National Conservation Day organized today under the leadership of the Government of Nepal was celebrated with the theme, “Community-based conservation for sustainable development” to mark a decade since the tragic helicopter incident of 23 September 2006 that laid the foundation for this national day of remembrance.

“I laud the contribution of communities in conservation,” stated President of Nepal, Mrs. Bidya Devi Bhandari. She added, “The constitution of Nepal has prescribed the basic right of every Nepali to live in a safe and healthy environment and an Environment Committee has been established to ensure an equitable distribution of natural resources for the benefit of people and the environment.”

On this occasion, WWF Nepal felicitated four organizations and four individuals for their exemplary contribution to biodiversity conservation through the Conservation Awards 2016 . Shree Shreejung Battalion of Chitwan National Park and Chetana Women Community Forest Users Committee were felicitated with the Abraham Conservation Awards in the organization category while Tashi Rapti Ghale and Tulsi Devkota were felicitated with the Abraham Conservation Awards in the individual category. Likewise, Naresh Kusi was awarded the Matthew Preece & Yeshi Choden Lama Young Conservation Leader Award, while Pragati Dhakal, Nepal Republic Media and Far West Media Development Centre were awarded the WWF Media in Conservation Awards.

WWF Nepal invites nominations for the awards each year via a national announcement made through mass media, and the final awardees are selected from the nominations received by an independent panel of judges comprising eminent personalities from the government, conservation, academic, social and private sectors. The awards hold a citation and cash prize of NRs. 25,000 for individuals and NRs. 50,000 for organizations which have been partially supported by The Abraham Foundation.

Likewise, WWF Nepal provided scholarships to Ganesh Kumar Tharu, Tsewang Nuru Sherpa, Pushpam Ghimere, Kiran Gurung, and Apsana Kafle under theChandra Gurung Memorial Fellowship, Mingma Norbu Sherpa, Jennifer Headley, Jillian Bowling Schlaepfer, and Nepal Conservation Memorial Scholarships respectively.

The National Conservation Award instituted by the government of Nepal was awarded to Bhoj Raj Shrestha by the Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation. The award was instituted to recognize the exemplary contribution of individuals and organizations in conservation and comes with a cash amount of NRs. 151,000.

“The fateful day of September created an irreplaceable void, and loss of an era of conservation thinkers and doers, whom I rightfully call Nepal’s Conservation Heroes,” stated Anil Manandhar, Country Representative of WWF Nepal. “But as all heroes do, they lived beyond their years, through their legacy that served as an inspiration for Nepal to build on the foundations of conservation impact that could withstand the test of time.”

To mark a decade of the tragic loss of Nepal’s Conservation Heroes, WWF Nepal launched a publication title 'Legacy of Leaders 'as a tribute to the Conservation Heroes, and a celebration of inspired conservation, looking back at a decade of successes and change, with roots planted firmly by them to take Nepal’s conservation agenda forward, stronger and surer.