Bio-diversity

There is a general consensus that one of the greatest challenges to conservation especially in developing countries is the exponential growth in population consequently leading to overwhelming pressure on natural resources. The recent socio-economic survey in Bumdeling Wildlife Sanctuary indicate that there are 867 people living in the Bumdeling Wildlife Sanctuary (BWS) and they are subsistent farmers who rely on biological resources for their daily subsistence. One of the important components of the biological resources used is medicinal plants, which are distributed across diverse habitats. However, medicinal plants collection involve destructive harvesting techniques where plants parts such as roots, barks, stems and whole plants are extracted. The study on the sustainability of non-wood forest products in BWS i year 2003 indicated that the medicinal plants such as Pirorhiza kurroa, Cordyceps siensis and Nardostachys jatamansi are over-collected and long term sustainability is at stake. The feasibility study on community-based medicinal plant cultivation conducted recently in BWS show that the farmers are keen on cultivating medicinal plants in their fields. There is a widespread consensus from these localities that their fallow lands are left unproductive, especially in Shershong due to corn blight and farmers feel insecure to grow maize and instead would like to grow other cash crops. The three community groups Shingphel in Bumdeling, Tshangwog in Khoma in Lhuentse, and Shershong in Mongar has potential for growing different medicinal plants as suited in their respective areas. The project is in line with the GEF objectives in terms of biodiversity conservation, livelihood enhancement and demonstration. Objectives: the overall objective of the project is conservation of biodiversity through sustainable community-based medicinal plant cultivation and marketing thereby improving the livelihoods of men and women living within the Bumdeling Wildlife Sanctuary. The specific objectives are: 1. Promotion of sustainable medicinal plant cultivation for livelihood security through community partiicpation by catering to the demands of the national medicinal plant requirements; 2. Conservation of threatened species of medicinal plants and their habitats through cultivation; 3. Awareness generation, motivation and training of farmers (both men and women) for nursery raising and cultivation of demand based medicinal plants in their fields using organic farming techniques; 4. Documentation and publication of propagation techniques of specific species in different habitats and 5. Networking and collaboration among the various stakeholders dealing with medicinal plants. Project Activities: to meet the above objectives the activities include the following: 1. Staff and community field visit; 2. Community training; 3. Procurement of materials; 4. Transportation of materials; 5. Establishment of greenhouse; 6. Establishment of stock beds/arrangement of stock beds; 7. Land preparation/transplanting/plant protection/organic manuring/weeding and hoeing/irrigation/mulching; 8. Harvesting; 9. Post Harvest; 10. Marketing strategy; 11. Education and awareness; 12. Documentation Progress Report: The first project activity carried out was the Farmers` Study Tour. The objective of the field study tour was to: 1. Study techniques for plantation, harvesting, storage and propagation of medicinal plants; 2. To understand the important and marketable species to be planted by communities; 3. Strengthen capacity of the communities members and establish institutional network for technical backstopping and marketing; 4. Learn community-based natural resources management in other areas. The study tour focused on the areas and organizations where the medicinal and aromatic plant species are of major components. The field visit was made to RNR-RC`s, private medicinal plant cultivation firms, incense factory, and national institute of medicinal services. A total of 20 farmers participated in the study tour for the period of 11 days. The participants were able to experience and learned important things on medicinal plant cultivation. The visit to the National Institute of Medicinal Services (NITMS) was very informative and educative, especially on collection of different types of raw materials. NITMS recommended on cultivation of high altitude medicinal plants. The cultivation methods were observed at Ura Aromatic and Medicinal Plant Cultivation Group in Ura (another SGP project) and Yusipang Research Center. The participants were able to understand about the species that has market value at the National and the International level.

Bhutan