Bhutan for Life Environmental and Social Management Plan for Jigme Khesar Strict Nature Reserve (JKSNR)

The document outlines an ESMP for the Jigme Khesar Strict Nature Reserve (JKSNR) in Bhutan, focusing on two primary activities: the restoration of alpine meadows and the maintenance of the Sangbay Park Range Office. It establishes a framework for mitigating environmental risks, such as forest fires and waste generation, and social risks, specifically worker health and safety. The plan integrates both Royal Government of Bhutan (RGoB) laws and WWF's Social Safeguards Integrated Policies and Procedures (SIPP), with the latter prevailing in cases of discrepancy. It includes detailed occupational health and safety (OHS) standards, monitoring arrangements, and grievance redressal mechanisms to ensure the project supports biodiversity conservation and climate resilience.

• The Bhutan for Life (BFL) project is a 14-year initiative designed to improve the management of Bhutan's protected areas to increase climate resilience and biodiversity gains, with the goal of helping the country remain carbon neutral by increasing forest and vegetative cover.
• The Jigme Khesar Strict Nature Reserve (JKSNR) covers 784.225 km² and is the only protected area in Bhutan without permanent human settlements, though it is used by seasonal yak herding communities. It serves as a critical habitat for endangered species including the Tiger, Snow Leopard, Red Panda, and Bhutan Takin.
• Planned alpine meadow restoration between October and December 2024 at Tshabjola, Tsang, Gangcheyla, and Chusolumpa will use prescribed burning and bio-engineering to address the encroachment of Juniper-Rhododendron Krumsholtz scrubs, which has reduced grazing areas for wildlife and livestock.
• Infrastructure work at the Sangbay Park Range Office from January to June 2025 involves constructing two concrete water reservoir tanks and maintaining HDPE pipes to provide clean drinking water for approximately 250 households in Sangbay gewog.
• The ESMP identifies minor short-term risks including forest fires during prescribed burning, masonry and general waste generation, and worker health and safety. Mitigation measures include the use of fire lines, the 'garbage-in and garbage-out' policy, and the provision of safety gear.
• In cases of discrepancy between Royal Government of Bhutan (RGoB) laws and WWF’s Social Safeguards Integrated Policies and Procedures (SIPP), the WWF provisions prevail, particularly regarding the eligibility of non-title holders for compensation and the requirement for extensive community consultations.
• A total budget of Nu. 20,000 is allocated specifically for environmental and social safeguard (ESS) mitigation, primarily for the procurement of safety gear for workers across the two main activities.

APA

WWF International (2024). Bhutan for Life Environmental and Social Management Plan for Jigme Khesar Strict Nature Reserve (JKSNR). https://files.worldwildlife.org/wwfcmsprod/files/Publication/file/1lds7aqoso_JKSNR_ESMP_2024.pdf

Chicago

WWF International. Bhutan for Life Environmental and Social Management Plan for Jigme Khesar Strict Nature Reserve (JKSNR). 2024. https://files.worldwildlife.org/wwfcmsprod/files/Publication/file/1lds7aqoso_JKSNR_ESMP_2024.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=WWF International |title=Bhutan for Life Environmental and Social Management Plan for Jigme Khesar Strict Nature Reserve (JKSNR) |date=January 2024 |url=https://files.worldwildlife.org/wwfcmsprod/files/Publication/file/1lds7aqoso_JKSNR_ESMP_2024.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wwfinternational2024bhutan, author = {{WWF International}}, title = {{Bhutan for Life Environmental and Social Management Plan for Jigme Khesar Strict Nature Reserve (JKSNR)}}, institution = {WWF International}, year = {2024}, month = jan, url = {https://files.worldwildlife.org/wwfcmsprod/files/Publication/file/1lds7aqoso_JKSNR_ESMP_2024.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }