Mongabay · Climate & nature

Nepal's Conservation: Lost Leaders, Stagnated Progress

Two decades after a crash killed key conservation leaders, Nepal's wildlife and forests have grown, but human-wildlife conflict and rural depopulation persist, sparking debate on future conservation models.

A 2006 helicopter crash killed 24 conservation leaders, creating a leadership vacuum. While roles were filled, visionary leadership was lost, impacting conservation efforts.

The community forestry model, pioneered by the lost generation, has seen tiger populations triple and forest cover reach over 46%.

However, human-wildlife conflict and hill village depopulation remain unresolved issues.

Conservationists feel progress has stagnated, with fewer visionary leaders and a repetition of past work.

The crash left significant gaps in conservation institutions, with officials questioning how such stature could be replaced.

Despite wildlife recovery, human-wildlife conflict has risen, and rural communities are abandoning villages.

Devolving control of buffer zones is incomplete, and the memory of the crash is fading, leaving a question on future conservation directions.

AI-samenvatting op basis van de bron.