National Rhododendron Conservation Management Committee :: NORM

The national rhododendron conservation management committee was established in 1999 with the primary purpose of improving the livelihoods of local people through conservation and sustainable use of natural resources. A large number of conservation workshops were organized during these early days with the involvement of three District Development Committees of Northern-east Nepal i. e. Tehrathum, Sankhuwasabha and Taplejung, the Ministry of Population and Environment and IUCN- the World Conservation Union.

A committee of seven is responsible for the operation of NORM. There are 10 life members, 25 organizational members, 1051 general members. Currently it is working in 23 VDCs of Taplejung, Tehrathum and Sankhuwasabha districts.

Since the time of establishment, NORM has been working to support conservation of the area's rhododendron diversity and improve local livelihoods in Tinjure-Milke-Jaljale (TMJ). The main activities carried out focus on local group formation, establishing community nurseries, community plantation, awareness building, eco-tourism development, and human resources development. Other contributions relate to promotion of alternative rural energy system, and facilitating the formation of an apex body of women's groups in the area and a TMJ community forest network. NORM also works closely with district development committees of Tehrathum, Sankhuwasabha and Taplejung, the Nepal Tourism Board, the Hotel Association of Nepal and TMJ Rhododendron Conservation Committee. Now NORM is funded by IUCN Nepal and GEF/SGP- UNDP Nepal. IUCN Nepal provides technical and financial inputs to NORM as part of its project; Community Conservation of Rhododendron in the area. NORM has been conducting a project entitled "Sustainable Management of Non-timber Forest Products (NTFP) to Improve Livelihoods of Local Communities in Tinjure Area" with the support of UNDP-GEF/SGP.