tourism Development Committee

4. Funding Partners  Society for Wetland and Biodiversity Conservation Nepal (WBC Nepal)/IUCN Netherlands  Khaptad Area Tourism Development Committee, Government of Nepal  GIS Resources Pvt. Ltd.,

5. Management of Organization

Status  Established as a National Chapter of SCGIS  Working as a non profit organization  Processing in registration with Social Welfare Council, Government of Nepal Organization Structure  It is governed by Executive Committee, Advisory Board, Technical Team and Volunteers

Executive Committee S.N Name Designation Discipline 1 Mahesh Pathak President Geography 2. Pradeep Paudyal Vice-President Geology 3 Tibendra Raj General Secretary Geography Banskota 4 Sabitra Aryal Treasurer Management 5 Archana Adhikaree Member Environmental Science 6 Keshab Prasad Member Sociology Panthi 7 Kapil Adhikari Member Botany

Advisory Board S.N Name 1 Prof. Bhim Prasad Subedi (Ph.D) 2. Mr.Motilal Ghimire 3. Mr. Yam Bahadur Bam Technical Team SN Name Experties 1 Bishow Nath Bhandari Habitat mapping, Wetland Conservation 2 Kiran Sapkota Biodiversity conservation 3 Yog Raj Gautam Natural Resource Management 4 Ambika Adhikari Hazard mapping 5 Suraj Sunar Hazard mapping 6 Ashok Pathak Rural Development/ Community Mobilization

Volunteers

 Masters Degree Student from Geography, Botany, Environmental Science, Zoology and Geology applying GIS and Remote Sensing in their research work

6. Financial Source

 Support from WBC Nepal, Khaptad Area Tourism Development Committee,  Mirgakunja Buffer Zone Management Committee  Support from local partners

7. Proposed Progremme:

Conservation GIS in Himalayan region and future programme of SCGIS Nepal

Background  Fragile landscape  Rich in biodiversity  Rich in ethnic diversity  Poverty and low level of human development  Conservation threats: Climate Change, population growth Application of GIS and Remote Sensing  GIS and RS work by Government, NGOs and INGOs  GIS and RS tools have widely used by GIS professionals  Application Areas: resource mapping, vulnerability mapping, database preparation Knowledge Gaps  Community have narratives on surrounding landscape and environments  Local people are the main actors for conservation  Local people have also spatial thinking  Gap to bridge the spatial thinking of GIS professionals and Local community  Need to focuses on community approach Future Program  Community mapping to increase conservation awareness  Capacity building on Geographic approach Through: o School and University GIS Program o Community GIS for local community o Technical support for local level organization o GIS training for conservationist

Experience of SCGIS Nepal on Community Mapping Community initiative to update biodiversity database using geographic approach