Category Archives: News

Rupantaran Nepal has been succesfully initiating the Himalayan Community Carbon Project, A Plan Vivo certified project in eight VDCs of Nepal. Following are the latest updates from the project

1. Functional mechanisms have been established at 4 pilot sites for financial management and project implementation as per PDD.

2. Specific project activities have been developed and are being implemented by the communities.

3. Technical capacity of communities, government and non-government bodies and Rupantaran Nepal has been developed on areas such as GIS, carbon modeling and statistical analysis; commercialization of Plan Vivo certificates and data management.

4. Sensitization of district and VDC level stakeholders have been performed and FUGs in the project areas have been oriented accordingly on the topic regarding PES.

5. Local communities and other stakeholder’s knowledge and skills on carbon project development, participatory carbon assessment, and management enhanced.

Chairperson of Rupantaran Nepal Mr Vijaya Narayan Shrestha has been conferred upon an Honorary Degree of Doctorate of Social Science from the University of Wolverhampton, UK on 11 September  2014.

The entire team of Rupantaran Nepal would like extend their warmest felicitations to him in this moment of great pride

7^th/8^th of December 2015 – Field review by TWG members and local stakeholders was conducted in the CFs of Rupandehi and Kapilvastu districts. The purpose of the visit was to observe existing Shorea robusta exploitation in the Terai including reciprocal observation of timber product manufacturers, saw millers and traders as well as forest management and harvesting practices by FUGs.  Forest status and management system particularly of Shree Manakamana CFUG and Shree Mayadevi LFG of Kapilvastu; Shree Rajapani CFUG, Shree Lumbini LFG and Shree Pahila Khola CFUG of Rupandehi were observed.

2^nd March 2015 – Project Advisory Committee meeting was held to establish Technical Working Group to support the implementation of various actions. A 14 membered group coordinated by Deputy Director General of National Forest Division, DoF was formulated. The TWG is composed of representatives from the MoFSC (Planning and Monitoring) and other relevant Government institutions (DoF), Private Sector (Timber Entrepreneurs Association), Civil Society and CF Federations (FECOFUN and ACOFUN), Independent Experts and Rupantaran Nepal.

Specific tasks of TWG includes participation and contribution to review the existing legal and regulatory framework and identification of existing elements and gaps, participate and contribute to field review visit and support and contribute overall achievement of the project objectives. Besides its regular meeting, TWG also conducts meetings based on requirements.

14^th November 2014 – A national inception workshop was conducted in Kathmandu under the chairmanship of Dr. Rajan Pokharel, Director General of Department of Forest.  Details about the project was shared among 28 participants representing MoFSC, DoF, DFO, FECOFUN and various relevant organizations present in the workshop.

The participating members expressed their remarks for the successful implementation of the project. Considering its important yet sensitive nature of the project, preparation to handle unintended circumstances during project implementation is necessary. The programme was admired by everyone and suggested to build good coordination with relevant stakeholders and include timber traders along with. Necessary guidelines, manuals and documents were suggested to develop for the effective implementation.

15^th August 2014 – A Project Advisory Committee (PAC) chaired by Director General of Department of Forests was formulated convening different agencies for providing advice/suggestion and guidance for the successful implementation of the project based on approved Logframe and Implementation plan. Nine membered committee was formed with defined terms of reference.

The committee is responsible to approve plan and programmes of the project, review progress and provide feedback, facilitate to mainstream the project activities in the government programme, formulate technical committee, facilitate to resolve any issues, conflicts that may arise during project implementation.

PAC convene the meeting twice a year however meeting is called at different time as per need.