• Environment Education and Awareness Campaign
• Conservateion of Rhododendron Species
• Sustainable Management of NTFP
• NTFP-based Enterprise Development
• Promotion of Eco-Tourism
• Promotion of Alternative Energy
• Development of Revolving Fund and Providing Loan
• Conducting Income Generating Activities
• Strengthening Community Forests of Project Area
• Building up Capacity of Local People
• Promotion of Bee-Keeping
• Renovation and Conservation of Historic, Cultural and Religious Sites

Rhododendron Conservation Activity

Since the establishment of NORM, Rhododendron Conservation Activity has been conducting in the Tinjure-Milke-Jaljale area. NORM is fully dedicated in the conservation of natural resources and sustainable utilization of them. We are strongly advocating and working towards the equitable benefits sharing as mentioned in the biodiversity conventional treaty from conservation and genetic resources utilization.

Nepal government declared rhododendron as a national flower of Nepal in 1962. Though it is a national flower the rhododendron jungles are adversely affected by deforestation.

NTFP Management Activities

Name of the Project :
Sustainable Management of Non-timber Forest
Products to Improve the Livelihoods of Local People of the Tinjure-Milke-Jaljale Area

Project Start Date : 1 April 2005
Donor: UNDP- GEF/SGP

The diversity of forest ecosystem has helped farmers cope with a difficult biophysical environment and tough political and social circumstances. The availability of NTFPs in eastern hill is fairly high and the collection and sale of these NTFPs has traditionally been an important source of cash income. However, many valuable NTFPs are threatened by unsustainable collection, especially for trade. The fluctuation reveal one of several possible scenarios: although the total volume of NTFP traded from he region increases, the value drops drastically. This means that high value low volume NTFP are either being traded illegally or that many of these resources are being degraded and lost. It could also signify a greater proportion of high volume low value products that do not necessarily make the best ecological or economical sense in an area of limited carrying capacity. Overall, there is imbalance between availability and collection of NTFPs and the whims of the market and trends can place one species after another under threat.

Given the above situation it is imperative that some effective programmes are carried out to promote conservation and sustainable use of the areas forest wealth, in particular the NTFPs that occur here. It is the case in many countries that the poorest sections are frequently excluded from a major role in resource management, even though they are often the most dependent on these natural forests because they lack assets, experiences, and social and political influences.



Project Outcomes

Project Goal : Sustainable management of non timber forest products in the Tinjure-Milke-Jaljale area as an incentive for overall landscape management and biodiversity conservation.

Project Purpose : Improve livelihood benefits for local communities and reduce resource degradation and loss in the wild of NTFp species, including of globally significant species.

Project Impact: Reduce resource degradation and increase occurrence of NTFPs result in better and steady income that serve as an incentive for encouraging conservation and sustainable use of forest resources.

Outcomes:

• Secured tenure for local NTFP groups in CFUGs or in common forest area
  
• Established Community Forest Network in the project area
  
• Developed NTFP based factories and collection centers
  
• NTFP management demonstration sites established in three candidate VDCs
  
• Knowledge and tools for sustainable management of NTFP including harvesting techniques and protocols shared
  
• Enhanced local awareness of NTFP issues among local communities and in school in the project area
  
• Exposure to best practices in collaborative and sustainable management for primary and secondary
  stakeholders
  
• Inventory of NTFPs , increased information on NTFP extraction rates, volumes trends in NTFP trade and benefit flows in the project area
  
• Short- term income generating activities helped disadvantaged groups to increase incomes before the NTFPs yield