The Partners Nepal team, Mr. Ang Rita Sherpa, Mr. Bheem Raj Rai, and the director of Tenjin Eco-Treks, Mr. Pasang Tamang, visited Langtang National Park for a feasibility study of possible replication. The Partners Nepal will launch ONE DAY ONE TREE in Langtang Valley starting in 2021. Langtang Valley in the Rasuwa District is 35 km north of Kathmandu, Nepal’s capital city. Langtang Valley was gazetted as Nepal’s second National Park in 1976 and first in the Himalayan region, covering 1710 sq. km of mountainous terrain ranging from 2500 to 7200m in elevation. Because of the area’s unique natural and cultural resources, Langtang National Park was established in 1976.

The purpose of this project is to support the conservation and restoration of Langtang’s Alpine Ecosystems, capacity building of the local community, and improve livelihoods to mitigate the challenges from Climate Change (CC) and its impact on the alpine ecosystems of Langtang National Park and Buffer Zone, Nepal. The proposed work’s objectives include conserving and restoring fragile alpine ecosystems and strengthening community-based tourism management capabilities in the park and buffer zone. The Partners Nepal sees great potential to replicate the successful conservation and restoration initiatives in Sagarmatha National Park to the Langtang National Park. The area has been severely destroyed due to human and natural causes in the region.

The Langtang Valley was swept away by an earthquake-tsunami that hit on 25th April 2015; a massive expanse of ice fell thousands of feet, creating an avalanche that wiped out approximately 400 people from that incident. The earthquake had destroyed all the native houses in Langtang. The teashops and lodges in the valley killed approximately 400 local people, including some trekkers, guides, and porters. It washed out all the forests surrounding the valley, a great fuel source for local lodges to cook meals and heat water.

The Partners Nepal is so grateful to the Langtang and Kyanjin village people for their keen interest in supporting our initial project, launching ONE DAY ONE TREE in Langtang Valley in 2021.

We have already received a commitment to funding from the following:

1. Mr. Pasang Tamang, the director of Tenjin Eco-Treks, 108 trees
2. Mr. Ngerup Tamang, 50 tree
3. Mr. Karma Renzin Tamang
4. Mr. Chembel Tamang from Kyanjin is willing to contribute
5. Mr. Tshering Pema Tamang Kyanjin is willing to contribute

We are very grateful to the Kyanjin Valley people for their kind support for the reforestation project in Kyanjin Valley. The Partners Nepal appeals to those interested in supporting reforestation projects in Langtang National Park from 2021.

If you are interested in supporting our project in Langtang in 2021, please consider contacting the following: Ang Rita Sherpa: [email protected], Bheem Raj Rai: [email protected]

Photos and Text: Ang Rita Sherpa, The Partners Nepal