Infrastructure Assessment in Snow Leopard Habitat of Nepal
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REPORT NP 2018 INFRASTRUCTURE ASSESSMENT IN SNOW LEOPARD HABITAT OF NEPAL WWF 2018 © WWF 2018 All rights reserved. Any reproduction of this publication in full or part must mention the title and credit WWF. Cover photo: © DNPWC/WWF Nepal Published by: WWF Nepal PO Box : 7660 Baluwatar, Kathmandu, Nepal T: +977 1 4434820, F: +977 1 4438458 [email protected], www.wwfnepal.org While reasonable eforts have been made to ensure that the contents of this publication are factually correct and properly referenced, the authors/contributors do not warrant the information in this paper is free from errors or omissions. FOREWORD With Nepal transitioning into its new federal structure, greater emphasis has been placed on infrastructural development by the Government to achieve its ambitious target of becoming a middle-income country by 2030. However, such development, while critical for any nation’s economic prosperity, is globally recognized as a challenge to wildlife conservation. These challenges are even greater for a country like Nepal – with its aspiration for development and responsibility to preserve its rich natural heritage. In the context of increasing infrastructural development in Nepal, and potential growth of large infrastructures in the future, WWF commissioned a rapid assessment of infrastructure in the Himalayan region; a global priority landscape for snow leopards. The overall objective of the assessment was to explore, identify and assess the impacts of current as well as planned future infrastructures on snow leopard habitats of Nepal. Snow leopards are a fagship species of the high mountain ecosystems. Their survival ensures well-being of the entire ecosystems they inhabit. Any development initiatives that ensures minimal damage to snow leopards and their habitats contributes therefore to securing long-term benefts of the entire ecosystem. This report is an outcome of the assessment of existing and planned infrastructures in the Himalayan range of Nepal and wouldn’t have been possible without the support of WWF UK. Contribution to this report includes ‘An Infrastructure Assessment in Snow Leopard Habitat of Nepal’s Himalayas’, executed under WWF’s Guarding the God’s Pet in the Himalayas. We hope this assessment serves as an important guide for taking forward Nepal’s agenda of sustainable green infrastructure for the beneft of people, nature and wildlife, and the nation at large. Dr. Ghana S. Gurung Country Representative, WWF Nepal Snow Leopard Champion, WWF Network ACRONYMS AHP Analytical Hierarchical Process CR Consistency Ratio CHAL Chitwan Annapurna Landscape DDC District Development Committee DMG Department of Mines and Geology DR District Road DoR Department of Roads EIA Environmental Impact Assessment GDP Gross Domestic Product GIS Geographical Information System GPS Global Positioning System GSLEP Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection Program GoN Government of Nepal HW Highway IEE Initial Enviromental Examination LDC Least Developed Countries MAPs Medicinal and Aromatic Plants MCDM Multi-Criteria Decision Making MoFE Ministry of Forests and Environment MoPE Ministry of Population and Environment MW Mega Watt SEA Strategic Environmental Assessment SRN Strategic Roads Network TR Track UNDP United Nation Development Program USD United States Dollar USAID United States Agency for International Development VAR Village and Agriculture Road YAE Youth Alliance for Environment WWF World Wildlife Fund Inc. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY With Nepal having stepped into the federal structure, development of infrastructure seems more viable as the nation’s capital expenditure is expected to be better exploited to drive the infrastructure trends towards prosperity. Infrastructural development is instrumental to the country’s economic development, however only proper planning and execution of developmental projects can yield positive results in conserving the natural environment. Snow leopards; global priority species are found in high mountain ecosystems and their survival ensures well-being of the entire ecosystems they inhabit. Any development initiatives that ensures minimal damage to snow leopards and their habitats, therefore, contributes to securing long-term benefts of the entire ecosystem. Rapid infrastructure assessment was conducted with an objective of exploring, identifying and assessing the impacts of current as well as planned infrastructures on snow leopard habitats of Nepal. Thus, this report is an outcome of that assessment carried out in Nepal’s Himalayas in mid-2016. Current and planned projects focusing on road, hydropower and airport were the focal point of this assessment. Settlement buildup, mines and trail development were also considered as possible sources bearing an impact on the snow leopard habitat. Eforts were made to evaluate their impact, both qualitatively and quantitatively, and recommend priority actions for prevention and/or mitigation of negative impacts. During the assessment, multi-criteria decision-making tools incorporating analytic hierarchy process technique was used in impact assessment of conservation and development projects. This publication also consolidates necessary information that could serves as a starting point for research to help plan and implement infrastructure projects, with minimal impacts on biodiversity, especially in the snow leopard conservation landscape within Nepal. The evaluation shows that among the six-infrastructure themes that this assessment focused on, roads seem to have the highest amount of impact on the snow leopard habitat. Experts’ ranking ranged from 61% for road to 12.4% for settlement. Impact due to high density road infrastructure on snow leopard habitat ranges from 5,725 sq. km. to 17,775 sq. km.. Prediction maps show an area (greater than 90 percentile) measuring between 525 sq. km. and 625 sq. km. as high impact zone in snow leopard habitat, afected by infrastructural development. The study concluded that the current cumulative efect of infrastructural development on snow leopard habitat is low. However, future impact scenario shows an increase of 50% impact area, most of which within or traversing through the core snow leopard habitats. Therefore, it is likely that snow leopard habitats would be subjected to a high degree of fragmentation and human disturbances in the future. There is common understanding among us on the need to ensure environment sustainability in the face of infrastructure development, for the long-term well-being of both nature and people. National policies should refect this knowledge and ensure minimal negative consequences of developmental activities. Improvement in quality of impact assessment, identifcation of potential risks and solutions during planning, incorporation of mitigation measures during construction, regular monitoring and corrective measures during operation as highlighted in environmental impact assessment reports, can greatly ensure sustainable development. Meanwhile, since, most transboundary roads in the country lies within the protected areas of Nepal, regular coordination between development and conservation stakeholders is a must to promote ssustainable green infrastructures. © DNPWC/WWF Nepal TABLE OF CONTENTS FOREWORD .............................................................................................................................................iii ACRONYMS ............................................................................................................................................. iv EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................................................................... v 1.0 BACKGROUND ............................................................................................................................................1 1.1 Snow leopards in Nepal .....................................................................................................................1 1.2 Snow leopards - An Opportunity Towards Sustainable Infrastructure Development in Nepal ..... 2 1.3 Infrastructure Development in Nepal .............................................................................................. 3 1.4 Large Infrastructure Assessment in Snow leopard Habitat of Nepal’s Himalayas ........................ 4 2.0 DESIGN .............................................................................................................................................. 5 2.1 Geographical Context ....................................................................................................................... 5 2.2 Conceptual Framework of Impact Assessment ................................................................................ 6 2.3 Data ..............................................................................................................................................8 2.3.1 Literature Review .................................................................................................................8 2.3.2 Consultation Meetings ......................................................................................................... 9 2.3.3 Habitat Model of Snow Leopard ......................................................................................... 9 2.3.4 Geospatial Data .................................................................................................................... 9 2.4 Data Analysis ....................................................................................................................................