Bhutan for Life Environmental and Social Management Plan for Wangchuck Centennial National Park

The ESMP for Wangchuck Centennial National Park outlines the environmental and social protections required for three specific 2021 activities: lowland grassland restoration, conservation awareness signage updates, and bark beetle infestation control. It integrates Royal Government of Bhutan laws with WWF's Social Safeguards Integrated Policies and Procedures, prioritizing the more extensive WWF standards where discrepancies exist, particularly regarding non-title land holders and community consultation. The plan details specific mitigation measures for risks such as forest fires, waste, and worker safety, and establishes a monitoring framework involving BFL focal persons and ESS officers.

• The Bhutan for Life (BFL) project is a 14-year financial initiative designed to secure biodiversity conservation, human well-being, and climate resilience in Bhutan, with specific goals to maintain carbon neutrality by increasing forest cover and enhancing community socio-economic wellbeing through climate-informed resource management.
• Wangchuck Centennial National Park is the largest protected area in Bhutan, covering 4,914 sq.km across five Dzongkhags (Gasa, Wangduephodrang, Trongsa, Bumthang, and Lhuentse). It supports 860 households and diverse wildlife, including the Tiger, Snow leopard, and Red panda.
• The ESMP identifies three primary activities for 2021: the restoration of 3 acres of lowland grassland in Lhuentse to provide cattle grazing and reduce human-wildlife conflict; the replacement of park signage to reflect the correct nomenclature and provide ecotourism information; and the implementation of sanitation operations and trap logs to control bark beetle infestation across 34.4 hectares in Bumthang.
• Where discrepancies exist between Royal Government of Bhutan (RGoB) laws and WWF’s Social Safeguards Integrated Policies and Procedures (SIPP), the WWF standards prevail. Key differences include the WWF's requirement to provide assistance or compensation to land users lacking formal legal titles and the mandate for extensive community consultations.
• The plan specifies mitigation measures for environmental and social risks, including the use of native species for grassland restoration, the prohibition of waste dumping in waterholes or fragile slopes, and the implementation of controlled burning with fire lines to prevent forest fires during sanitation operations.
• Implementation and monitoring are managed by the BFL focal person in the park and the ESS officer. Compliance is mandatory for contractors, and the disbursement of project funds is contingent upon full adherence to safeguard requirements.

APA

WWF International (2021). Bhutan for Life Environmental and Social Management Plan for Wangchuck Centennial National Park. https://files.worldwildlife.org/wwfcmsprod/files/Publication/file/8387rb4z5o_WCNP_ESMP_2021.pdf

Chicago

WWF International. Bhutan for Life Environmental and Social Management Plan for Wangchuck Centennial National Park. 2021. https://files.worldwildlife.org/wwfcmsprod/files/Publication/file/8387rb4z5o_WCNP_ESMP_2021.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=WWF International |title=Bhutan for Life Environmental and Social Management Plan for Wangchuck Centennial National Park |date=2021 |url=https://files.worldwildlife.org/wwfcmsprod/files/Publication/file/8387rb4z5o_WCNP_ESMP_2021.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wwfinternational2021bhutan, author = {{WWF International}}, title = {{Bhutan for Life Environmental and Social Management Plan for Wangchuck Centennial National Park}}, institution = {WWF International}, year = {2021}, url = {https://files.worldwildlife.org/wwfcmsprod/files/Publication/file/8387rb4z5o_WCNP_ESMP_2021.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }