Volume II, No.1 Registration No. 61685/93 PPAANNDDAA A BI-ANNUAL NEWSLETTER ON FORESTS, ENVIRONMENT & WILDLIFE Newsletter 2009 Forests, Environment & Wildlife Management Department Government of Sikkim Inside ….. Editorial Board Editorial’s Desk Chairman LEST WE FORGET Mr. T. R. Poudyal, IFS (Retd.) Career Profile Series on Fore-Foresters 1 (Former PCCF-cum-Secretary) Chairman, SPCB/SEIAA (Sidkeong Tulku)- by T. R. Poudyal Rigors and Reflections of Retirement - by T. R. Poudyal 2 Coordinator Mr. C. Lachungpa, IFS CCF-cum-Nodal Officer KEY STATISTICS OF SIKKIM - compiled by ENVIS 4 (LU&E/ FCA) NEWS & EVENTS 2008-09 - compiled by ENVIS Technical Coordinator Pradeep Kumar, IFS Launch of State Green Mission Phase III 5 CF (Working Plan) World Environment Day 5 Co-Editors Wildlife Week Celebration 5 Mrs. U. Lachungpa National Environment Awareness Campaign 6 Sr. Research Officer (W/L) World Wetlands Day 7 Mrs. Urmila Thapa, ACF Governor ’s Global Climate Summit 8 Mrs. Dechen Lachungpa, ACF Centenary Celebrations of Sikkim Forestry 9 Outbreak of Forest Fires across Sikkim 10 Mr. Rajen Pradhan Sr. Programme Officer (ENVIS) Mrs. Chechik Lhamu Bhutia A WALK IN THE WOODS Computer Assistant Leopard at Large in South Sikkim - by U. Lachungpa 11 Forest Resources of Pakyong Territorial Sub-Division 12 - by Kusum Gurung Compilation & Design Know your Protected Areas – by Urmila Thapa 13 Mr. Rajen Pradhan Wildlife Protected Areas in Sikkim -An Overview 17 - by H. P. Pradhan Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve and its Significance - by J. B. Subba 21 PANDA is a bi-annual newsletter published by the department of Forests, Environment & Bamboo and its Potential - by Dr. Tika Prasad 23 Wildlife Management, Government of Sikkim. Fascinating World of Wildlife – An Overview by Dr. C. P. Rai 25 This newsletter is aimed at disseminating environment, forest and wildlife information Sighting of Red Panda at Pangolakha Wildlife Sanctuary 26 among the public at large and is also envisaged to serve as a medium to communication among foresters and others EXOTIC HOLIDAYS engaged in nature conservation in the State. Adventur e Tour to Muguthang, North Sikkim 27 Free and voluntary contributions for publication in the newsletter may be sent to -by Monalisha Dash Editors, PANDA, Forest, Environment & Maenam Wildlife Sanctuary - compiled by ENVIS 29 Wildlife Management, Government of Sikkim, Deorali -737102, Gangtok. ALARM CALLS Changing Himalayan Environment and its impact on Development - compiled by ENVIS 31 FRONT COVER PICTURE: Newly re-designed emblem of Forest, Gearing up to Predict the impact of Climate Change Environment & Wildlife Management on the Biodiversity of Sikkim -by Pradeep Kumar 35 Department, Government of Sikkim on completion of 100 years of forest service. The Phenology- A tool to Monitor Climate Change: emblem depicts eight lucky signs in one crest (A need in Sikkim Himalaya) – by H.K. Badola 37 on the top and state’s important heritage – Red Panda (State Animal), Blood Pheasant (State Bird), Dendrobium nobile Orchid (State Flower) LIST OF OFFICERS OF THE DEPARTMENT 39 and Rhododendron niveum (State Tree) at the bottom with conservation motto. ENVIS (ENVironmental Information System) CENTRE 41 PCCF-cum-Secretary Chairman, Forest, Env. & WL Mgt. Department SPCB/ SEIAA, Government of Sikkim Forests, Env. & W/L Mgt. Deptt. Deorali, 737102, Gangtok Government of Sikkim Office: 03592- 281261 Tel (O): 03592-281349 FAX: 03592-281778 Fax: 03592-280381 Mobile: +91 9434031095 S. T. Lachungpa, IFS T. R. Poudyal, IFS (Retd.) PCCF-cum-Secretary Former PCCF-cum-Secretary Foreword Editorial……… Forest Department having completed its In the Centenary Year of the establishment of the Forest centenary year 2009 since its establishment Department, the year 1905, that saw the forests of Sikkim in 1909 has undergone many changes. In being organized on a sound and scientific footing, it is the journey to its 100th year, the Department heartening to note that the Departmental Newsletter- of Forest, Environment and Wildlife PANDA has resurfaced which had its birth in 1993. After a Management has witnessed dynamic challenges which made it even stronger in brief spell in the lap of the Department it went in hibernation. Thanks to the efforts of a few committed and dedicated the forestry, environment sustainability and conservation sectors. Its fields have become officers particularly of the CCF, Shri C. Lachungpa who germinated this idea and thought it prudent to maintain the diverse and so have its responsibilities. The centenary gives us immense pride continuum for the sake of the Department. in realizing how far we have come. We There is no need to emphasize the importance and however acknowledge that there is still room the necessity of such a news magazine in the present for accomplishment and improvement. communication age. Otherwise we will be groping in the dark. It is the only way of reaching out to and interacting On this occasion, the PANDA bi-annual with the various