Environmental and Social Management Plan for Phibsoo Wildlife Sanctuary

The ESMP for Phibsoo Wildlife Sanctuary (PWS) outlines mitigation strategies for four primary activities planned for 2021: patrol route maintenance, construction of an office retention wall, improvement of natural waterholes and saltlicks, and lowland grassland management. The plan integrates Royal Government of Bhutan laws with WWF's Social Safeguards Integrated Policies and Procedures, prioritizing the latter in cases of discrepancy, particularly regarding non-title holders and community consultation. PWS is highlighted for its conservation significance, serving as the easternmost limit for spotted deer and sal forests, and the westernmost limit for the golden langur. The ESMP details specific environmental risks—such as noise, air pollution, and erosion—and social risks, including worker health and safety and human-wildlife conflict, providing a structured monitoring framework and occupational health and safety standards for implementation.

• Phibsoo Wildlife Sanctuary (PWS) is the smallest of Bhutan's ten protected areas, covering 286.8 km2 in the Himalayan foothills of south-central Bhutan.
• PWS holds unique conservation value as the easternmost limit for sal (Shorea robusta) bearing forests, common pea fowl, and spotted deer, and the westernmost limit for the agar tree and the globally threatened golden langur.
• The project identifies four main activities for 2021 with a total allocated budget of Nu. 2,700,000: maintenance of a 25 km patrol route (Nu. 400,000), construction of an office retention wall (Nu. 800,000), improvement of waterholes and saltlicks (Nu. 500,000), and lowland grassland management (Nu. 1,000,000).
• The ESMP mandates that WWF’s Social Safeguards Integrated Policies and Procedures (SIPP) prevail over Royal Government of Bhutan (RGoB) legislation in cases of discrepancy, specifically regarding the eligibility of non-title holders for compensation and the requirement for extensive community consultations.
• Lowland grassland management involves managing over 500 hectares to support herbivores and control invasive species such as Sida acuta, Chromolena odorata, and Mikania micrantha through bush clearing and prescribed burning.
• The plan identifies human-wildlife conflict (HWC) as a potential risk resulting from improved patrol routes and the creation of waterholes, which may facilitate animal movement into communities or attract poachers.
• Occupational health and safety standards for workers include a maximum noise exposure limit of 85 dB(A) over 8 hours and the mandatory provision of personal safety equipment including helmets, gloves, boots, and reflective vests.

APA

WWF International (2021). Environmental and Social Management Plan for Phibsoo Wildlife Sanctuary. https://files.worldwildlife.org/wwfcmsprod/files/Publication/file/5pafm9h8ak_PWS_ESMP_2021.pdf

Chicago

WWF International. Environmental and Social Management Plan for Phibsoo Wildlife Sanctuary. 2021. https://files.worldwildlife.org/wwfcmsprod/files/Publication/file/5pafm9h8ak_PWS_ESMP_2021.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=WWF International |title=Environmental and Social Management Plan for Phibsoo Wildlife Sanctuary |date=2021 |url=https://files.worldwildlife.org/wwfcmsprod/files/Publication/file/5pafm9h8ak_PWS_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 Phibsoo Wildlife Sanctuary}}, institution = {WWF International}, year = {2021}, url = {https://files.worldwildlife.org/wwfcmsprod/files/Publication/file/5pafm9h8ak_PWS_ESMP_2021.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }