Bio-diversity

Rautahat possesses a diverse landscape of cultural and ecological importance. Communities neighbouring to this area rely on for a diversity of resources, including fuel-wood, timber, fodder, fibre and medicinal and aromatic plants, while the forest is used grazing area for livestock during the dry season (RUUSEPS, 2009). Additionally, this forest eco-system is the major source of water for agricultural and domestic use in the surrounding communities, as well as the primary source-area for a number of local watersheds in southern area. The Chandi river and its river banks is one of important biological corridors in Rauthat districts. Although there is no any protected area in Rautahat, but in Purahai VDC, Rautahat, the Chandi river system provide imporatant intersperson for wildlife habitat. Mega fauna such as Tiger and Elephant use and navigate through the river sytem. The area also harbors prey species such as deer, atelope, wild boar and a number of riverine tree species such as acacia and dalbergia. Fovorable for wildlife habitat, the Chandi river frequently changes its course and damage the arable agriculture land. Every year, the flood in the river displaces local people and covert the arable land into a sandy river basin. The project aimed to conserve these sandy river basins by introducing river basin cultivating package or practice and cultivate high value off seasonal vegetable such as water melon, peanut, sweet potoat and cucumbers. Promoting agroforestry in public and private land also helps to maintain greeneries and also help local people to get extra income and energy for houshold purpose.

Nepal