Project No.# 9S079800 & 9Z140261

Start Date:1st January 2013

End Date:30^thJune 2015

Project Budget: Nu. 36.92 million

 

About the Project

The project aims to secure the three Transboundary Manas Conservation Area (TraMCA) protected areas in Bhutan, namely Phibsoo Wildlife Sanctuary, Royal Manas National Park, and Khaling Wildlife Sanctuary. These three protected areas harbor the rich biodiversity along Bhutan’s southern ecosystems, and are important core areas within the TraMCA.

 

Goal

By 2017, representative eco-systems of sub-tropical forest and Savannah grassland of the park under TRAMCA landscape is protected under effective conservation mechanisms for the future generations.

 

Objectives

• Within the three years of the project start date, the incident of poaching of wildlife species is reduced by 30% within the park from the 2011 baseline.
• Within the three years of project start date, 50% of the invasive species & trees is reduced/controlled in the selected savannah grasslands within the park.
• Within the three years of the project start date, the park would have registered 5-10% increase in the availability of vital scientific data on flora and fauna.
• Within the three years of the project start date, the natural waterholes and saltlicks within the park would have registered an increase in ungulates and predators visiting the sites by 20% from the baseline of 2013.
• Within the three years of the project start date, the incident of Human Wildlife Conflict is reduced by 50% in the affected communities within the park from the baseline of 2013
• Within the three years of the project start date, the incident of transboundary wildlife crime is reduced by 10% from the baseline of 2011.

• Within the two years of the project start date, the park will revise the management plan and get it endorsed to provide strategic directions for enabling the effective conservation initiatives.

 

Project approach

The project implementation plan is a synthesis of proposed activities based on a consultative process, and national program implementation plan submitted by partner. The project is managed by WWF in close collaboration with Gross National Happiness Commission (GNHC) and Department of Forest and Park Services (DoFPS), who provide administrative and technical support respectively. WWF responsibility also includes monitoring and evaluation of project. The DoFPS has a pool of Park and Functional Division staff at central and field levels who support the implementation of the project activities. WWF has a contractual agreement with the Royal Government and has institutional responsibilities for developing, funding, implementing and monitoring project in Bhutan.

 

Geographical coverage of project

TraMCA is a conservation landscape that extends along the southeastern Bhutan and northeastern India. It includes several protected areas and reserved forests, connected via habitat corridors along the international boundary between Bhutan and India. The landscape has an important role in meeting global tiger conservation goals; it has potential to double its current tiger population. The landscape’s protected areas are also important for conservation of rhinoceros, elephants, and some endangered, eastern Himalayan endemic species such as the pygmy hog and hispid hare. There are also several important bird species in this landscape, including threatened species such as hornbills, and Bengal florican. While the protected areas provide core refuges for the large, wide-ranging species, the habitat connectivity is essential for metapopulation management to conserve ecological, demographic, and genetic viability. 

 

Partners

Project is a collaborative effort between WWF and Royal Government. It is facilitated by the GNHC, DoFPS and WWF with financial support from PRITZKER and WWF Japan. The project’s focal political party is Ministry of Agriculture and Forests.

 

Implementing partners

• Royal Manas National Park
• Phibsoo Wildlife Sanctuary
• Jomotshangkha Wildlife Sanctuary

 

Project Technical Director

Mr. Phurba Lhendup

WWF Bhutan