Biodiversity research and monitoring
Our team is a pioneer in terms of biodiversity monitoring including major faunal and floral groups. Since the beginning, we have had the opportunity to survey various parts of Nepal and countries in south Asia and help our clients to provide the best information possible. Based on our work reporting, the clients have taken great strides in the field of biodiversity monitoring and conservation.
Habitat Management and Restoration
Our team has repeatedly worked in many areas of Nepal's protected areas and for private companies to provide habitat restoration activities. One of the successful examples include our work with the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Wetlands in Nepal- a project by the Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation and UNDP (GEF and The World Bank). During the tenure of the project, we were able to advise the project restoration work to enhance the habitat for threatened Marsh Mugger and Cotton Pygmy Goose in Ghodaghodi Lake. The numbers of these indicator species were more than doubled during the project period. Similarly, our work includes Bengal Florican habitat restoration at Chitwan, Sarus Cranes in Lumbini, etc. as part of short-term projects.
Protected Area Survey, Management Plans
Background work on protected area setup has been carried out for several protected areas by our team members. Gaurishankar Conservation Area was set up as part of our background work through NTNC in 2010. Other areas include Bara forests now included within the Parsa National Park, Barekot area of Jajarkot, Ramaroshan area of Achham etc. Our team members have been part of/ or led the management plans of several protected areas/other biodiversity rich or ecotourism areas.
Ecosystem services and climate change
We serve communities for their betterment to support in the food security by assessing ecosystem services such as biodiversity conservation. Supporting for the communities, who are living in the fragile environment to cope them with the adverse conditions. In addition, it also support in the rebuilding of the people who are affected by the internal war. At present our major focus is on development of payment mechanism in between upstream and downstream communities.
Sustainable management of natural resources
NH makes its efforts to raise issues of five Ja (Jal-water; Jamin-land; Jungle-forest, Jadibuti; NTFPs, Janata; people) especially of ethnic minority, tribal, dalit, women workers, small and marginalized farmers, landless, and poor and increase their access to these resources for upliftment of livelihood through sustainable management of these resources. The organization views these resources as a fundamental human right and compares these resources with social and cultural rights of people and works for food security for every member of the society. Our effort will be to develop the capacity of project and government staff to deliver practical and reliable services to the clients.
Forest and agriculture-based micro-enterprise development
The organization takes forest and agriculture-based small and micro-enterprise development as one of the major tasks, under which locally available forest and agricultural raw materials will be best utilized for self-employment, economic gain, and for improvement of the livelihood of target groups of the local communities. As we know, Nepal is famous for its Non-timber Forest Product (NTFPs), seasonal and off-seasonal vegetable production, horticulture, and livestock. To harness these resources, currently there are expansion of road to every district and rural electrification. We are trying to achieve through small scale enterprises and helping nation contributing small scale enterprise development.
Improvement in human rights
The country faces ten years insurgent conflict and it is now in a transitional phase in the process of logical conclusion. Conflict was to some extent resolved but the impacts are still everywhere. NH, as responsible organization of the society, is now working in peace process through reintegration of armed conflict and affected children in the society. Due to the conflicts, the psychological illness is witnessed in several areas of Nepal. To address this issue, NH has recently initiated counselling services to the affected people. The major essence of human rights such as political, socio-cultural and economic rights will be focused in the coming days so that long term peace and equity based society will be established.
Policy advocacy
Policy of the nation plays a crucial role in social change. That’s why it should consider all aspects and all should receive good benefits from the policy implementation. Our policy formulation process is not inclusive and not based on facts and the voice of the people. Several policies were formulated with an influence of a vicious circle of the society. As a result, two classes were formed and conflict was in climax. It needs a thorough advocacy to establish a system in policy formulation and people should involve in policy formulation especially weaker and socially backward section of the people. The policy, which protects the rights of the backward populace, should be enforced.
Partnership/ Service Delivery
NH has worked with and provided its professional services to various national and international organizations. These include private, corporate, government and non-government organizations. The major organizations are:
- Conservation and Sustainable Use of Wetlands of Nepal (UNDP/GEF/GoN)
- Department of Forests, Ministry of Forests and Environment, Government of Nepal
- Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC)
- Hariyoban (USAID funded with WWF as the lead of the consortium including CARE/NTNC/FECOFUN)
- Himalayan Nature (HN)
- Lumbini Buddha Garden Pvt Ltd
- Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation, Government of Nepal (MoFSC/GoN)
- Multi-stakeholder Forestry Programme/GoN/DFID/SNV
- National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC)
- President Chure Terai Madhesh Conservation and Development Board
- The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
- Ullens Education Foundation
- World Wildlife Fund
- Zoological Society of London