Engaging local communities in identifying critical bear habitats, managing human-bear conflicts, and building local capacity for sustainable conservation.
Funded by:
Partners:
Project Activity Update:
Project Overview and Justification:
The Asiatic Black Bear (Ursus thibetanus) faces imminent threats in the Salpa Pokhari Periphery, a critical habitat in Nepal. Habitat loss, development, and hunting pose severe risks to this globally Vulnerable species. Despite its importance, frequent Human-Bear Conflicts (HBC) threaten both bears and local communities. Bear attacks, often a result of the close proximity of forests to villages, have led to illegal killings, jeopardizing conservation efforts.
Our project, spanning from March 2024 to February 2025, is a conservation initiative aimed at actively involving local communities in the protection of critical bear habitats and the development of effective conflict management plans. With a vision of establishing community-protected areas, our foundational objectives are:
Project Objectives:
- Identify Critical Bear Habitats:
- Deploy camera traps (n>=80) for a minimum of 15 days to gather data on Asiatic Black Bear presence/absence.
- Utilize single-season single-species occupancy modeling to map critical bear habitats.
- Conduct consultation meetings (n>=3) with local stakeholders to formulate habitat protection and restoration plans.
- Manage Human-Bear Conflicts:
- Conduct interviews with locals (n>=70) to identify recent HBC sites and patterns.
- Overlay conflict sites with occupancy maps to understand relationships.
- Use Generalized Linear Models to analyze conflicts as responses to relevant predictors.
- Facilitate workshops to discuss non-lethal conflict mitigation measures favored by local communities.
- Build Local Capacity:
- Conduct initial workshops to introduce the project and identify strengths/vision of community forest user groups.
- Provide a two-day wildlife monitoring training for members (n>=20) of selected community forest user groups.
- Offer training on safe conflict mitigation response planning to community forest user groups and local communities (n>=20).
- Form a community conflict response team if interest exists.
- Facilitate regular consultation meetings (n>=3) with communities to formulate conservation plans.
- Conduct awareness workshops for the public and students, distributing educational materials (n>=200).
Project Study Area:
The Salpa Pokhari Periphery, with its rich biodiversity, is home to various endangered species. Rapid infrastructure development, tourism initiatives like the Mundhum trail, and reliance on forests for daily livelihoods contribute to complex conservation challenges. Despite conflicts, local communities show a pro-conservation attitude, initiating efforts independently.
Expected Impact:
Long-term success entails the establishment of community-protected areas, regular anti-poaching units, and non-lethal conflict mitigation. This model can then be replicated across mid-hill bear habitats in Nepal.
Collaborators and Partners:
- Local community forest user groups
- Division Forest Offices
- Wildlife experts and scientists
By actively involving local communities, our project seeks to secure a future where humans and bears coexist harmoniously, ensuring the conservation of the Asiatic Black Bear in the Salpa Pokhari Periphery.
Project Update 1: Initial Consultation Meetings with Local CFUGs
Recent Progress:
- Successful Stakeholder Meetings: We have conducted initial consultation meetings with two Community Forest User Groups (CFUGs), and the ward chairperson in Sungdel, Kepilasgadhi Rural Municipality on December 15, 2024.
- Positive Community Response: The CFUGs and the ward have expressed strong interest in participating in the project and have agreed to actively contribute to wildlife monitoring efforts.
- Collaboration with Local Government: We have met with the Chairperson of Kepilasgadhi Rural Municipality to discuss the project and seek their support for bear conservation initiatives within the municipality.
Next Steps:
- Community Engagement: We will continue engaging with local communities, including a third CFUG in Phedi Municipality, to gather further input and build strong partnerships.
- Project Planning: We will finalize the detailed project work plan, including timelines, and specific activities with the local CFUGs.
We are excited to embark on this important conservation project and look forward to working closely with local communities to protect the Asiatic Black Bear and its habitat.
Project Update 1: First Phase of Wildlife Monitoring Trainings in Khotang
We conducted wildlife monitoring training programs to our targeted communities on January 16 and 17.
- Sungdel: On January 16th, 9 individuals from 3 Community Forest User Groups (CFUGs) in Sungdel participated in a one-day training session.
- Phedi: On January 17th, 4 individuals from 3 CFUGs in Phedi also received training. This was an initial consultation meeting that we go through with each community and we took this opportunity to conduct the training as well. We will conduct another training in this community to insure participation from more CFUGs in a later date.
The trainings covered key aspects of wildlife identification, camera trap deployment, and data collection methods.
To further strengthen community engagement, an informal collaboration committee was formed in Sungdel, comprising one representative from each participating CFUG. This committee will play a crucial role in future wildlife monitoring activities and community-based conservation efforts.
During the trainings, interviews were conducted with community members to document human-wildlife conflict scenarios, particularly focusing on human-bear interactions.
These trainings aim to empower local communities to actively participate in wildlife conservation efforts and contribute valuable data to our research.
Safeguarding the Vulnerable Asiatic Black Bear in the mid-hills through community engagement and conservation strategies.
