The project (Community-Based Wetland Banking for Sustainable Livelihoods-2019/2021) covers the freshwater ecosystem under the biodiversity thematic area of UNDP-GEF-SGP. The project is funded by UNDP-GEF-SGP in collaboration with NTNC, Rastrapati Chure Conservation Program, Bharatpur Metropolitan City, Division Forest Office Chitwan. The project focuses on the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in wetland ecosystems of Rhino Lake for sustainable livelihoods. The specific goals of this project are:
- Biodiversity inventory- flora and fauna of wetlands
- Capacity building of local communities and awareness
- Support activities to uplift the quality of lake (e.g., cleaning campaigns, construction of feeder lake) and livelihood of marginalized and poor communities.
Project updates:
Wetlands play a vital role in maintaining many natural cycles and supporting a wide range of biodiversity and provide the feeding and breeding ground to fauna. About 5% of the total area is covered by wetlands. Wetlands outside the protected areas in Bharatpur Metropolitan City are the prime habitats for many residents, wintering and stopover habitats for wetland-dependent birds such as waterfowls, storks, and raptors. Information on the diversity of lower faunal and floral groups in the aquatic system is largely lacking in Nepal. Hence, this project inventoried the diversity, threats, and management implications for wetlands associated with fauna and flora in and around the Rhino Lake area. The main objective of this project is to explore the diversity, threats, and management practices for wetlands associated fauna and flora in the Rhino lake area and support the management of the lake and involve the locals in their community development by providing different income-generating training and awareness campaigns. In this one-year period, we finished the construction of feeder lake and lake cleanness campaigns, biodiversity inventory, support to grassland management in Panchakanya CF, a celebration of wetland day and plantation day, inter-school essay competition, and measurement of the catchment area of Rhino lake.
Birds, mammals, and herpetofauna were surveyed using the line transect method whereas fishing net casting samplings were used along the shore of Rhino Lake to study fishes. Invertebrates were surveyed using the time-constrained survey technique. Aquatic vegetation was sampled along with the belt transect method. Key informant interviews, community interaction, and questionnaire surveys were used to collect data on the use of aquatic other aquatic biodiversity and their roles on wetland management. The vegetation was surveyed by using eight line transects having 8 plots in each.
This lake is located in the river Khageri basin has high ecological importance. The local people directly or indirectly depended on aquatic ecosystem goods such as snails, fish, edible plants, etc. This lake plays a vital role in providing breeding, feeding, and shelters to many fauna and flora. A total of 24 species of fish including 13 families, 11 species of amphibian of four families, 23 species of reptiles, 146 species of birds belonging 17 orders and 48 species and 22 species of mammals were recorded during the field study. Besides these, 12 species of freshwater invertebrates, 268 plant species were found in and around the Rhino lake area. The ethnic and marginalized groups such as Kumal, Darai depend upon the lake for collecting fish, mollusks, and edible plants.
This lake is located inside the Rambell Community user group and managed by this user group. Local people used this forest for fodder, firewood, and other forest products. This lake also provides the home ground to large mammals and globally threatened birds and reptiles. Hence, conservation through public participation is the best model for the conservation of this lake and forest. This ongoing project tried to put a brick for its conservation.
