Wildlife populations have significantly decreased by around two thirds since 1970, as reported by WWF and the Zoological Society of London, drawing on research from over 125 experts’ worldwide covering over 4,000 vertebrate species. Among these species, red panda (Ailurus fulgens) is also facing the risk of extinction due to the threats created by various direct and indirect factors like land-use change, climate change, pollution, natural resource use and exploitation, invasive species, migration, and unsustainable resource extraction.
Of these challenges, land-use change remains the most significant threat to red pandas, leading to habitat destruction and fragmentation. The study conducted by Red Panda Network (RPN) in June 2011 found that the annual deforestation rate in the red panda habitat is approximately 3.2%, which is more than double the national average rate of 1.3% and the habitat is fragmented into 400 small forest patches that are mostly unprotected.
In addition to this, the local communities residing near the red panda habitat are haphazardly collecting firewood, timber, and non-timber forest products (NTFPs) to meet their most basic needs. High levels of resource dependence and unsustainable resource use are creating pressure on the forest in the region resulting in habitat degradation and fragmentation. RPN believes that this high dependence is due to the limited livelihood opportunities for the people residing near the red panda habitat.
On this background, RPN initiated habitat restoration initiatives with small-scale reforestation as a part of its community-based red panda conservation program in 2015. Later in 2020, this initiative developed into a flagship campaign “Plant A Red Panda Home” (PARPH), which is dedicated to tackling the critical challenges of habitat loss, degradation, and fragmentation in key red panda habitats in Nepal. All the work under this initiative is carried out by involving the local communities which provides them with the alternative living opportunities in the form of restoration guardians, nursery guardians, watchmen and so on. We believe the direct link between livelihoods, forest degradation and conservation of endangered species cannot be neglected.
RPN works across 13 different districts in Nepal, partnering with local organizations in each district to conduct red panda conservation works. However, the focus of RPN's restoration program is currently on five districts: Ilam and Taplejung in eastern Nepal, and Jajarkot, Jumla, and Kalikot in western Nepal. Among these districts, the largest-scale restoration program is carried out in Ilam district, while smaller fragmented habitat patches within community forests are restored in the other working districts.
In the year 2024, under the PARPH project we planted 96,424 seedlings (75,549 seedlings in east and 20,875 seedlings in west) in our restoration sites all over Nepal. We planted various species of plants such as Bante Lithocarpus pachyphyllus, Bhaluchinde Schefflera impresa, Chandan Daphniphyllum himalayense, Chimal Rhododendron campanulatum, Ghoge Champ Magnolia champaca, Gobre Sallah Abies spectabilis, Gurans Rhodendron arboretum, Tenga Sorbus cuspidata, Thekiphal Actinidia deliciosa, Kapase Acer spp., Asare Viburnum erubescens, Loth Sallah Taxus wallichiana, Angeri Lyonia ovalifolia, Korlingo Rhododendron spp., Balu Pieris formosa, Kharane Symplocos ramosissima, Bhimsenpati Buddleja asiatica, Siltimur Lindera neesiana, Sishi Cinnamomum impressinervium/ Lindera pulcherrima, Phalant Quercus glauca var. glauca, Khursane Agapetes serpens, Sirlinge Osmanthus suavis and several other species.
The land restoration project is deeply committed to engaging the local community in various aspects of its design, implementation, and monitoring. RPN understands the importance of community involvement to cultivate, bolster and institutionalize conservation endeavours and RPN always prioritize it. Therefore, this year RPN’s restoration project was able to provide 799.5 man-days worth of work to the forest dependent local people of the project district. This support has positively motivated them to be involved in the restoration of their surroundings and conservation of biodiversity. The average rural Nepali person earns less than US$1 per day. However, this restoration project provided nearly six months (180 days) of employment to the local communities with seven times higher payment than their regular income.
As RPN continues to work in the habitat restoration process, we have increasingly recognized that restoration efforts require not only technical solutions but also the active engagement of local communities, stakeholders, and a large number of funders from throughout the world. Hence, RPN would like to thank all the donors that supported us and expect to get more support so that we can scale up our restoration work and give benefit to not only red pandas but the creatures that depend on the eastern Himalayan broadleaf and coniferous forest.