Environmental and Social Management Plan for Biological Corridor 4

The Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP) for Biological Corridor 4 (BC 4) outlines the mitigation strategies for three primary activities planned for 2020: the construction of a range office in Shingkhar, the rehabilitation of six waterholes and salt licks, and the restoration of 16 hectares of lowland grasslands. 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 stringent regarding non-title land users and community consultation. The document details specific environmental risks, such as noise and waste from construction, and social risks, including occupational health and safety and potential conflicts between temporary workers and local communities. It defines a monitoring framework involving weekly field visits and quarterly reports to ensure safeguards are met before project funds are disbursed.

• Biological Corridor 4 (BC 4) covers 501 sq.km with an elevation range of 3794 to 4441 masl, supporting 94 species of vascular plants, 25 mammal species, and 150 bird species.
• The 2020 project activities include the construction of a range office in Shingkhar with a budget of USD 71,600, the development of six waterholes and salt licks costing USD 4,761.90, and the restoration of 16 hectares of lowland grasslands with a budget of USD 3,000.
• Where discrepancies exist between the Royal Government of Bhutan (RGoB) laws and WWF's Social Safeguards Integrated Policies and Procedures (SIPP), the WWF provisions prevail, specifically regarding the eligibility of non-title land users for compensation and the requirement for extensive community consultations.
• Environmental and social risks for the range office construction include noise pollution, waste generation, occupational health and safety hazards, and potential conflicts between temporary workers and local communities.
• Mitigation for waterhole and salt lick activities focuses on preventing waste dumping in protected areas, ensuring worker safety, and increasing patrolling to prevent a potential increase in poaching.
• The implementation and monitoring framework requires the BFL focal person to conduct weekly field visits for construction and submit monthly reports, while ESS consultants perform quarterly visits and reports.

APA

WWF International (2020). Environmental and Social Management Plan for Biological Corridor 4. https://files.worldwildlife.org/wwfcmsprod/files/Publication/file/7dgcelbb5b_BC4_ESMP.pdf

Chicago

WWF International. Environmental and Social Management Plan for Biological Corridor 4. 2020. https://files.worldwildlife.org/wwfcmsprod/files/Publication/file/7dgcelbb5b_BC4_ESMP.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=WWF International |title=Environmental and Social Management Plan for Biological Corridor 4 |date=2020 |url=https://files.worldwildlife.org/wwfcmsprod/files/Publication/file/7dgcelbb5b_BC4_ESMP.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wwfinternational2020environmental, author = {{WWF International}}, title = {{Environmental and Social Management Plan for Biological Corridor 4}}, institution = {WWF International}, year = {2020}, url = {https://files.worldwildlife.org/wwfcmsprod/files/Publication/file/7dgcelbb5b_BC4_ESMP.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }