WWF INVOLVENENT IN BHUTAN



WWF has been supporting conservation efforts in Bhutan since 1977, initially in the form of training. Today, WWF's conservation priorities for Bhutan remain very much the same but with more emphasis on developing a network of protected areas representing the country's range of natural habitats, establishing a database of the country's varied wildlife, improving local expertise in managing natural resources, and most importantly, ensuring that conservation and development needs are integrated. WWF has also become an important player in Bhutan's conservation efforts, recognized by the Royal Government of Bhutan (RGOB) and international agencies. In March 1992 and January 1995, WWF was invited to participate in the Round Table Meetings where RGOB representatives and major donors discussed development efforts and international assistance in Bhutan.

A major development in WWF's involvement in Bhutan was the establishment of the WWF office in Thimphu in 1992. This followed the signing of a country agreement of cooperation with the RGOB. The office has greatly facilitated WWF's effectiveness in providing technical assistance to conservation efforts, as requested by RGOB, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the World Bank.

Currently staffed with a Country Representative, five technical, four administrative and three support staff, the office will continue to recruit more field staff and short-term national and international consultants to develop and implement projects. Annual work plans are drawn up in consultation with concerned government and non-government agencies. WWF staff also work with bi/multilateral and other aid agencies to leverage funding for ongoing projects, new initiatives, and policy issues. In addition to implementing WWF strategies, the office in Bhutan also works to forge appropriate links between relevant Bhutanese government organizations and other agencies, and helps these agencies to formulate conservation programmes which are consistent with Bhutan's conservation policy.

In 1993, WWF signed a Supplementary Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Agriculture, which oversees forest protection and management in Bhutan, to provide long-term technical and financial support to fully develop the national protected area system. That same year, the organization helped the Royal Government revise Bhutan's protected area system to include all of the country's major ecosystems. The new system includes four national parks, four wildlife sanctuaries, a strict nature reserve and several smaller conservation areas, adding up to 22 per cent of Bhutan's total land area.

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Copyright 1996, The World Wide Fund For Nature