Environmental and Social Management Plan for Royal Botanical Park

The Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP) for the Royal Botanical Park (RBP) outlines the mitigation strategies for four planned activities in 2020 under the Bhutan for Life (BFL) project. These activities include lowland grassland enrichment, zonation and pillar fixation, river bank protection, and the improvement of salt licks and waterholes. The plan prioritizes waste management, worker health and safety, and the prevention of poaching, while ensuring compliance with both Royal Government of Bhutan (RGoB) laws and WWF's Social Safeguards Integrated Policies and Procedures (SIPP). Implementation is managed by BFL focal persons and contractors, with a structured monitoring and reporting framework involving ESS consultants and the Project Coordination Unit (PCU).

• 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, secure biodiversity, and maintain the country's carbon neutrality by increasing forest and vegetative cover.
• The Royal Botanical Park (RBP) is a high-biodiversity area located between 2,100-3,750 masl, spanning Punakha and Thimphu Dzongkhags, and is home to endangered species including the Royal Bengal Tiger and Red Panda.
• Four specific activities were planned for 2020 with a total combined budget of US$ 37,761.9: lowland grassland enrichment (US$ 3,000), combined zonation and pillar fixation (US$ 27,500), river bank protection (US$ 2,500), and waterhole/salt lick improvement (US$ 4,761.9).
• The ESMP identifies several potential negative impacts for the 2020 activities, including waste generation from construction and consultation, risks to workers' health and safety, soil and vegetation degradation around salt licks, and a potential increase in poaching near new waterholes.
• To mitigate these risks, the plan mandates strict waste management (prohibiting burning and dumping in rivers or fragile slopes), adherence to occupational health and safety (OHS) guidelines, and increased patrolling by park authorities to prevent poaching.
• In cases of discrepancy between national legislation and WWF's Social Safeguards Integrated Policies and Procedures (SIPP), the WWF SIPP prevails, particularly regarding the eligibility of non-title holders for compensation and the requirement for extensive community consultations.

APA

WWF International (2020). Environmental and Social Management Plan for Royal Botanical Park. https://files.worldwildlife.org/wwfcmsprod/files/Publication/file/64fypk483u_RBP_ESMP.pdf

Chicago

WWF International. Environmental and Social Management Plan for Royal Botanical Park. 2020. https://files.worldwildlife.org/wwfcmsprod/files/Publication/file/64fypk483u_RBP_ESMP.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=WWF International |title=Environmental and Social Management Plan for Royal Botanical Park |date=2020 |url=https://files.worldwildlife.org/wwfcmsprod/files/Publication/file/64fypk483u_RBP_ESMP.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wwfinternational2020environmental, author = {{WWF International}}, title = {{Environmental and Social Management Plan for Royal Botanical Park}}, institution = {WWF International}, year = {2020}, url = {https://files.worldwildlife.org/wwfcmsprod/files/Publication/file/64fypk483u_RBP_ESMP.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }