Environmental and Social Management Plan for Royal Botanical Park

The Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP) for the Royal Botanical Park (RBP) outlines the safeguards and mitigation strategies for three planned activities: campsite development, cafeteria maintenance, and the installation of a zip line. The plan ensures 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. Key environmental risks identified include waste generation, dust, and habitat disruption, while social risks focus on worker health and safety. The document provides detailed occupational health and safety (OHS) standards and monitoring arrangements to be implemented by BFL focal persons and contractors.

• The project identifies three primary infrastructure activities for the period of January 2023 to June 2024: the development of a campsite at Lampelri with a budget of Nu. 500,000, the maintenance of a cafeteria with a budget of Nu. 1,000,000, and the construction of a zip line with a budget of Nu. 4,000,000.
• The Royal Botanical Park is a high-biodiversity area located between 2,100-3,750 masl, serving as a habitat for endangered and charismatic species including the Royal Bengal Tiger and the Red Panda, with records of 480 flowering plant species, 26 mammal species, and 230 bird species.
• The ESMP mandates that WWF’s Social Safeguards Integrated Policies and Procedures (SIPP) prevail over Royal Government of Bhutan (RGoB) legislation in cases of discrepancy, particularly regarding the eligibility of non-title holders for compensation and the requirement for extensive community consultations.
• The installation of the zip line is identified as having the most diverse environmental impacts, including potential damage to trees from drilling for cables and bolts, disruption of wildlife habitats, generation of construction waste from tower foundations, and dust deposition.
• To mitigate social risks, the plan requires contractors to implement strict worker health and safety measures, including regular health screenings, prohibition of underage labor, and the establishment of a grievance mechanism for workers.
• Monitoring of the ESMP will be conducted through field visits and reports by the Field Focal and ESS Focal officers, with semi-annual reports submitted to the BFL Fund Secretariat in January 2024 and bi-annual reports sent to WWF US.

APA

WWF International (2023). Environmental and Social Management Plan for Royal Botanical Park. https://files.worldwildlife.org/wwfcmsprod/files/Publication/file/a7ghinria_RBP_ESMP_2023.pdf

Chicago

WWF International. Environmental and Social Management Plan for Royal Botanical Park. 2023. https://files.worldwildlife.org/wwfcmsprod/files/Publication/file/a7ghinria_RBP_ESMP_2023.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=WWF International |title=Environmental and Social Management Plan for Royal Botanical Park |date=January 2023 |url=https://files.worldwildlife.org/wwfcmsprod/files/Publication/file/a7ghinria_RBP_ESMP_2023.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wwfinternational2023environmental, author = {{WWF International}}, title = {{Environmental and Social Management Plan for Royal Botanical Park}}, institution = {WWF International}, year = {2023}, month = jan, url = {https://files.worldwildlife.org/wwfcmsprod/files/Publication/file/a7ghinria_RBP_ESMP_2023.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }