Environmental Sustainable Development and Research Centre (ESDRC) and BCN jointly organized an interaction program on the project “Enhancing community-based vulture conservation in western lowland of Nepal” on 13th May 2014.

Districts level stakeholders and local level community-based organizations from Dang, Kapilvastu, Rupandehi and Nawalparasi districts participated in the program. Fourty six participants representing District Forest Office, District Federation of Community Forest User Groups-Dang, Nepal Para Veterinary and Livestock Association district committee-Kapilbastu, Vulture Safe feeding site (VSFS) Gaindatal, Rupandehi, Kalika Community Forest User Committee, Lalmatiya, Dang,  Community Forest User Groups from Ramour and Bijouri VDCs of Dang,  Pass Nepal, Salyan, Political parties and media personnel used the opportunity to interact on the findings of the project “Enhancing community based vulture conservation in western lowland of Nepal”.

Mr. Khadananda Paudel, Vulture Conservation Officer at BCN explained the issues of vulture conservation in Nepal and shared the findings of the project on local farmers’, Veterinarians’ and custom officials’ perception on vultures and its threats. During the interaction Mr. Hari Prasad Gautam, Assistant Forest Officer at District Forest Office-Dang explained the role of community forest user groups in vulture conservation and emphasized on people’s participation in vulture conservation. Speakers from political parties of Dang district emphasized on integrated efforts of biodiversity conservation for the sustainability of conservation projects in Nepal. Dilli Bahadur Raut, President of ESDRC put his view on the need of projects such as “Enhancing community-based vulture conservation in western lowland of Nepal” for thestopping the illegal use of diclofenac and long term conservation of vultures in Nepal.