sections of the stake holders, be it the newsletter has one of its responsibilities educated elites, the forest fraternity in the country, the in spreading and reaching information to the people. The roots of awareness today groups and organizations working for the conservation solely lie in information sharing where this issues, environmental societies and bodies, members of newsletter is to be seen as a milestone in the civil society, the planners and policy makers and above its form and function. This newsletter deals all with the members constituting the grass root level social with disseminating forest, environment and layer. wildlife information among the public at The Department of Forests, Environment and Wildlife large and is also envisaged to serve as a Management has over a century now evolved into an medium for discussion among foresters and organization that has wider responsibilities of not only others engaged in nature conservation in the Himalayan landscape. taking care of the forestry sector but also the compulsions of environmental conservation and ecological security of This bi-annual newsletter was launched the state with retention of very sizeable forest cover as in the year 1993, but due to certain appropriate to the hills. Our achievements in all these fields circumstances it had been discontinued. are high, handsome and hilarious as per the findings of the Now it has resumed publication as a joint various scientific organizations of the country. However, effort of all the editorial members of the there is no room for complacency and inertia to be had in department. PANDA has been rejuvenated. the fast scenario of climatic change and developmental perspectives. The department has to maintain a precarious We hope to continue this bi-annual balance between growth and conservation. In the context of newsletter in the future as a determined hill economy it is just the most difficult task in the hands of duty of our department. We also look foresters and the planners. So far so good. We have proved forward to your suggestions and valuable to be better conservationists than economists. If we want to comments. Articles, critical reviews and continue the success story, we have to be equipped with short communications related to the subject more knowledge. And knowledge comes through spreading will also be accepted for publication in the out and opening our doors and windows. forthcoming issues. It is your contributions that will help us realize our shortcomings PANDA is such a window. Let us keep it open to let in more and motivate us for better performance in fresh air and let our own ideas and stories flow out to distant future. horizons. Keep it up. PANDA 2009 Lest We Forget LEST WE FORGET Career Profile Series on Fore-Foresters Sidkeong Tulku (1879-1914) Sidkeong Tulku, the Tulku was a practical king an Where Reserve Forests were familiar foresters’ household name impatient one in as much as the designed to be sacrosanct by virtue remains cherished in the annals governance of his kingdom was of the classification, the other two of Forest Department’s centenary concerned. Through his down-to- categories were public utility forests long organized history. At a time earth approach to speed up the pace for fodder, firewood and grazing to when nature tended the wilderness of modernizing the kingdom he is be regulated by the newly constituted areas in their primitive form and reported to have developed staunch Forest Department. Forest therefore, pristine glory, envisaging them for animosity with the landlords of those hitherto considered as no man’s organized management marked a days. Forests might have been the property came to be recognized as distinct watershed in the history of potent conflicting ground between a viable resource needing proper care and planned management. forestry organization. He pioneered the two as they were mostly vested The Forest Department was further and fathered the Forest Department with the landlords. Though the actual strengthened and a Forest Manual and placed under core sector recovery process got underway only was prepared around 1914 to classify management. The period for such in the fifties, it was Chogyal Sidkeong Tulku that laid the foundation of such functions of the Department with a landmark vision roughly coincides a move as early as the beginning of view to administering the forests. between 1905 and 1914. this century. The constitution of the Forests ‘The Tulku was an extraordinary Though the administration of the Department and demarcation of forests man’, so has he been described. His 10th Chogyal of Sikkim was relatively setting out goals of management attributes: had a high intelligence, short-lived, yet if we piece together through a written Manual during those forceful personality, staunch enemy a few records available here and initial primitive years when the tiny of the landlords, and of independent there, they reveal an astoundingly Himalayan kingdom was struggling and assertive nature, etc.