Bhutan for Life Environmental and Social Management Plan for Biological Corridor 3, Tsirang

The ESMP for Biological Corridor 3 (BC 3) in Tsirang, Bhutan, outlines the environmental and social safeguards for the construction of a Range Office and staff quarters between July 2022 and June 2023. The project, funded by Bhutan for Life (BFL), aims to enhance protected area management and public service delivery. The plan identifies potential risks—including noise, dust, waste, and worker safety—and mandates specific mitigation measures, such as restricting construction hours to 7am–7pm and providing personal protective equipment. It emphasizes compliance with both Royal Government of Bhutan laws and WWF's more extensive safeguard policies, particularly regarding the rights of non-title land users and community consultation.

• The Bhutan for Life (BFL) project is a 14-year initiative designed to maintain Bhutan's carbon neutrality by increasing forest cover and enhancing the socio-economic wellbeing of communities through climate-informed natural resource management.
• Biological Corridor 3 (BC 3) covers 407.69 km², with 84.50% located in the Sarpang Forest Division and 15.50% in the Tsirang Forest Division. The area is predominantly broadleaf forest (76.48%) and supports species such as barking deer, wild pigs, and critically endangered birds like the White Bellied Heron and Rufous Necked Hornbill.
• The primary planned activity for 2022-2023 is the construction of a Range Office cum residence at Mendrelgang (Pemashong) with a budget of Nu. 5.4 million. This includes a 2-unit staff quarter, approach road, parking, retaining wall, and fencing on 1 acre of institutional land.
• To mitigate environmental and social risks, the ESMP mandates that construction be restricted to 7am–7pm to limit noise, and requires the use of screening nets or CGI sheets to minimize disturbances to the nearby Mendrelgang Primary School.
• The project adopts a hierarchy of safeguards where WWF's Social and Environmental Safeguards Framework (SIPP) prevails over Royal Government of Bhutan (RGoB) laws in cases of discrepancy, specifically regarding the eligibility of non-title land users for compensation and the requirement for extensive community consultations.
• Strict occupational health and safety (OHS) standards are required, including the provision of a first aid kit within 200m of any working place and the mandatory use of helmets, gloves, boots, and reflective vests for all workers.

APA

WWF International (2022). Bhutan for Life Environmental and Social Management Plan for Biological Corridor 3, Tsirang. https://files.worldwildlife.org/wwfcmsprod/files/Publication/file/9j8lqijdhm_BC3_ESMP_.pdf

Chicago

WWF International. Bhutan for Life Environmental and Social Management Plan for Biological Corridor 3, Tsirang. 2022. https://files.worldwildlife.org/wwfcmsprod/files/Publication/file/9j8lqijdhm_BC3_ESMP_.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=WWF International |title=Bhutan for Life Environmental and Social Management Plan for Biological Corridor 3, Tsirang |date=2022 |url=https://files.worldwildlife.org/wwfcmsprod/files/Publication/file/9j8lqijdhm_BC3_ESMP_.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wwfinternational2022bhutan, author = {{WWF International}}, title = {{Bhutan for Life Environmental and Social Management Plan for Biological Corridor 3, Tsirang}}, institution = {WWF International}, year = {2022}, url = {https://files.worldwildlife.org/wwfcmsprod/files/Publication/file/9j8lqijdhm_BC3_ESMP_.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }