EDEN REFORESTATION PROJECTS, NEPAL

Nepal is a diverse nation with magnificent snowcapped mountains to the north and hot tropical planes to the south and contains dramatic and varied landscapes and spectacular wildlife. Chitwan National Park alone hosts more than 700 species of wildlife, including leopards and the elusive Bengal tiger. It is also home to various cultures united by their close relationship with nature that has remained insulated from much of the socioeconomic development enjoyed in urban regions yet subject to far greater environmental hazards, perpetuating high inequality levels. Eden began its Nepal Reforestation Project in 2014 to help improve local livelihoods and restore forests in areas of critical importance. The planting sites are located around Community Forests from the mountainous regions to the lowland alluvial plains and around Chitwan National Park to develop a buffer zone around this national biodiversity treasure. Pokhara Site Description In 2019 Eden launched a new reforestation site in the Kaski District in the City of Pokhara in Central Nepal. The project consists of several planting sites within the city limits covering approximately 300 hectares. The project aims to support local communities and bring back the forest in this scenic high-elevation city that is the gateway to the Great Himalaya Range. The Kaski District occupies 2017 sq Km, of which 41% is covered with forest, and harbors the richest biodiversity in Nepal. The elevation ranges from 450m (1,476 ft) to the towering Himalayan Mountains reaching 8,091m (26,545 ft). It is the region with one of the highest precipitation rates in the country (about 3350 mm/year) and a seasonal climate with summer temperatures averaging between 25 and 35 °C and winter temperatures ranging from - 2 to 15 °C. Pokhara hosts a population of 402,995 and is the second-largest city in terms of population in Nepal after Kathmandu. It is a major tourist destination for domestic and international tourists, mainly for adventure tourism and mountaineers seeking to explore the Great Himalaya Range. It is also known as the 'City of Lakes' because of the nine lakes found in its valley. These lakes and their abundant wetlands have recognized internationally because they host to a wide variety of globally threatened migratory birds and mammals.