WWF-Nepal Embarks On 10-Year Project To Plant A Million Trees In Lumbini

WWF-Nepal has embarked on a ten-year project to plant a million trees in the sacred gardens of Lumbini, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is recognized as the birthplace of Lord Buddha.

AsianScientist (Sep. 19, 2011) – World Wide Fund for Nature Nepal (WWF-Nepal) has embarked on a ten-year project to plant a million trees in Lumbini, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, already reaching its 2011 target with 108,000 tree saplings planted.

Organized by WWF-Nepal and partner organization Lumbini Development Trust, the event brought together over 300 people from different sectors of society. Attendees included Acharya Karma Sangpo Sherpa, Vice Chairperson of the Lumbini Development Trust, who called the trees a “legacy for future generations.”

As part of the planting, trees which were considered to have existed in Lord Buddha’s era such as Ashoka, Sal, Pipal and Kadam will be planted in an effort to conserve the religious and ecological heritage of Lumbini.

The Sacred Garden of Lumbini in Nepal is recognized as the birthplace of Lord Buddha and also regarded as the soul of the Terai Arc Landscape (TAL). Covering 14 protected areas in India and Nepal, the Terai Arc Landscape is home to endangered tigers, elephants, and vulnerable rhinos. It is one of the few places where these three large threatened animals coexist.

Lumbini is also an important carbon sink and the planting of one million trees in the area is hoped to counter the effects of climate change in Nepal.

The plains of the Terai have seen an immense change during the past 50 years. Today, the area faces many challenges affecting people and wildlife alike including deforestation, poaching and pollution of rivers.

“The key objective of the Terai Arc Landscape program is to build connectivity across the landscape to facilitate wildlife movement while promoting harmony between humans, wildlife, and nature,” said Mr. Santosh Nepal, Director for Policy & Support at WWF-Nepal.

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Source: World Wide Fund for Nature; Akash Shrestha.
Disclaimer: This article does not necessarily reflect the views of AsianScientist or its staff.

Marla Lise has an honours degree in animal science and a masters degree in environmental science from the University of Western Australia.

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