Environmental and Social Management Plan for Jigme Khesar Strict Nature Reserve

The 2021 Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP) for the Jigme Khesar Strict Nature Reserve (JKSNR) outlines mitigation strategies for two primary project activities: the restoration of alpine meadows and the installation of water pipes to revive dry waterholes. The plan ensures compliance with both the Royal Government of Bhutan's laws and WWF's Social Safeguards Integrated Policies and Procedures (SIPP), particularly where WWF standards are more extensive regarding non-title land users and community consultation. The ESMP details specific environmental risks—such as waste generation, soil erosion, and habitat degradation—and provides a comprehensive framework for occupational health and safety (OHS), worker accommodation, and monitoring to ensure the project supports Bhutan's goal of remaining carbon neutral and increasing climate resilience.

• 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 migratory yak herding communities.
• The project identifies a critical need for alpine meadow restoration at Chala Dophu and Nubtshonapatra because climate change and reserve management have led to encroachment by Juniper-Rhododendron Krumsholtz scrubs, reducing available pasture for wildlife and livestock.
• Planned restoration activities for alpine meadows include prescribed burning to reduce scrub and bio-engineering works such as sowing grasses and developing check dams to combat rill erosion.
• To support endangered species including tigers and red pandas, the project will install HDPE pipes to supply water from permanent sources to dry waterholes at Jalamgongma and Zhungzhena.
• The ESMP mandates that WWF's Social Safeguards Integrated Policies and Procedures (SIPP) prevail over Bhutanese national legislation in cases of discrepancy, specifically regarding the eligibility of non-title land users for compensation and the requirement for extensive community consultations.
• Potential environmental and social risks associated with the activities include waste generation from worker camps, soil erosion from trenching, air pollution from prescribed burning, and an increased risk of poaching near new waterholes.
• The project allocates a total budget of US$ 6,500 for these specific ESMP activities: US$ 4,000 for alpine meadow restoration and US$ 2,500 for water pipe installation.

APA

WWF International (2021). Environmental and Social Management Plan for Jigme Khesar Strict Nature Reserve. https://files.worldwildlife.org/wwfcmsprod/files/Publication/file/21lcm1tqvz_JKNSR__ESMP_2021.pdf

Chicago

WWF International. Environmental and Social Management Plan for Jigme Khesar Strict Nature Reserve. 2021. https://files.worldwildlife.org/wwfcmsprod/files/Publication/file/21lcm1tqvz_JKNSR__ESMP_2021.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=WWF International |title=Environmental and Social Management Plan for Jigme Khesar Strict Nature Reserve |date=2021 |url=https://files.worldwildlife.org/wwfcmsprod/files/Publication/file/21lcm1tqvz_JKNSR__ESMP_2021.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wwfinternational2021environmental, author = {{WWF International}}, title = {{Environmental and Social Management Plan for Jigme Khesar Strict Nature Reserve}}, institution = {WWF International}, year = {2021}, url = {https://files.worldwildlife.org/wwfcmsprod/files/Publication/file/21lcm1tqvz_JKNSR__ESMP_2021.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }