Bhutan for Life Environmental and Social Management Plan for Phrumsengla National Park

The 2022 ESMP for Phrumsengla National Park (PNP) outlines the environmental and social safeguards for four planned activities: staff quarter maintenance, Trans-Bhutan Trail (TBT) maintenance, campsite construction at Gayzamchu, and solar/electric fencing installation. The plan identifies potential risks such as waste generation, noise pollution, and worker health and safety, providing specific mitigation measures and monitoring protocols. It also details the park's ecological baseline, including its role as a 'linchpin' of Bhutan's Biological Corridor Complex and its habitat for endangered species like the tiger and red panda.

• Phrumsengla National Park (PNP) covers 906 km2 and serves as a critical link in Bhutan's Biological Corridor Complex (B2C2), connecting to several other national parks and sanctuaries.
• The park is a high-value conservation area hosting approximately 1,000 plant species, including 21 endemic to Bhutan and two specifically endemic to PNP: Rubus sengorensis and Lobelia nubigena.
• PNP provides habitat for several IUCN Red List endangered and vulnerable species, including the Tiger (Panthera tigris), Red Panda (Ailurus fulgens), Musk Deer (Moschus chrysogaster), and Wild Dog (Cuon alpines).
• The park's human population consists of about 6,000 inhabitants from 1,165 households across 32 villages, primarily agro-pastoralists who rely on forest grazing for their livelihoods.
• Four specific activities are planned for 2022: maintenance of staff quarters (Nu. 1.5M), maintenance of the Trans-Bhutan Trail from Lerichhu to Wangthangla (Nu. 0.2M), construction of a campsite at Gayzamchu (Nu. 1.45M), and construction of solar/electric fencing (Nu. 0.65M).
• The solar/electric fencing project targets a human-wildlife conflict hotspot in Pam, Banjar, and Tsamang, aiming to protect 25 households and 25 acres of agricultural fields.
• Common environmental and social risks identified across the 2022 activities include waste generation, noise disturbance from power chainsaws, air pollution from cement works, and worker health and safety risks, including COVID-19.
• Mitigation measures for waste include the segregation of degradable and non-degradable waste, prohibiting dumping on fragile slopes or culturally sensitive areas, and ensuring all waste is removed after maintenance.
• The ESMP mandates strict occupational health and safety (OHS) standards, including the provision of personal protective equipment (helmets, gloves, boots, reflective vests) and the requirement for first aid boxes within 200m of any working place.
• Implementation and monitoring are managed by the BFL focal person in PNP, with disbursement of project funds contingent upon full compliance with safeguard requirements.

APA

WWF International (2022). Bhutan for Life Environmental and Social Management Plan for Phrumsengla National Park. https://files.worldwildlife.org/wwfcmsprod/files/Publication/file/4zzcvbcw1n_PNP_ESMP_updated.pdf

Chicago

WWF International. Bhutan for Life Environmental and Social Management Plan for Phrumsengla National Park. 2022. https://files.worldwildlife.org/wwfcmsprod/files/Publication/file/4zzcvbcw1n_PNP_ESMP_updated.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=WWF International |title=Bhutan for Life Environmental and Social Management Plan for Phrumsengla National Park |date=2022 |url=https://files.worldwildlife.org/wwfcmsprod/files/Publication/file/4zzcvbcw1n_PNP_ESMP_updated.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wwfinternational2022bhutan, author = {{WWF International}}, title = {{Bhutan for Life Environmental and Social Management Plan for Phrumsengla National Park}}, institution = {WWF International}, year = {2022}, url = {https://files.worldwildlife.org/wwfcmsprod/files/Publication/file/4zzcvbcw1n_PNP_ESMP_updated.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }