National Sharing Meeting on 'Ecosystem Services Assessment and Action Research on Ecosystem Management' for Himalica Program was held on 26th of December 2016 at Hotel Malla, Thamel. The three year long program from 2014 to 2016 is funded by ICIMOD/EU and implemented by Bird Conservation Nepal (BCN) at Rauta VDC, Udaypur Nepal.

The meeting began with opening remarks from Dr. Narendra Man Babu Pradhan, CEO, BCN on assessment of the program and applauded the effective works carried out by ICIMOD, BCN and Navaprabhat Nepal with continued engagement and support from local government line agencies. Nakul Chettri, Senior Biodiversity Analyst, ICIMOD in his short presentation gave an overview on working strategy of ICIMOD and significance of ecosystem services and how the project demonstrate proven solutions for improved ecosystem management through collaborative research on ecosystem based alternative livelihood options.

Dr. Prem Narayan Kandel, Joint Secretary of Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation (MFSC) and chief guest of the meeting said the ministry is amending existing Forest Act and the suggestions of ecosystem assessment could provide technical concerns that have been untouched. Akhileshwar Lal Karna, Joint Secretary of MFSC congratulated the team involved in the project for carrying out visible result in short period of three years. "The model implemented in Rauta should be the way we choose for future," he added.

Later Ishana Thapa, Director (BCN) gave a short presentation sharing the progress the project has made in three years. She explained how the program has directly benefitted people and made them realize the importance of ecosystem services at Rauta Village.  The forum discussion involved active participation from senior government officials from MFSC and DoF, ICIMOD, conservation partners, media as well as Executive Members and staffs from BCN. The event came to a conclusion with closing remarks from Dr Anuja Sharma, Community Forestry Chief at DoF and Yub Raj Basnet, President of BCN.