Posted on September, 23 2007

WWF Nepal honoured nine individuals and organizations dedicated to conservation with Abraham Conservation Award, Matthew Preece and Yeshi Choden Lama Young Conservation Leaders Award and WWF Conservation in Media Award, in a ceremony to celebrate the life and achievements of Conservation Heroes.

Tseten Dandu Sherpa – Chairperson of Kangchenjunga Conservation Area Management Council, Bijay Raj Shrestha from Kailali, Akhanda Upadhyay from Dolpa, Devendra Subedi – Superintendent of Police, Kathmandu Metropolitan Police Crime Division of Nepal Police, Samaj Kalyan User Group from Neulapur, and ECO-Nepal from Naxal received the Abraham Conservation Awards.

Abraham Conservation Award was established in 1995 through the generosity of Ms Nancy Abraham, a WWF US Board member, who was struck by the dedication and passion for conservation displayed by a national park staff.

Matthew Preece and Yeshi Choden Lama Young Conservation Leader Awards were awarded to Karma Bhutia, Non-Timber Forest Products Officer from The Mountain Institute and Sadhana Thapa a student from Kaushaltar. Starting this year the award will recognize young individuals for their dedicated and outstanding contribution to conservation.

Similarly, Subodh Gautam, a senior reporter with national daily Kantipur received the WWF Media in Conservation Award. From this year onwards WWF will annually recognize the transformational role of media persons or organization in highlighting conservation issues in Nepal, through this award.


“Issues related to conservation transcend all boundaries and permeate all social sectors and thus the responsibility of safeguarding biodiversity extends to all members of society,” said Anil Manandhar, Country Representative of WWF Nepal. “This includes local communities, NGOs, the private sector, and the international conservation organizations of which WWF is an integral part. It is our job to work together to conserve the rich biodiversity of Nepal.”

The awardees are nominated by individuals and organizations and the final recipients are selected by an impartial, independent selection committee. The committee had renowned names representing different sectors of the society.

Recipient profile

Tseten Dandu Sherpa successfully led the Kangchenjunga Conservation Area Management Council and effectively implemented integrated biodiversity conservation and development projects in Kangchenjunga Conservation Area after the handover of KCA management to the local community. He also played a vital role in successfully implementing the Livestock Insurance Scheme, a novel way of conserving snow leopards in the Himalayas.

Bijay Raj Shrestha is a conservationist from his heart and has played pivotal role in nature conservation in and around Thapapur Village Development Committee.
He owns the “Shrestha Private Forest” that houses several birds and animals along with a “Dolphin Conservation Centre”.

Akhanda Upadhyay, president of the Eco Club at his school in Dunai, is a passionate young conservationist. Together with his friends, Akhanda has rescued several wildlife species. Despite lack of resources and hard physical terrain, Akhanda motivates the Eco Club to participate in many important activities that has succeeded in winning the participation of local communities.

Devendra Subedi sped up actions against illegal traders of wildlife parts and formed a small team to look into the wildlife crimes in Kathmandu. Within a short span of time he has achieved good results of seizing tiger and leopard skins, shahtoosh shawls and musk pods and arrested eight persons involved in such illegal activities.
Samaj Kalyan Women User Group is the most active user group among the 227 buffer zone user groups functioning in Bardia National Park and its buffer zone areas. The group members patrol on regular basis in the border of the national park. They played a vital role in controlling the illegal activities in and around BNP during the insurgency.

ECO-Nepal primarily deals with the issues of environment protection, natural resources conservation, and spreading awareness on environment, sustainable development and disaster resilience. Through its monthly publication Paryawaran and Chetana – a radio programme, it raises awareness about these issues.

Karma Bhutia has pioneered medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) cultivation in eastern Nepal. By developing improved techniques he has motivated 2,500 farmers and herders to grow MAPs in private land that has reduced pressure on wild non timber forest products, reduced herd sizes reducing pressure on grazing areas and provided a sustainable income source to the farmers.

Sadhana Thapa is a young leader dedicated to the conservation of Kenaf (locally called sunpat or patuwa in Terai). She has established Green Kenaf Clubs in several schools where students not only plant Kenaf but also learn the value of green environment and about the plants on the verge of vanishing. She has been organizing a series of community projects including health awareness campaigns, educational projects and plantation programmes through Rotaract Club of Kathmandu Mid-Town.

Subodh Gautam, senior reporter with Kantipur daily has been reporting on the issues of environment and conservation for the past ten years. His reporting has been instrumental in raising awareness among the local people, user groups, and political parties. He is one of the key persons covering the issues on rhino poaching, early release of rhino poachers from jail, transborder wildlife trade, smuggling sandalwood among others extensively and continuously.