41
Conservation In Action Red Panda Conservation through Community-based Monitoring Nicki Boyd President ZACC Conference 2013
Conservation In Action
Red Panda Conservation
through
Community-based Monitoring
Nicki Boyd President
ZACC
Conference
2013
Why are red panda important?
Conserving Red Panda &
Developing Poor Communities
• Why are red panda important?
• What are threats to their survival?
• Global Conservation Efforts
• What is RPN doing?
• Ways you and your organization can get involved
www.RedPandaNetwork.org
• IUCN redlist (2009) Vulnerable
• Global Population “Guestimate”
– Ailurus fulgens fulgens 6,200 -8,000
– Ailurus fulgens styani 1,800 - 2,000
(Aka re-fulgens)
• Need mature forests with snags and bamboo
understory to survive
• Less than 11% of range is protected
• Baseline population monitoring in place in India and
Nepal
Global Status
www.RedPandaNetwork.org
6,200 - 8,000 1,800 - 2,000
8,000 - 10,000 TOTAL !!!!
Myanmar
re-fulgens
• Himalayan Forests where red panda
live:
– Support 1/5th of the world’s human population
with
• Clean water
• Clean air
• Timber and non-timber forest products
– Are habitat for many other endemic, rare and
threatened species – biodiversity hotspot
– Sequester carbon emissions, most from
industrialized countries in America, Europe,
and Asia
Red panda habitat is important
www.RedPandaNetwork.org
PHVA 2010 Nepal: severe threat • The first ever red panda Population and Habitat Viability Assessment
(PHVA) in 2010 identified in Nepal 11 sub-populations that are effectively
separated, and whose viability is overwhelmingly compromised:
• None of them has a “confirmed” size larger than 50 individuals and only
two have a “possible” size larger than 150.
1. Grazing and Road Building
3. Bamboo cutting
2. Firewood cutting and agriculture expansion
Habitat Threats
Taplejung District, East Nepal
• A narrow
band of
suitable
habitat
• Connectivity
is key
First RPN project area
• Eastern Himalayan Broadleaf and Conifer
Ecoregion (WWF Global 200)
• Himalayan Hotspot (Conservation International)
• Panchtar-Ilam-Taplejung Corridor of Eastern
Nepal
• Transboundary region • West Bengal and Sikkim - India
• Panchtar-Ilam-Taplejung districts - Nepal
Eastern Himalayan Broadleaf and Conifer Forest:
First Research Study Site
India
• WWF-India – Study of Red Panda Population in Sikkim
– Community-based Conservation in Arunachal Pradesh
Bhutan
• Government of Bhutan – Study of Status of Red Panda in National
Park
Global Conservation Efforts
www.redpandanetwork.org
Burma
• Flora and Fauna International
– Training of Forest Guards from north-eastern protected area to monitor red panda population
China
• Flora and Fauna International
– Training of Forest Guards from south-eastern protected area to monitor red panda population
• Academic Studies
– Genetic study of collecting markers from red panda scat
– Camera trapping study of wild red panda
Global Conservation Efforts
www.redpandanetwork.org
Nepal
• WWF-Nepal
– Protection of Red Panda in Langtang National Park
• Red Panda Network – Community-based conservation:
long-term community-based monitoring and community-based education
– Collaboration with partners on alternative income, e.g. non-timber such as medicinal herb planting
– Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) climate change mitigation project to finance community action
Global Conservation Efforts
www.redpandanetwork.org
What is Red Panda Network
doing?
Red Panda Protected
Conserv. In Action Contracts
Carbon Offset
Project
Baseline Survey
Monitor
Com. Conserv.
Area
Conservation In Action Cycle
www.redpandanetwork.org
Programs
PROJECT PUNDE KUNDO:
• Community-based research and monitoring
• Community-based awareness building
• Community-Conserved Area Development
• Adaptive Sustainable Development
OTHER LONG TERM FUNDING
• e.g. REDD Project
Community-based Red Panda Research
• Focus: - Habitat Status
- Population Estimates
- Threats & Management
Baseline surveys: Panchthar, Ilam and Taplejung
Will continue to conduct non-invasive, cost-
effective status surveys using local communities
Hiring community members creates real
ownership
Still not sufficient data to draw reliable
conclusions (We recently created a strong
database of field collected data)
However, there is an increased awareness of the
importance of red panda
• Community collaboration with 12 villages
• Trained and worked with 39 Forest Guardians - support 195 villagers
• Monitoring 12 community-forests
• With WWF-Nepal and The Government of Nepal - initiated 1st country-wide survey of red panda
• Camera-trapped 1st wild red panda
• Conservation education: - manual for Students
– Teachers Training
– Poster Publications
– Sign boards
– Workshops & Trainings
Local Awareness generation
www.RedPandaNetwork.org
• Protect 35% of Red Panda Habitat in Nepal in 5 years
– Create formal protection of Panchthar-Ilam-Taplejung corridor with government and donors
– 30-Year Carbon Emissions Offset Project finance
• Create Nepal’s first Community Conservation Resource Center focused on red panda and habitat
– International Red Panda Day
– International Zoo Support
• In next 10 years:
– Identify and preserve 15 unprotected red panda hotspots
– Reduce the deforestation rate of eastern Himalayan broadleaf and confer forest by 10% from its 2008 level
Goals
www.RedPandaNetwork.org
RPN Expansion beginning
with research (2013)
Goal in 2014: Launch the 30+ years
“Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation”
Forest Carbon offset project (2012 pilot
project started)
REDD+ Carbon offset project • Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation, plus
other biodiversity and community benefits
• 4 Districts in Eastern Nepal: Panchthar - Taplejung - Ilam - Sankhuwasabha
• Pilot Project - one of first in Nepal
• Cooperative w/ 113 community forests
• Community-based carbon monitoring – more than 200 monitors from local population
• Can preserve 25% red panda habitat in Nepal
www.RedPandaNetwork.org
Goal in 2013/2014: Community Conservation Resource Center
1. Demonstration sites:
a. Alternative Energy • Solar panels for electricity • Solar heater • Solar cooker • Bio-briquette • Fuel-efficient wood stoves
b. Ecological sanitation (EcoSan) toilet c. Rain water harvesting d. Solid waste management (cabin
construction with waste bottles) e. Nursery of medicinal plants
5. Red panda related informative materials 6. Accommodation for visitors/researchers 7. Training and shop for souvenir Items 8. Equip building and hire education staff
Currently fundraising for Phase 1:
How can Individuals help ?
Ways for the public
to get involved
• Do research on the large gaps in knowledge
• Participate in International Red Panda Day
• Adopt a Red Panda
• Sponsor a Forest Guardian
• Become a member
• Come on an Eco-Trip to see this elusive animal
• Volunteer at an event, on the board, or team
• Send a skilled volunteer to our field crew
• Have your zoo, your company, your school or other organizations you know support one of our initiatives
www.RedPandaNetwork.org
Sponsors and Supporters
Sea World Conservation Fund
Ocean Park Conservation Foundation, Hong Kong
