Bhutan for Life Environmental and Social Management Plan for Biological Corridor 5

The Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP) for Biological Corridor 5 (BC5) outlines the mitigation strategies for planned 2020 activities in the Pema Gatshel and Samdrup Jongkhar districts of Bhutan. The project, part of the broader 'Bhutan for Life' (BFL) initiative, focuses on habitat enrichment through waterhole and saltlick improvement and the construction of river protection walls to prevent flooding. The ESMP identifies potential risks such as waste generation, worker safety, and increased poaching, prescribing specific mitigation measures and a rigorous monitoring framework involving BFL focal persons and ESS consultants. It emphasizes compliance with 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 regarding land use and community consultation.

• Biological Corridor 5 (BC5) covers 203.58 km2 in south eastern Bhutan, connecting the Royal Manas National Park and Jomotshangkha Wildlife Sanctuary, with over 95% of its land consisting of broad-leafed forests.
• Planned 2020 activities in Pema Gatshel and Samdrup Jongkhar include the improvement of waterholes and saltlicks, habitat enrichment through planting native species on degraded land, and the construction of river protection walls to mitigate summer flooding.
• The ESMP identifies several potential adverse impacts for the 2020 activities, including waste generation from workers, risks to workers' health and safety, the potential for increased poaching at animal gathering hotspots, and the risk of forest fires during debris burning.
• To mitigate social and environmental risks, the plan mandates the use of waste bins, the prohibition of burning waste on-site, the provision of safety gear and first aid kits for local workers, and increased patrolling by authorities to prevent poaching.
• The project adheres to both Royal Government of Bhutan (RGoB) laws and WWF’s Social Safeguards Integrated Policies and Procedures (SIPP), with WWF's SIPP taking precedence in cases of discrepancy, particularly regarding the eligibility of non-title holders for compensation and the requirement for extensive community consultations.
• A structured monitoring and reporting framework is established, requiring weekly or monthly field visits by implementing entities and periodic audits by ESS consultants, with final annual reports submitted to the BFL Secretariat and WWF US.
• The total budget for the four primary 2020 activities is approximately USD 12,023.80, with an additional USD 1,400 allocated for ESMP mitigation measures and USD 200 for river bank protection consultations.

APA

WWF International (2020). Bhutan for Life Environmental and Social Management Plan for Biological Corridor 5. https://files.worldwildlife.org/wwfcmsprod/files/Publication/file/5slkfgtmjr_BC5_ESMP.pdf

Chicago

WWF International. Bhutan for Life Environmental and Social Management Plan for Biological Corridor 5. 2020. https://files.worldwildlife.org/wwfcmsprod/files/Publication/file/5slkfgtmjr_BC5_ESMP.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=WWF International |title=Bhutan for Life Environmental and Social Management Plan for Biological Corridor 5 |date=2020 |url=https://files.worldwildlife.org/wwfcmsprod/files/Publication/file/5slkfgtmjr_BC5_ESMP.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wwfinternational2020bhutan, author = {{WWF International}}, title = {{Bhutan for Life Environmental and Social Management Plan for Biological Corridor 5}}, institution = {WWF International}, year = {2020}, url = {https://files.worldwildlife.org/wwfcmsprod/files/Publication/file/5slkfgtmjr_BC5_ESMP.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }