Environmental and Social Management Plan for Sakteng Wildlife Sanctuary for 2026

The ESMP for Sakteng Wildlife Sanctuary (SWS) for 2026 outlines mitigation strategies for three primary activities: improving alpine meadows at Nakchungla, restoring degraded grazing land at Chabling, and improving waterholes across four sites. Categorized as a Category B project, the plan focuses on managing site-specific, reversible risks such as occupational health and safety, waste generation, and minor soil disturbance. It mandates the use of manual labor, personal protective equipment (PPE), and community engagement through local contractors and grievance redressal mechanisms to support the livelihoods of semi-nomadic herders while conserving biodiversity.

• The Bhutan for Life (BFL) project is classified as a Category B project because potential adverse environmental and social impacts on populations within or around Protected Areas are "site-specific, reversible, and can be readily mitigated".
• For 2026, the Sakteng Wildlife Sanctuary has planned three specific activities requiring ESMPs: the improvement of 100 hectares of alpine meadow at Nakchungla in Merak, the rehabilitation of degraded grazing land (Tsamdro), and the improvement of four waterholes at Tsangkutse, Dakpashisa, Nathengtse, and Mendula.
• The alpine meadow improvement at Nakchungla aims to restore productivity for over 100 herder households by removing unpalatable shrubs and selectively debranching Rhododendron and Juniper species, using only manual labor and hand tools.
• The restoration of approximately 8 hectares of grazing land at Chabling involves constructing check dams from local stones and logs, implementing bioengineering with native plants, and developing drainage systems to combat soil erosion and landslides caused by runoff from a farm road.
• Waterhole improvements at four sites (Tsangkutse, Dakpashisa, Nathengtse, and Mendula) will involve desilting, deepening, and installing tarpaulin lining to increase water retention for wildlife and livestock during dry periods.
• Common environmental and social risks across all 2026 activities include occupational health and safety risks for workers, the generation of domestic and plastic waste, and minor soil disturbance.
• The ESMP mandates strict worker protections, including the provision of PPE (boots, gloves, and face masks), first-aid kits for altitude sickness, and the prohibition of underage workers.
• A multi-tiered Grievance Redressal Mechanism (GRM) is established, allowing stakeholders to report issues via the BFL-specific mechanism, the WWF Grievance Mechanism, or the GCF Independent Review Mechanism.

APA

WWF International (2026). Environmental and Social Management Plan for Sakteng Wildlife Sanctuary for 2026. https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/2495/12.SWS_ESMPY8_2026.pdf

Chicago

WWF International. Environmental and Social Management Plan for Sakteng Wildlife Sanctuary for 2026. 2026. https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/2495/12.SWS_ESMPY8_2026.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=WWF International |title=Environmental and Social Management Plan for Sakteng Wildlife Sanctuary for 2026 |date=2026 |url=https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/2495/12.SWS_ESMPY8_2026.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wwfinternational2026environmental, author = {{WWF International}}, title = {{Environmental and Social Management Plan for Sakteng Wildlife Sanctuary for 2026}}, institution = {WWF International}, year = {2026}, url = {https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/2495/12.SWS_ESMPY8_2026.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }