From December 22–24, 2025, Saraswati Community Forest User Group and NCSC—in partnership with Community Conservation Inc. and supported by Vortex—conducted a three-day intensive Nature Observation Training workshop at Saraswati Community Forest (Deuri, Triyuga Municipality, Udayapur).
Nature Observation Training 2025
Unlike conventional top-down workshops, this initiative was planned and driven primarily by the Saraswati CFUG itself—a inspiring model of local ownership for forest and wildlife protection.
The workshop brought together 15 local CFUG members to build local capacity for self-sustaining community wildlife monitoring.
Day 1: Inauguration & Observational Foundations
- Kicked off alongside the opening of the Mayurban Community Homestay, with municipal leaders (Ward Chairperson, FECOFUN Udayapur District Chairperson, and Division Forest Office representatives) reinforcing local ecotourism and conservation goals.
- Explored local indicator species and camera trap findings, drew lessons from successful Nepal ecotourism models (e.g., Amaltari Homestay, Sagarmatha), and set field observation standards (neutral attire, quiet movement, respecting wildlife).
- Event operated on a zero-waste setup using locally woven leaf plates for homemade lunches.
Day 2: Binoculars, Digital Tools & Wildlife Tracking
- Led by Rohan Tuladhar and Bishwash Baniya, participants took a morning bird walk to practice binocular calibration and key visual identification techniques.
- Hands-on training with digital citizen science apps: Merlin Bird ID (Sound & Photo ID), iNaturalist (plants/insects), and eBird. Across two survey days, participants submitted 34 and 31 species records to eBird.
- Afternoon session covered mammal tracking fundamentals (pugmarks, scat, tree rubs, feeding signs).
Day 3: Trijuga Conservation & The Community Action Plan
- Independent field identification walk using binoculars, field guides, and notebooks.
- Focused on the Trijuga Forest Corridor and key species like the secretive Malayan Night Heron.
- Ecosystem concepts and community conservation were taught using Jenga (trophic levels) and an interactive board game designed by Dan Jergens.
- Community Action Plan: Formulated regular local bird monitoring plans to engage schools, researchers, and homestay guests.
- Binoculars Handover: Awarded certificates of completion and donated a pair of binoculars to Saraswati Community Forest, received by community-selected lead Keshav Thulung.
