PRESS RELEASE

 

Hon. Mr. Kiran Gurung, Minister of Forests and Soil-Conservation of Nepal, addressed a side-event entitled “Nepal Nature Conservation Year 2009 and Poverty Reduction in Rural Areas of Nepal through Forests Resources Management” organized by the Ministry of Forests and Soil-Conservation of Nepal at the United Nations Headquarters in New York today.

 

In his statement, Minister Gurung highlighted Nepal’s sustainable forest management and bio-diversity conservation efforts, and mentioned that about 20 percentage of the land area in Nepal has been conserved as National parks, Wild Life Reserves, and conservation areas. Stressing that global warming has made mountainous region more vulnerable to floods and landslide and other natural catastrophes, the Minister noted that the melting of ice on the Himalayas has created more than 20 glacial lakes posing a danger of outburst at any time. He mentioned that this would deplete fresh water resources, threaten rich biological diversity including wildlife and cultural heritage, degrade agricultural and forests land, and leave destructive impact on development infrastructure. He urged that preserving Himalayan resources is a common challenge and should be high on the agenda of international development cooperation.

 

Mr. Madhuban Prasad Paudel, Deputy Permanent Representative of Nepal to the United Nations, while making his opening remark at the side-event, welcomed the participants to the event and also spoke of the importance of sustainable management of forests in Nepal. He underscored that public-private partnership could make a big difference in getting things done in poverty reduction efforts particularly by providing opportunities of creating jobs and stimulating entrepreneurship and being responsible development stakeholders.

 

At the event, Hon. Dr. Dinesh Devkota, Member of the National Planning Commission of Nepal, presented on Nepal’s development perspective on nature conservation including about observation of Nepal Nature Conservation Year 2009. He called for enhanced support and attention of the international community in the context of growing development needs and changing climate in the Himalayas. Similarly, Mr. Ghanashyam Pandey, chairperson of the Federation of Community Forestry Users, Nepal (FECOFUN), also shared the experience in reducing poverty and promoting people’s participation in development through community-forestry approach.

 

Following presentations, participants attending the side-event also took part in interactive discussions showing their interest and curiosities about Nepal’s experience in community forestry and forests sector development priorities.

 

 

Permanent Mission of Nepal to the United Nations

New York

28 April 2009

Permanent Mission of Nepal to the United Nations

820 Second Avenue, Suite 17-B

New York, NY 10017

Tel: 1 (212) 370 3988 / 3989

Fax: 1 (212) 953 2038

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Website: http://nepal.un.int